Can I buy or be given alcohol if I'm under 18?
No: selling alcohol to minors under 18 is banned. Sellers and venue staff are obliged to ask for ID to check whether customers have reached 18, before selling alcoholic drinks, tobacco products or energy drinks. Selling these products to minors is banned and heavily sanctioned. The rules were tightened by amending Law 349/2002 and Law 61/1991: for the first offence, a 10,000 lei fine and suspension of activity for 30 days; for the second offence, a 20,000 lei fine and closure of the venue. Failing to check ID can be fined between 10,000 and 30,000 lei. In short: if you're under 18, you can't lawfully buy alcohol, and the seller who sells to you risks serious sanctions.
📋 The rules
- Selling alcohol to minors under 18: banned
- Sellers ask for ID to check the age
- Applies to tobacco and energy drinks too
- First offence: 10,000 lei + 30-day suspension
- Second offence: 20,000 lei + venue closure
🔓 Exceptions
- Adults (over 18): can buy freely
- Failing to check ID: fine of 10,000–30,000 lei
- Venues and shops alike: the same duties
⚠️ Penalties & fines
For the seller, selling alcohol, tobacco or energy drinks to a minor is sanctioned, from the first offence, with a 10,000 lei fine and suspension of activity for 30 days; for the second offence, the fine rises to 20,000 lei, with closure of the venue as a complementary sanction. Failing the duty to ask for ID is fined between 10,000 and 30,000 lei. For the minor, access to alcohol is banned, and drinking in public can bring other measures. To stay compliant: as a seller, ask for ID from any customer who looks young and refuse the sale under 18; as a parent, be aware that no one is allowed to lawfully sell your child alcohol, tobacco or energy drinks.
📎 Official sources
- Law 61/1991 (public order and quiet) →
- Law 349/2002 on preventing the effects of tobacco →
- ANPC · National Authority for Consumer Protection →
❓ Frequently asked
Can alcohol be sold to minors?
No. Selling alcoholic drinks, tobacco products and energy drinks to minors under 18 is banned by law. Sellers and venue staff must ask customers for ID to check whether they've reached 18 before selling these products to them.
Do I have to show ID to buy alcohol?
Yes, if the seller asks. Sellers must check customers' ID to ensure they're of age before selling alcohol, tobacco or energy drinks. If you look young and don't present ID showing you're over 18, the sale can be refused.
What fine does a seller risk selling alcohol to minors?
From the first offence, a 10,000 lei fine and suspension of activity for 30 days. For the second offence, the fine rises to 20,000 lei, with closure of the venue as a complementary sanction. Failing to check ID can be fined between 10,000 and 30,000 lei.
Does the rule apply to energy drinks too?
Yes. Besides alcohol and tobacco products, the ban on selling to minors was extended to energy drinks too. Sellers have the same duty to check the customer's age for these products, and selling to people under 18 is sanctioned similarly.
What happens if a minor drinks alcohol in public?
Minors' access to alcohol is banned, and drinking alcohol in public spaces is restricted anyway. A minor caught drinking in public can draw the authorities' attention, and liability falls also on those who sold or procured the drink, under the law.
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