Vertical license holders can now buy alcohol in Arizona

PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey signed emergency legislation Tuesday to partly repeal a law designed to keep underage people from purchasing alcohol.

The immediate effect will be to allow bartenders and store clerks to honor licenses that were specifically designed for those under age.

The problem is that many states have special designs for licenses for those under 21. In Arizona, along with some other states, the licenses are vertical.

In Arizona, those licenses expire 30 days after someone’s 21st birthday. That provides an immediate need, if not incentive, for the newly minted adults to go out and get a new horizontal license.

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In many states, however, those vertical licenses remain good until a much longer expiration date.

But here’s the thing: Arizona law makes it illegal for a bartender or store clerk to sell to anyone with a vertical license, no matter what it says about the person’s date of birth.

This new law, which took effect on Ducey’s signature, says nonexpired licenses from other states can be accepted as proof of being at least 21, even if they were designed as — and specifically meant for — those under 21.