No person who is under 21 years of age, i.e., the legal age
established by law for the purchase or consumption of alcoholic beverages,
shall possess alcoholic beverages on private property; nor shall any
such person possess alcoholic beverages while upon any public street,
road, sidewalk, parking lot, or other public place or in any private
vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, stopped or parked in or on
any public street, road or parking lot, except as provided herein.
No person who is under 21 years of age, i.e., the legal age
established by law for the purchase or consumption of alcoholic beverages,
shall consume alcoholic beverages on private property; nor shall any
such person consume alcoholic beverages while upon any public street,
road, sidewalk, parking lot, or other public place or in any private
vehicle while the vehicle is in motion, stopped or parked in or on
any public street, road or parking lot, except as provided herein.
As provided by law, this article shall not apply to underage
persons consuming or possessing an alcoholic beverage in connection
with a religious observance, ceremony or rite or consuming or possessing
an alcoholic beverage in the presence of and with the permission of
a parent, guardian or relative who has attained the legal age to purchase
or consume alcoholic beverages, nor shall this article prohibit the
possession of alcoholic beverages by any underage person while actually
engaged in the performance of employment by a person who is licensed
under Title 33 of the Revised Statutes 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 postsecondary
educational institution; however, this provision shall not be construed
to preclude the imposition of a penalty under N.J.S.A. 33:1-81 or
any other section of law against a person who is convicted of unlawful
alcoholic beverage activity on or at premises licensed for the sale
of alcoholic beverages.
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity which aids, supports,
promotes, assists, encourages or permits any individual under 21 years
of age to violate any provision of this article shall be in violation
of the provisions herein and shall, upon conviction, be subject to
the penalties set forth herein.
Any person found guilty of underage possession and/or consumption
shall be fined $250 for a first offense and $350 for any subsequent
offense. In addition to the above fine, as provided by N.J.S.A. 40:48-1.2,
the court may suspend or postpone the person's driving privilege
for a period of six months. If the person is under the age of 17 years,
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 said person reaches the age of 17 years of age. If the
person convicted under this article is not a resident of the State
of New Jersey, the court shall suspend or postpone, as appropriate,
the nonresident driving privilege of the person based on the age of
the person.