Minors and alcohol

The legal drinking age in Victoria is 18 years of age. Depending on the situation, a minor (someone under the age of 18) may be allowed on licensed premises but under no circumstances is the supply of liquor to persons under 18 years of age (minors) for consumption on licensed premises permitted. Read about underage patrons on licensed premises.

Supplying alcohol to young people

Under the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 it is an offence for a person to supply alcohol to a minor (a person under the age of 18 years) in a private home without parental consent.

This will help parents feel more assured when their children are visiting friends' houses that they are not drinking alcoholic beverages without their knowledge. These laws ensure that parents and legal guardians are involved in the way in which their child is supplied with alcohol in a private home. A parent or legal guardian may give verbal or written consent for a person to supply alcohol to their child.

A person who supplies alcohol to a minor without a parent's consent could be subject to the same penalty faced by licensees who supply alcohol to minors in licensed venues.

An adult (i.e., a person over 18 who is the parent, guardian or spouse of the minor, or who is authorised to supply liquor to the minor by the minor’s parent, guardian or spouse) can only supply liquor to a minor in a residence if they can demonstrate responsible supervision of the supply of liquor.

Factors to be considered when determining whether responsible supervision has been demonstrated include:

• the age of the minor
• whether the person supplying the liquor is intoxicated
• whether the minor consumes food with the liquor
• whether the person supplying the liquor is providing supervision of the minor’s consumption of the liquor
• the quantity and type of liquor supplied
• the period of time over which the liquor is supplied
• whether the minor is intoxicated.