Maine Revised Statutes
Chapter 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS
28-A §4. Business days and hours

§4. Business days and hours
No liquor may be sold except as provided in this section. [PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4 (NEW).]
1. Hours for sale of liquor. Except as provided in this subsection, licensees may sell or deliver liquor from 5 a.m. on any day until 1 a.m. of the following day.
A. [PL 2015, c. 74, §1 (RP).]
B. Licensees may sell liquor on January 1st of any year from 12 midnight to 2 a.m.
(1) In areas in which liquor may be sold except on Sundays, if January 1st falls on a Monday, licensees may sell or deliver liquor between 9 p.m. Sunday, December 31st and 2 a.m. January 1st, notwithstanding any local option decisions to the contrary. [PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4 (NEW).]
C. [PL 1993, c. 266, §3 (RP).]
D. Wholesale licensees may sell or deliver liquor to licensed establishments from 4 a.m. on any day until 1 a.m. the following day. [PL 2001, c. 21, §1 (NEW).]
E. An on-premises retail licensee located in an international air terminal may sell liquor to an international passenger in transit at any time of day. [PL 2021, c. 658, §41 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 658, §41 (AMD).]
2. Consumption and possession of liquor. Except as provided in paragraphs A and B, licensees may not permit the consumption or possession of liquor on their premises after 1:15 a.m.
A. Licensees may permit the consumption of liquor on their premises until 2:15 a.m. on January 1st. [PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4 (NEW).]
B. This subsection does not apply to consumption or possession by bona fide hotel guests in their rooms. [PL 1993, c. 730, §14 (AMD).]
[PL 1993, c. 730, §14 (AMD).]
3. Regulation of bottle clubs. Except as provided in paragraph A, municipalities may regulate the hours of operation of bottle clubs between the hours of 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.
A. Municipalities may regulate the hours of operation of bottle clubs between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. on January 1st. [PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4 (NEW).]
[PL 1987, c. 45, Pt. A, §4 (NEW).]
4. Local option decisions govern. Except as provided in subsection 1, paragraph B and section 353, nothing in this section may be construed to allow the sale of liquor in municipalities in violation of chapter 5.
[PL 1991, c. 528, Pt. PP, §1 (AMD); PL 1991, c. 528, Pt. RRR (AFF); PL 1991, c. 591, Pt. PP, §1 (AMD).]
5. Illegal sales and purchases on Sunday.
[PL 2015, c. 74, §2 (RP).]
6. Penalty.
[PL 2015, c. 74, §2 (RP).]
7. License or right to sell on Sunday suspended or revoked.
[PL 1987, c. 342, §14 (RP).]
8. License suspended during appeal of conviction.
[PL 1987, c. 342, §14 (RP).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 45, §A4 (NEW). PL 1987, c. 342, §14 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 528, §PP1 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 528, §RRR (AFF). PL 1991, c. 591, §PP1 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 266, §3 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 730, §14 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 46, §1 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 159, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 21, §1 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 2, §1 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 240, §1 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 476, Pt. A, §5 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 74, §§1, 2 (AMD). PL 2021, c. 658, §41 (AMD).