In 2025 Tennessee moved hemp THC products, drinks included, from the Department of Agriculture to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission (2025 Public Chapter 526). The TABC took over on January 1, 2026, and the new rules took full effect on July 1, 2026, when the old Agriculture hemp licenses ran out.
The ID rule is stricter than the one for alcohol
Several Tennessee alcohol laws let a seller skip the ID for a customer who reasonably appears to be over 50. Package stores and grocery stores selling wine work that way. The hemp law has no such exception. A server needs proof of age, meaning a valid government photo ID showing 21 or older, before every THC sale, whoever is ordering.
That changes habits behind the bar. Plenty of servers wave through the regular who has been coming in for twenty years. With a THC drink, that regular shows an ID too.
Other rules that apply to bars and restaurants
- A separate license. Each location needs a TABC hemp-derived cannabinoid retail license on top of liquor-by-the-drink: $500 to apply and $1,000 a year.
- On site only. A venue that qualifies through liquor-by-the-drink sells THC products for consumption on the premises. No to-go sales, delivery or shipping.
- No THC cocktails. A hemp THC product can't be an ingredient in beer or any alcoholic drink.
- Serving limits. No more than 15 mg of THC per serving. A packaged drink holds at most two servings. Pours by the glass, including from a keg, are allowed.
- Face to face. Every sale happens in person. No self-checkout or vending machines.
What a missed ID costs
Selling to someone under 21, or without checking proof of age, can bring a TABC fine of $1,000 for the first violation, $2,500 for the second and $5,000 for the third within two years. A fourth can cost the venue its hemp license, and the TABC can order staff retraining.
What to tell your staff
Card everyone who orders a THC drink, every time. Keep THC drinks out of mixed drinks. If a guest wants one to go, the answer is no.
A federal change to the definition of hemp takes effect on December 11, 2026 and may change which products stay legal to sell. EasyABC TN customers get a short newsletter when rules like these change, with one edition for owners and one for staff.
Common questions
A regular who is clearly in their 70s orders a THC seltzer. Do I still card them?
Yes. The hemp law requires proof of age for every sale and has no exception for customers who look 50 or older.
Can we mix a THC drink into a cocktail?
No. A hemp-derived cannabinoid can't be used as an ingredient in beer or any other alcoholic beverage.
Does our liquor-by-the-drink license cover THC drinks?
No. Each location needs its own TABC hemp-derived cannabinoid retail license as well. A venue that qualifies through its liquor-by-the-drink license can sell THC products only for drinking or eating on site.
What happens if a server sells one without checking ID?
The TABC can fine the license holder $1,000 for a first violation, $2,500 for a second and $5,000 for a third within two years, and can revoke the hemp license after a fourth. It can also order retraining.
Sources
- Tennessee General Assembly: SB 1413 / HB 1376 fiscal memorandum
- Bev Law Group: Hemp THC drinks, Tennessee's July 1 rules for bars and restaurants
- Adams and Reese: Licensing and selling under Tennessee's hemp-derived cannabinoid law
- Adams and Reese: Tennessee ID laws for carding for alcohol
- Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (tn.gov/abc)
This page explains the rules in plain language. It is not legal advice, and EasyABC TN is not affiliated with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission.