If you sell beer, wine or liquor to go in Texas, checking an ID takes two steps. You look at it. Then you scan it.
That comes from a state law called Senate Bill 650. It is also known as the Deshawn Jagwan Act, and it took effect on September 1, 2025. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, or TABC, is now working on rules that fill in the details. So this is a good time to learn what the law asks of you.
What the law says
TABC explains the law on its age verification page. It applies when a store sells alcohol that the buyer will take away and drink somewhere else. The state calls that an off-premises sale. Most people would call it a to-go sale.
For a to-go sale, the seller must make sure the buyer is 21 or older. TABC says the seller must look at the buyer's ID and scan it. Instead of scanning, the seller can type the ID's information into an electronic reader.
Both steps count. The scan does not replace your eyes, and your eyes do not replace the scan.
Who has to scan
The law does not cover every business that sells alcohol. TABC lists six kinds of permits and licenses:
- Package Store Permit (P)
- Wine Only Package Store Permit (Q)
- Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer's Off-Premise Permit (BQ)
- Retail Dealer's Off-Premise License (BF)
- Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer's Permit (BG)
- Retail Dealer's On-Premise License (BE)
A liquor store, for example, runs on a Package Store Permit. TABC has summed up the group as all off-premises retailers and some on-premises retailers.
There is one exception. A business on that list does not have to follow the scan rule if it runs a restaurant or holds a Brewpub License.
Not sure which permit your store has? Look at your store's TABC permit, or ask your manager.
Three dates to know
September 1, 2025. The law took effect.
October 8, 2026. TABC set an online meeting for this day to talk about a draft rule for the scan law. There is more on that below.
September 1, 2027. Two things are tied to this date. TABC must adopt its rules by then. And a business can face discipline from TABC for scan violations that happen on or after this day.
Do not read the 2027 date as "nothing counts until then." That date is about what TABC can do to the business. The law itself has been in effect since 2025.
What it means for the person at the register
Clerks and cashiers should read this part twice. TABC says a person who breaks the age check rule while making a sale has committed a Class A misdemeanor. That is a crime, and it falls on the person who made the sale.
TABC says the seller has a defense in two cases. A defense is a reason a court can accept for why a person should not be found guilty. One case is when the seller could not scan because the internet was down. The other is when the buyer was 40 or older.
What if the internet goes down?
Scanners and readers often need to be online. TABC covers that. If you can't get online to scan the ID or enter it into a reader, you must still look at the ID to check the buyer's age.
So an outage does not let you skip the check. You check the ID by eye.
When TABC will not act against the business
TABC names two cases where it will not take action against a business over the scan rule.
The first is when the internet was down and the seller still looked at the ID. The second is when the seller scanned the ID, and the device showed that the ID was valid and the buyer was 21 or older.
TABC is working on the rules now
The law gives TABC until September 1, 2027, to adopt rules. That work has started. TABC announced an online meeting for Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 10 to 11 a.m. Central time. One topic is a draft rule on license scanning by retailers.
The meeting is on Zoom, and you have to sign up first. The sign-up link is in TABC's notice. You can also email comments about the rule to rules@tabc.texas.gov.
The final rule will shape how scanning works day to day in your store. Owners and managers who speak up now get a say before it is final.
How a store can get ready
You do not have to wait for the final rule. A few simple steps can help.
Start by finding out if your permit is on the list above. Then check your equipment. Can your register or a handheld scanner read an ID? If not, ask the company that supplies your register what it offers.
Next, practice. Make "look, then scan" a habit on to-go alcohol sales, so it feels normal long before 2027. And agree on a plan for when the internet is down, so no one at the counter has to guess.
Good ID habits still apply. A scan can show that a card is valid. Matching the photo to the person in front of you is still your job.
Where to read more
TABC covers the act in its summary of new laws from the 2025 session. The full text of Senate Bill 650 is on the Texas Legislature's website.
This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your business, contact TABC or a lawyer.
