WEST VIRGINIA CODE
WVC 60-7-12a
§60-7-12a. Unlawful acts by persons.
(a) A person under the age of twenty-one years may not order,
pay for, share the cost of or attempt to purchase any
nonintoxicating beer, wine or alcoholic liquors from a licensee or
consume any nonintoxicating beer, wine or alcoholic liquors
purchased from a licensee or possess any nonintoxicating beer, wine
or alcoholic liquors purchased from a licensee. Any person under
the age of twenty-one years who violates any provisions of this
subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined in an amount not to exceed five hundred
dollars or imprisoned in the county jail for a period not to exceed
seventy-two hours, or both fined and imprisoned, and, in addition
to such fine and imprisonment, may, for the first offense, be
placed on probation for a period not to exceed one year:
Provided,
That nothing in this subsection shall prohibit a person who is at
least eighteen years of age from purchasing or possessing
nonintoxicating beer, wine or alcoholic liquors when he or she is
acting upon the request of or under the direction and control of
any member of a state, federal or local law-enforcement agency or
the West Virginia alcohol beverage administration while the agency
is conducting an investigation or other activity relating to the
enforcement of the alcohol beverage control statutes and the rules
and regulations of the commissioner.
(b) Any person under the age of twenty-one years who, for the
purpose of purchasing nonintoxicating beer, wine, or alcoholic
liquors from a licensee, misrepresents his or her age, or who for
such purpose presents or offers any written evidence of age which is false, fraudulent or not actually his or her own, or who
illegally attempts to purchase nonintoxicating beer, wine, or
alcoholic liquors from a licensee, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and,
upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in an amount not to exceed
five hundred dollars or shall be imprisoned in the county jail for
a period not to exceed seventy-two hours, or both such fine and
imprisonment, or, in lieu of such fine and imprisonment, may, for
the first offense, be placed on probation for a period not
exceeding one year.
(c) Any person who knowingly buys for, gives to or furnishes
to anyone under the age of twenty-one, any nonintoxicating beer,
wine or alcoholic liquors purchased from a licensee, is guilty of
a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined not more
than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned in the county jail not
more than ten days, or both fined and imprisoned.
Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session