COVID-19 Phase 5 Liquor Laws

The pandemic caused a significant shutdown across the state. Over the course of 2021, Illinois has put in place a plan to reopen businesses using a phased approach that allows people to return to normalcy, at least in part. The plan is called the Restore Illinois Plan, and as of June 11, 2021, we entered Phase 5.

A Temporary Shift in Alcohol Sales and Delivery

Phase 5 provides guidance for several businesses and venues, including regulations for liquor laws. According to ongoing studies, alcohol consumption increased over the COVID-19 pandemic, which likely does not come as a surprise. As people were forced to stay home and avoid more normal interactions, alcohol was a way to have an association with social activities. People would Zoom with each other and drink. Some companies offered “get-togethers” that allowed people to stay home and have remote wine testing.

Historically, alcohol is a great way to unwind and socialize with fewer inhibitions. As the pandemic progressed, people grew more concerned about the future as their finances and situations became increasingly less certain.

As a result, Illinois implemented a number of laws that made it easier to purchase alcohol, which is usually very tightly regulated. As life resumes a more normal cadence and people can now go into liquor stores, bars, and restaurants, the laws are shifting again.

The End of Temporary Delivery and Off-Premises Sales

At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Illinois legislators wanted to ensure people stayed home. Since people wanted to be able to gather together, and considering the hardship that the pandemic placed on people and businesses with liquor licenses, one of the best ways of convincing people to stay home was to lift a number of the restrictions about liquor sales.

The Illinois Liquor Control Commission issued two bulletins regarding sales:

• Guidance to Local Liquor Control Commissions for On-Premises Only Retailers – Released in March 2020, this guidance was a result of an Executive Order. It provided guidance for the businesses that were allowed to conduct on-premises alcoholic sales off the licensed premises.
• Guidance on Temporary Delivery of Alcoholic Liquor – Last updated in October 26, 2020, this guidance helped limit gatherings by allowing the delivery of alcoholic beverages to people who did not have licenses. The guidance had 8 conditions for the deliveries.

With the release of several vaccines, businesses have been slowly reopening over 2021, making these temporary directions no longer necessary.

As of July 1, 2021, the delivery of alcohol off-premises is no longer allowed. This is important to note as many other services can still be delivered to the door, including groceries and food, but liquor stores and other on-site liquor businesses are no longer able to deliver alcohol to people’s homes.

It is probably one of the few changes that has garnered disappointment as people became accustomed to having their drinks of choice delivered to their home. However, you can still go get alcohol from your local businesses.

Local ordinances may make some changes, especially with the rise of cases of COVID-19 Delta variant.

If you still have questions, the Illinois Liquor Control Commission continues to update a list of COVID -19 Compliance – Phase 5 FAQ on their website, with the latest change being on June 11, 2021.

The information in this blog post is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. You should not make a decision whether or not to contact an attorney based upon the information in this blog post. No attorney-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. If you require legal advice, please consult with an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.