What is the penalty for violating the legal sale hours?

• A. Class B misdemeanor
• B. Class A misdemeanor
• C. Felony
• D. Infraction

Answer: (B)

Violating the legal sale hours is treated as a criminal offense under the Alcohol Beverage Code, and its penalty is a Class A misdemeanor. This places the violation above a mere civil infraction in severity but not into felony territory. The idea is that selling alcohol outside permitted hours is a serious enough breach to warrant criminal punishment, yet it’s not at the level that would constitute a felony.

Typically, Class A misdemeanors carry more significant penalties than lesser offenses—such as potential jail time and a substantial fine—reflecting the seriousness of selling alcohol when it’s not allowed. It’s also possible for license-related consequences to follow, depending on the jurisdiction and the specifics of the case. This is why the other options don’t fit: an infraction would involve only minor penalties without jail time, a felony would be a far more severe category, and a lesser misdemeanor would not capture the intended severity of this offense.