Understanding Alcohol ID Verification in Colorado

Introduction

In Colorado, the legal drinking age is firmly set at 21 years old. This regulation aims to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals, particularly young adults. However, it places an important responsibility on servers of alcohol, who must be vigilant in confirming the age of their customers. To effectively manage age verification, a systematic approach to checking identification is crucial. When verifying a guest's eligibility to consume alcohol, it’s essential to accept only valid forms of identification. A legitimate ID must have several key attributes: a photo of the individual, their date of birth, and an expiration date. Any ID that lacks these elements should be deemed unacceptable. Furthermore, expired or damaged IDs are not recognized as valid, making it imperative for servers to be diligent in their checks.

The Importance of Valid Identification

Serving alcohol to minors will inevitably lead to problems. Just serving a minor one alcoholic drink could lead to criminal charges against the server AND administrative charges against the business. In other words, the server will pay a big fine and the business will pay a MUCH bigger fine. Now that is if you busted just for serving a minor, But the potential liability, for the server and the business if something bad were to happen to that minor, car crash, DUI, or worse would be significant in terms of potential jail time, bigger fines, the suspension of a liquor license, and just plain bad public image for the business.

Underage drinking is such a problem that the Colorado Liquor Enforcement Division conducts what the call Compliance checks, most of us in the industry know them as "stings". In these compliance checks they are going to send an underage person into a bar, restaurant, or store to purchase alcohol. If that minor is not asked for an ID, the business and the employee are busted. Pretty simple operation, pretty simple solution. CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs! CHECK IDs!

Verification Practices

The first step in the process of serving alcohol is to always ask for an ID. If you ask someone of questionable age for their ID and they do not have one, don't serve them. It is essential to verify the identification thoroughly to ensure the person in front of you matches the photo and information displayed on the ID. Make sure the date of birth is appropriate. If the person in front of you barely looks 21 but the date of birth is 1990, well you may have a problem.

Questionable age of course is subjective. I'm 64 years old, so a lot of people are of questionable age to me. Younger servers have their own challenge, a 21-year-old server may have a harder time judging age since almost everyone looks older. So young servers need to be diligent about checking ALL IDs.

As a server, be mindful of underage guests trying to possess alcohol. Older friends or relatives may sneak a drink to someone underage. It's important to emphasize that parents cannot assume responsibility for their children's actions in these situations; the responsibility lies with the server to maintain compliance with state laws.

Conclusion

Understanding and adhering to the laws surrounding alcohol service in Colorado is paramount for all servers. Ensuring that all customers are of legal age involves a simple approach.

1. Always ask for an ID

2. only accept IDs you can verify

3. have a way to verify the ID.

Following these basic steps to a minimum servers will not only adhere to the law but also promote a safer environment for all patrons. Remember, due diligence in ID checking not only protects your establishment but also promotes community safety.