A. State Alcohol Law

Key features of the Laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia include:

1. You must be 21 years old or older to drink alcoholic beverages.

2. You may not drink in any unlicensed public place. This means anywhere the public can go, not just a publicly owned place.

3. If you attempt to operate a motor vehicle after consuming alcoholic beverages, you may be charged with Driving While Intoxicated if your blood alcohol content is 0.08% or above.

4. Virginia's Keg Registration Law requires that a person of legal age register when he purchases a keg. It also cautions the registrant not to permit anyone under legal age to consume any beer from that keg.

5. If you are under 21 years of age, driving with a BAC of at least 0.02 but less than 0.08 will be punishable by a fine of up to $500 and a six-month suspension of one's driver's license.

6. One's driver's license automatically will be revoked for seven days if he refuses a breath test or has a BAC of 0.08 or higher. Also, there is no option of requesting a blood test instead of a breath test for an alcohol-related offense.