2C:33-15. Minors Possessing Alcoholic Beverages

a. Any person under the legal age to purchase alcoholic 
beverages who knowingly possesses without legal authority or who 
knowingly consumes any alcoholic beverage in any school, public 
conveyance, public place, or place of public assembly, or motor 
vehicle, is guilty of a disorderly persons offense, and shall be fined 
not less than $500.00.

b. Whenever this offense is committed in a motor vehicle, the 
court shall, in addition to the sentence authorized for the offense, 
suspend or postpone for six months the driving privilege of the 
defendant. Upon conviction of any person under this section, the 
court shall forward a report to the Division of Motor Vehicles 
stating the first and last day of the suspension or postponement 
period imposed by the court pursuant to this section. If a person at 
the time of the imposition of a sentence is less than 17 years of age, 
the period of license postponement, including a suspension or 
postponement of the privilege of operating a motorized bicycle, shall 
commence on the day the sentence is imposed and shall run for a period 
of six months after the person reaches the age of 17 years.

If a person at the time of the imposition of a sentence has a 
valid driver's license issued by this State, the court shall 
immediately collect the license and forward it to the division along 
with the report. If for any reason the license cannot be collected, 
the court shall include in the report the complete name, address, date 
of birth, eye color, and sex of the person as well as the first and 
last date of the license suspension period imposed by the court.

The court shall inform the person orally and in writing that 
if the person is convicted of operating a motor vehicle during the 
period of license suspension or postponement, the person shall be 
subject to the penalties set forth in R.S. 39:3-40. A person shall be 
required to acknowledge receipt of the written notice in writing. 
Failure to receive a written notice or failure to acknowledge in 
writing the receipt of a written notice shall not be a defense to a 
subsequent charge of a violation of R.S. 39:3-40.

If the person convicted under this section is not a New 
Jersey resident, the court shall suspend or postpone, as appropriate, 
the non-resident driving privilege of the person based on the age of 
the person and submit to the division the required report. The court 
shall not collect the license of a non-resident convicted under this 
section. Upon receipt of a report by the court, the division shall 
notify the appropriate officials in the licensing jurisdiction of the 
suspension or postponement.

c. In addition to the general penalty prescribed for a 
disorderly persons offense, the court may require any person who 
violates this act to participate in an alcohol education or treatment 
program, authorized by the Department of Health*, for a period not to 
exceed the maximum period of confinement prescribed by law for the 
offense for which the individual has been convicted.

*Now, Department of Health and Senior Services.

d. Nothing in this act shall apply to possession of alcoholic 
beverages by any such person while actually engaged in the performance 
of employment pursuant to an employment permit issued by the Director 
of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, or for a bona fide 
hotel or restaurant, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 
33:1-26, or while actively engaged in the preparation of food while 
enrolled in a culinary arts or hotel management program at a county 
vocational school or post secondary educational institution.

e. The provisions of section 3 of P.L. 1991, c.169 
(C.33:1-81.1a) shall apply to a parent, guardian or other person with 
legal custody of a person under 18 years of age who is found to be in 
violation of this section.

2C:33-16. Alcoholic Beverages Possessed by Person of Legal Age on School Property

Any person of legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages, who 
knowingly and without the express written permission of the school 
board, its delegated authority, or any school principal, brings or 
possesses any alcoholic beverages on any property used for school 
purposes which is owned by any school or school board, is guilty of a 
disorderly persons offense.

2C:33-17. Serving of Alcoholic Beverages to a Minor

a. Anyone who purposely or knowingly offers or serves or 
makes available an alcoholic beverage to a person under the legal age 
for consuming alcoholic beverages or entices or encourages that person 
to drink an alcoholic beverage is a disorderly person.

This subsection shall not apply to a parent or guardian of the 
person under legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages if the parent 
or guardian is of the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages or to a 
religious observance, ceremony or rite. This subsection shall also 
not apply to any person in his home who is of the legal age to consume 
alcoholic beverages who offers or serves or makes available an 
alcoholic beverage to a person under the legal age for consuming 
alcoholic beverages or entices that person to drink an alcoholic 
beverage in the presence of and with the permission of the parent or 
guardian of the person under the legal age for consuming alcoholic 
beverages if the parent or guardian is of the legal age to consume 
alcoholic beverages.

b. A person who makes real property owned, leased or managed 
by him available to, or leaves that property in the care of, another 
person with the purpose that alcoholic beverages will be made 
available for consumption by, or will be consumed by, persons who are 
under the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages is guilty of a 
disorderly persons offense.

This subsection shall not apply if:

(1) the real property is licensed or required to be licensed 
by the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control in accordance with the 
provisions of R.S. 33:1-1 et seq.;

(2) the person making the property available, or leaving it 
in the care of another person, is of the legal age to consume 
alcoholic beverages and is the parent or guardian of the person who 
consumes alcoholic beverages while under the legal age for consuming 
alcoholic beverages; or

(3) the alcoholic beverages are consumed by a person under 
the legal age for consuming alcoholic beverages during a religious 
observance, ceremony or rite.