Is alcohol legal in Arkansas?

Q: Is alcohol legal in Arkansas?

Alcohol in Arkansas is legal only under specific conditions. Arkansas is not a control state, but spirits are restricted: distilled spirits are sold only at licensed liquor stores (package stores), and grocery and convenience stores may sell beer and wine only. Sales are subject to local wet or dry status.

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ARKANSAS · ALCOHOL

Alcohol

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Conditional: Arkansas is not a control state, but spirits are restricted: distilled spirits are sold only at licensed liquor stores (package stores), and grocery and convenience stores may sell beer and wine only.

Conditional

Summary

Arkansas is not a control state, but spirits are restricted: distilled spirits are sold only at licensed liquor stores (package stores), and grocery and convenience stores may sell beer and wine only. Sales are subject to local wet or dry status.

Source: dfa.arkansas.gov → · Updated July 23, 2026

Arkansas Alcohol topics

DUI / DWI Limits in Arkansas →Info
Arkansas sets its DWI limit at an alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more in breath or blood for adults, 0.04% for commercial drivers, and 0.02% for anyone under 21 (an "Underage DUI").
Open Container Law in Arkansas →Restricted
In Arkansas it is unlawful to possess an open alcoholic beverage container in the area designed to seat the driver or a passenger while the vehicle is in operation, or in any area readily accessible from a seated position while the vehicle is on a public highway or its right-of-way (A.C.A. § 5-71-218, Act 849 of 2017).
Sunday Alcohol Sales in Arkansas →Conditional
Sunday OFF-premises sales are not automatic in Arkansas — they are lawful only where a city or county has held an election under Act 294 of 2009 authorizing them, and then only between 10:00 a.m. and midnight (or a shorter window set by local ordinance).
Last Call Hours in Arkansas →Conditional
Arkansas ends on-premises sales at 2 a.m. statewide under the state's ABC rules, but many counties are dry and Sunday sales are limited, so local rules control.
Beer & Wine in Grocery Stores in Arkansas →Permitted
Arkansas groceries can sell beer and wine under a grocery-store off-premises wine permit, but only if the store sits in wet territory — and many Arkansas counties remain dry.
Where to Buy Alcohol in Arkansas →Conditional
Arkansas is not a control state, but spirits are restricted: distilled spirits are sold only at licensed liquor stores (package stores), and grocery and convenience stores may sell beer and wine only.

Other Arkansas laws

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