OAR 845-006-0335: Age Verification, Minors on Licensed Premises

(1) Age Verification: (a) ORS 471.130 requires a licensee or permittee to verify the age of a person who wants to buy or be served alcoholic beverages when there is "any reasonable doubt" that the person is at least 21 years old. The Commission requires a licensee or permittee to verify the age of anyone who wants to drink alcoholic beverages, or is in an area prohibited to minors, if there is reasonable doubt that the person is at least 21 years old. "Reasonable doubt" exists if the person appears to be under the age of 26; (b) Whenever a licensee or permittee verifies age, he/she must verify it as ORS 471.130 requires (statement of age card or the specified items of identification) and must reject any obviously altered document or one which obviously does not identify the person offering it; (c) Licensees must require all their employees who sell, serve, oversee or control the sale or service of alcoholic beverages to verify age as subsection (a) of this section requires. (d) Only the following forms of unexpired, unaltered, and legitimate identification that have the person’s name, picture, and date of birth are acceptable alone as proof of age: (A) A driver license issued by a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, or a province or territory of Canada; (B) An identification card that includes a physical description of the person and is issued by a U.S. state, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the U.S., or a province or territory of Canada; (C) An identification card that has a picture of the person, the name of the person, the person’s date of birth, and a physical description of the person and is issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe; (D) A passport or passport card (E) A U.S. military identification card; or (F) An identification card that is proof of the person’s participation in the Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) program operated by United States Customs and Border Protection, the NEXUS program jointly operated by that agency and the Canada Border Services Agency, or a successor to either of those programs that is recognized by the Commission. (2) Sanctions for Failure to Verify Age: (a) The Commission will sanction a licensee or permittee who does not verify the age of a person who appears to be under the age of 26 only if the person: (A) Actually is a minor who buys, is served or drinks an alcoholic beverage at the licensed premises (Category (IIb) violation); or (B) Actually is a minor who is in an area of the licensed premises prohibited to minors (Category IV violation). (b) If the Commission sanctions a licensee or permittee for one or more of the following violations under this rule: Failure to verify the age of a minor; Allowing a minor to drink; or Allowing a minor in an area prohibited to minors, the Commission will not sanction the licensee or permittee separately under ORS 471.130 or 471.410(2) for the same conduct. The Commission may charge a licensee or permittee for one or more violations under this rule and also charge violation of one or more of the statutes in the alternative. (c) Failure to verify age as ORS 471.130 requires or to reject obviously altered or false identification is a Category (IIb) violation. (3) Minors on Premises: General Prohibitions. (a) No licensee, permittee, or licensee's employee will permit a minor: (A) To drink any alcoholic beverage on licensed premises; or (B) To be on licensed premises or an area of the licensed premises prohibited to minors, except as provided in ORS 471.430, 471.480, 471.482, OAR 845-006-0340 and this rule. (b) The assigned minor posting(s) describes where on the premises minors are allowed or prohibited. See OAR 845-006-0340, Minor Postings. (4) Minor Employee and Minor Service Permittee: (a) A Number 1 minor posting. Minor employees and minor service permittees are prohibited from the entire licensed premises at all times. (b) A Number 2 minor posting. Minor employees and minor service permittees may be in this area of the premises only if they are performing work duties or going to or returning from a rest room. The minor employee or minor service permittee may not remain in the prohibited area longer than is necessary to perform the work duties or go to or return from a rest room and while in the area may not check identification, control conduct in the area, or mix, sell, or serve alcoholic beverages or directly supervise any person who does mix, sell, or serve alcoholic beverages. (c) A Number 3A, 4, 6, and 7 minor posting during the times when minors are prohibited. Minor employees and minor service permittees may be in areas of the premises during the times prohibited to them only if they are performing work duties or going to or returning from a rest room. The minor employee or minor service permittee may not remain in the prohibited area longer than is necessary to perform the work duties or go to or return from a rest room and while in the area may not check identification, control conduct in the area, or mix, sell, or serve alcoholic beverages or directly supervise any person who does mix, sell, or serve alcoholic beverages. (d) A Number 3A, 4, 6, and 7 minor posting in the areas and during the times when minors are permitted. Minor employees and minor service permittees are permitted in the areas and during the times when minors are allowed. The primary duty of minor service permittees must be food service. (e) A Number 3 minor posting. Minor employees and minor service permittees are allowed at all times in the area. The primary duty of minor service permittees must be food service. (f) A Number 5 minor posting. Minor employees and minor service permittees are allowed at all times in the area. (g) If a premises has one or more areas where minors are prohibited and one or more areas where minors are allowed, minor employees and minor service permittees may be in areas of the premises prohibited to them during the times prohibited to them only if they are performing work duties or going to or returning from a rest room. The minor employee or minor service permittee may not remain in the prohibited area longer than is necessary to perform the work duties or go to or return from a rest room and while in the area may not check identification, control conduct on the premises, or mix, sell, or serve alcoholic beverages or directly supervise any person who does mix, sell, or serve alcoholic beverages. (h) Section 4 of this rule includes as a minor service permitee, a minor that has a service permit, or temporary service permit. (5) Minor Vendor or Contractor. A minor, other than a licensee's employee, who has a legitimate business purpose, may be in the area of the licensed premises normally prohibited to minors. (For example, a minor who is a plumber may repair the plumbing in a prohibited area). (6) Minor Entertainers: (a) A minor entertainer may perform on a licensed premises, including in areas that are prohibited to minors, provided the requirements in this rule are followed. “Performing” means when a minor entertainer is entertaining. Examples include dancing, playing a musical instrument, and singing. Performing does not include when a minor entertainer is not entertaining; such as, but not limited to, soliciting dances, selling merchandise, and mingling with patrons or employees. (b) Licensees allowing minor entertainers to perform on the licensed premises where minors would normally be prohibited must verify the minor’s identification and age, maintain proof of the minor entertainer’s identification and age on the premises, and make this information available for Commission inspection upon request. Licensees may accept only the forms of identification that are set forth in Section 1(d) of this rule. (c) If the minor entertainer stays on the premises when not performing, the minor entertainer must stay in an area where minors are permitted under OAR 845-006-0340 or in an approved designated area set forth in subsection (6)(d). If a minor entertainer is not performing and is not in an area permitted to minors or in a Commission-approved designated area on the licensed premises, then the minor entertainer is prohibited from being on the licensed premises. (d) In order for licensees to allow minor entertainers in areas of the licensed premises that are prohibited to minors, the licensee must first obtain approval from the Commission. (A) To obtain approval, licensee must submit a plan to the Commission, in a form and manner prescribed by the Commission, showing all areas where minors will perform, and all areas designated for minors when not performing. (B) When minor entertainers are on the premises as allowed under this subsection, but are not performing and are in a Commission-approved designated area, alcoholic beverages are prohibited in the Commission-approved designated area. (C) The Commission may refuse to provide approval for minor entertainers to perform at a licensed premises in areas prohibited to minors, and may revoke such approval, if the licensee fails to follow the requirements of this rule or the Commission has a reasonable belief that conditions exist which do or could cause or contribute to a serious danger to the health and safety of minors. Examples of a serious danger to the health and safety of minors include, but are not limited to, when the Commission reasonably believes that the following activities are happening in the premises or in the near vicinity of the premises: sex or labor trafficking, unlawful drug activity, violence or the threat of violence, minors obtaining access to alcoholic beverages, and minors unlawfully in an area prohibited to minors. The Commission’s refusal or revocation of approval under this rule is not subject to the requirements of ORS Chapter 183. (e) Before allowing a minor who is under 18 years old to conduct or assist in conducting any public dance, including but not limited to dancing by the child as a public performance, or to assist in or furnish music for public dancing, the licensee must first verify that the minor has the written permission of the appropriate juvenile court judge as required by ORS 167.840(2). Licensees must maintain this verification on the premises and make it available for Commission inspection upon request. (f) Before allowing a minor who is under 18 years old to perform or entertain on the licensed premises in a capacity other than described in (6)(e) of this rule, the licensee must first receive prior written permission from the Commission’s Administrator the Administrator's designee for each minor. The licensee must apply to the Commission on a form and manner prescribed by the Commission. The Administrator or designee shall grant such permission only if: (A) A parent or legal guardian of the minor has consented to the child's participation in such activity; and (B) The Administrator or designee has found that participation in such activity will not be inconsistent with the health, safety and morals of the minor. (g) Minors under 14 years old must also get a work permit if one is required by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. (7) Minor Patron. If the licensee permits it, a minor may be in the immediate company of his/her spouse or Domestic Partner who is at least 21 years old. “Domestic Partner” means an individual who, along with another individual of the same sex, has received a Certificate of Registered Domestic Partnership pursuant to the Oregon Family Fairness Act. The minor must not buy, possess or drink alcoholic beverages. (8) Sanctions: A violation of subsection (3)(a)(A) of this rule is a Category III violation. A violation of subsection (3)(a)(B) through section (7) of this rule is a Category IV violation.