A Brief Review of California Underage Liquor Law for Prom Limos

By San Francisco Limousine Specialist on April 20, 2011

As prom season draws near, we want all of our guests to have a great time. In addition, we want their parents to rest easy knowing that the San Francisco limo service they’ve chosen takes the safety of their children very seriously. Before renting a Bay Area prom limo, party bus or other type of luxury transportation for the prom, your limo provider should ask underage guests and their parents to sign a Minors and Alcoholic Beverage Contract Agreement. In fact, before renting a prom limo in San Francisco or anywhere else this upcoming prom season, make sure you choose a limo service that makes this contract a requirement. Limo services that don’t require this contract are probably not ones with whom you’d like to do business, FYI.

California laws stipulate that any limousine service doing business in the state must prohibit any passengers under the age of 21 from drinking alcoholic beverages. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), the agency that issues licensing for all limo services and other companies that provide ground transportation, monitors compliance with the Minors and Alcoholic Beverage Contract Agreement. According to Public Utility Code 5384.1 of the CPUC Rules of Practice & Procedure, the chauffeur of a limousine for hire is required to inform all passengers under the age of 21 of the following statements:

•    It is against the law for anyone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol while riding in the limousine.
•    If anyone riding in the limo is underage, no alcohol can be transported in the passenger compartment.
•    If any minor consumes alcohol before or during the limousine rental, the rental contract is terminated, and the chauffeur is required to return all passengers to the original pickup address.

After reading the Code, the chauffeur is required to have all passengers sign a statement showing that they understand the agreement and the consequences of breaking this contract. Here at NLS Limo, we want our prom guests to have fun, but we also want them and their folks to know that we’re quite serious about their safety before, during and after prom night. If you’re looking forward to prom this year or you’re a parent of a teen who is and you want to rent a Bay Area limousine from a service that puts the safety of its guests before all other considerations, call us today at 1-800-339-8936.