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Corolla Beach Week: Underage Drinking, Fake ID, and Alcohol Charges
Cited or Arrested During Beach Week in Corolla?
Each year after graduation, families from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and other states rent houses in Corolla for groups of new high school graduates. NC Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agents and Currituck County sheriff’s deputies patrol during those weeks, and citations and arrests for underage drinking, fake IDs, and giving alcohol to underage guests are common.
These are criminal charges in North Carolina, not civil tickets. Corolla is in Currituck County, so they are heard in Currituck County District Court at the Currituck County Courthouse, 2801 Caratoke Highway in Currituck, and the court date usually falls after the trip is over.
Daniel Donahue is a Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Criminal Law, certified by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. He is the only board-certified criminal law specialist based in Dare County, and he handles underage alcohol and other criminal cases in Currituck County court from his office in Nags Head.
Was your son or daughter cited during beach week in Corolla, or were you? Call or text Donahue Defense at 252-715-5785. Parents are welcome to call.
Beach Week Charges and Penalties
Under N.C.G.S. Section 18B-302, it is a crime for anyone under 21 to buy, try to buy, possess, or drink alcohol, and for anyone to give alcohol to a person under 21.
| Charge | Classification | Driver’s license |
|---|---|---|
| Age 19 or 20: buying, trying to buy, or possessing beer or unfortified wine, or drinking any alcohol | Class 3 misdemeanor | Revoked for one year if the violation happened while buying or trying to buy |
| Under 19: buying, possessing, or drinking any alcohol. Any age under 21: liquor, fortified wine, or mixed drinks | Class 1 misdemeanor | Revoked for one year if the violation happened while buying or trying to buy |
| Using a fake, altered, or borrowed ID, or letting someone else use yours | Class 1 misdemeanor | Revoked for one year |
| Helping someone under 21 buy or possess alcohol | Class 2 misdemeanor if you are under 21; Class 1 if you are 21 or older, with a minimum $500 fine and 25 hours of community service if there is no active sentence | Revoked for one year, with a limited privilege possible |
| Giving alcohol to someone under 21 | Class 1 misdemeanor, with a minimum $250 fine and 25 hours of community service if there is no active sentence | Revoked for one year, with a limited privilege possible |
The minimum fines and community service come from N.C.G.S. Section 18B-302.1, and the license revocations come from N.C.G.S. Section 20-17.3. If you are licensed in another state, check with your state’s licensing agency or a lawyer licensed there about how a North Carolina conviction or revocation could affect your license at home.
Fake IDs
Using a fake, altered, or borrowed ID to buy alcohol or to get into a place where alcohol is sold is a separate charge from underage possession. Lending your own ID to someone under 21 is a charge too. Both are Class 1 misdemeanors, and a conviction for either brings a one-year license revocation.
Parents and Chaperones: Giving Alcohol to Underage Guests
Giving alcohol to someone under 21, or helping them get it, is a Class 1 misdemeanor for an adult, with mandatory minimum fines and community service if the sentence is not active, and a one-year license revocation. The minimums are higher for a second conviction within four years. Parents hosting graduation or vacation gatherings should know the law applies at a rental house too.
Screening Tests
An officer who has probable cause to believe a person is under 21 and has consumed alcohol may require an alcohol screening test. The results, and a refusal to take the test, can be used in court.
Why the Record Matters
For a young person, the record can matter more than the fine. A misdemeanor conviction can show up on background checks for college, scholarships, internships, and jobs.
Under N.C.G.S. Section 15A-145, a first offender convicted of misdemeanor possession of alcohol under age 21 may petition to expunge it after two years or after probation ends, whichever is later. Dismissed charges can also be expunged. See expungements.
If Someone Was Driving
Drinking and driving under 21 is a separate and more serious problem, with its own license revocations. See underage DWI and DWI and traffic tickets in Corolla.
Do We Have to Come Back to Currituck County for Court?
It depends on the case. In many cases your lawyer can appear for you. We will tell you early which dates, if any, need you in person.
How We Can Help
- Explain the charge, the penalty, and whether a license is at risk
- Obtain and review the evidence, including any screening test and ID records
- Explain options that could keep a conviction off the record, and help with expunction when you qualify
- Appear in Currituck County court for you where the court allows, so visitors can handle the case from home
- Keep parents informed when the client wants them involved
- Communicate in Spanish through our legal assistant, Kaitlyn Fernandez
Beach Week FAQs
Is an underage drinking citation a crime in North Carolina?
Yes. Depending on the person’s age and what they had, it is a Class 3 or Class 1 misdemeanor.
Will my son or daughter lose their license?
Not for possession or drinking alone. A one-year revocation applies if the violation happened while buying or trying to buy, for fake ID offenses, and for helping someone under 21 get alcohol.
Can a parent or chaperone be charged?
Yes. Giving alcohol to anyone under 21, or helping them get it, is a Class 1 misdemeanor for an adult.
Is Corolla in Dare County or Currituck County?
Corolla and Carova are in Currituck County, so court is at the Currituck County Courthouse, 2801 Caratoke Highway, Currituck, NC 27929. Charged in Duck, Kill Devil Hills, or Nags Head instead? Those are Dare County cases. See underage drinking charges in the Outer Banks.
Talk to Us Before the Court Date
If you or your child was cited or arrested during beach week in Corolla, call or text 252-715-5785. We will explain the charge and how to protect the record. Se habla español.
Please do not include confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail.
This page is general information about North Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation.