When Is Last Call in all 50 States

Mark Yocca
Mark Yocca

Depending where you are in the United States, you may or may not be able to party all night and into the early morning hours. The ringing yell of a bartender warning of last call comes at 12 a.m. in some states, 4 a.m. in others, and never comes for bartenders in a few states. While most of the country lives by the adage that nothing good happens after 2 a.m., some hard-partying locales try to beat the odds and prove that just because something is a saying doesn’t mean it’s true.

Here is when bars are required to close in each state, as well as the major cities with late-night exceptions.

Alabama: 2 a.m.

While 2 a.m. is the general closing time in Alabama, 25 of 67 counties in the state are dry with only a few cities that sell alcohol. Licensed clubs—bars that require a (usually easy to get) membership—can stay open later, with one Birmingham bar called The Nick keeping drinks flowing until 6 a.m.

Alaska: 5 a.m.
Alaska’s closing law is true for every day except election days, when the state tries to keep people on the sober side. All of Alaska’s larger cities have moved the time up to 2 a.m. or 3 a.m., but many small communities haven’t.

Arizona: 2 a.m.

Drinks can’t be served after 2 a.m., and by 2:30 a.m., no one can touch any of the drinks they haven’t finished yet.

Arkansas: 2 a.m.

Clubs that have a members registry can stay open until as late as 5 a.m. Thirty-five of the state’s 75 counties are dry, and some wet counties have dry cities.

California: 2 a.m.

In San Jose, the last drink is served at 1:30 a.m., although bars aren’t required to close until 3 a.m. A bill in 2017 to let individual cities decide to move last call up to 4 a.m. was shot down.

Colorado: 2 a.m.

A bill in 2017 to let individual cities decide when bars must close failed to pass, leaving Colorado’s closing time at 2 a.m.

Connecticut: 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.

But on New Year’s Eve, bars can stay open until 3 a.m.

Delaware: 1 a.m.

Bars can stay open until 2 a.m., giving people time to finish up any last drinks, but no drinks can be served during the last hour.

Florida: 2 a.m.

In Tallahassee, bars can stay open until 4 a.m. as long as they aren’t selling alcohol past 2 a.m. Clubs in Miami can serve alcohol until 5 a.m., Fort Lauderdale bars can serve until 4 a.m., and Tampa bars can stay open until 3 a.m.

Georgia: 2 a.m.

Georgia lacks a statewide law for closing time, but most counties require bars to close at 2 a.m., though Atlanta bars close at 2:30 a.m,

Hawaii: 2 a.m.

A limited number of clubs in Waikiki can serve alcohol until 4 a.m.

Idaho: 2 a.m.

The larger cities like Boise follow the 2 a.m. guideline, but many smaller cities require bars close at 1 a.m.

Illinois: 2 a.m.

The state doesn’t have a set bar closing time, but the latest most counties allow sales is 2 a.m. In Chicago, bars with late night licenses can sell until 4 a.m. Sunday through Friday, and until 5 a.m. Saturday.

Indiana: 3 a.m.

Iowa: 2 a.m.

Kansas: 2 a.m.

Eight counties in Kansas don’t allow liquor sales at bars if a person doesn’t have a club membership.

Kentucky: 2 a.m.

In Louisville, some bars have licenses to sell until 4 a.m.

Louisiana: None

Bars in cities like New Orleans can serve alcohol for 24 hours without a special license. Some parishes in the state have set a limit, however, and in Baton Rouge last call is at 2 a.m.

Maine: 1 a.m.

Bars can close at 2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve. There’s also a 15 minute consumption period from the time the bars close that the location must be vacated.

Maryland: 2 a.m.

However, in Baltimore on New Year’s Eve, bars can stay open from the morning of December 31 to 2 a.m. on January 2.

Massachusetts: 2 a.m.

Many cities require bars to close at 1 a.m. Boston allows closing at 2 a.m., but the last drink must be served 30 minutes prior to closing time.

Michigan: 2 a.m.

Minnesota: 2 a.m.

Mississippi: 12 a.m.

Cities in Clay county can say open until 2 a.m., and most casinos, including those in Biloxi, can sell alcohol 24 hours a day.

Missouri: 1:30 a.m.

Some bars in St. Louis and Kansas City can sell until 3 a.m. with a special license.

Montana: 2 a.m.

Nebraska: 1 a.m.

Omaha and Lincoln allow bars to sell until 2 a.m.

Nevada: None

New Hampshire: 1 a.m.

New Jersey: 2 a.m.

There’s no statewide law, but most cities require bars to close at 2 a.m. Atlantic City serves alcohol 24 hours a day.

New Mexico: 2 a.m.

New York: 2 a.m.

In New York City, Buffalo, Albany and Saratoga Springs, bars can stay open until 4 a.m.

North Carolina: 2 a.m.

North Dakota: 1 a.m.

Fargo and some other municipalities allow bars to remain open until 2 a.m.

Ohio: 2 a.m.

Some bars with special licenses in larger cities like Columbus can remain open until 2:30 a.m.

Oklahoma: 2 a.m.

Twenty-six of Oklahoma’s 77 counties are dry and don’t allow the sale of alcohol.

Oregon: 2:30 a.m.

Pennsylvania: 2 a.m.

Clubs with memberships can remain open until 3 a.m.

Rhode Island: 1 a.m.

On Friday and Saturday nights in Providence, bars can stay open until 2 a.m.

South Carolina: 2 a.m.

South Carolina allows counties to set the time, but most are around 2 a.m. No alcohol sales are allowed on Sundays except in Aiken City, Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, North Augusta, Spartanburg and Myrtle Beach.

South Dakota: 2 a.m.

Tennessee: 3 a.m.

Fourteen counties in Tennessee are dry and don’t allow alcohol sales.

Texas: 2 a.m.

Utah: 1 a.m.

Vermont: 2 a.m.

But bars can sell until 3 a.m. on New Year’s Eve.

Virginia: 2 a.m.

When Daylight Saving Time ends, bars must close the first time the clock hits 2 a.m.

Washington: 2 a.m.

West Virginia: 2 a.m.

Club licenses in cities like Charleston allow bars to stay open until 3 a.m.

Wisconsin: 2 a.m.

On Friday and Saturday nights, bars can serve until 2:30 a.m. There’s also no required closing time on New Year’s Eve.

Wyoming: 2 a.m.