Age Verification Techniques

Serving minors is a constant peril that all bartenders face, but it is a particular threat in a college town. It can result in stiff penalties to you and your employer. If you are caught, at minimum you will lose your job; if a state agency catches you (e.g. undercover police), you will also face a hefty fine.

Below are some guidelines for identifying minors attempting to order alcohol. Because of the fast-paced nature of bartending, it is often difficult to be as thorough as one would like in verifying a patron’s age. However, following these simple techniques can help you to obey the law without sacrificing your overall efficiency. This list is not intended to be exhaustive or exclusive; every good bartender develops his/her own techniques over time. These are techniques that have worked will for my coworkers and me over the years[i].

Authenticating ID’s:

1. Do the photo and the person match?

2. Does the description on the ID match the individual?

3. More often than not, fake driver’s licenses (DL) are from out of state. Most bars keep an out-of-state DL handbook behind the bar; always check it if you’re in doubt.

4. A genuine DL expires on the holder’s birthdate. Do the expiration date and birthdate match?

5. Has the ID expired? If so, does the patron have the appropriate extension?

6. Does the document look and feel real? (e.g. Is it laminated appropriately? Does some lettering look different from the rest? Is it the correct weight? Is the photograph raised suspiciously higher than the rest of the document? Are there lumps or bumps under the lamination? Is the document blurry?)

7. Can the patron quickly answer simple questions about his/her age (e.g. year of birth, year of high school graduation, etc.)? Does s/he know the address? The zip code?

8. Can s/he tell you his/her zodiac sign? (My personal favorite.)

9. The most basic question of all- does s/he have a second form of ID?

Physical Checks:

Clothing- Minors will likely be dressed in the latest fashion fads (more difficult to gauge in Ann Arbor, but does the person look like a model for The Buckle, as opposed to A&F or J. Crew?). Underage females tend to wear heavy makeup.

Clothing for Idiots- Is the person wearing a class ring, t-shirt, or other garment (e.g. varsity jacket) which clearly indicates a younger age?

Physical Maturity- Does the person look to have reached full physical maturity? Does s/he look as old as other people who are the age s/he claims to be?

Body and Facial Hair- Underage males tend to have less facial hair than their of-age counterparts. Also, the hair on the arms of young people (male and female both) tends to be much lighter than that of adult.

Facial Fat- Minors tend to have a much higher percentage of fat in their faces as compared to the rest of their body.

Voice- Does the voice crack? Does the person actually sound 21?

Facial Features- Does the person have wrinkles around the lips or eyes, or other “laugh lines” that suggest someone who is older?

Behavior:

Minors tend to be nervous because they are attempting to order a drink with a fake ID. They may be awkward, giggly, loud, and/or immature. They tend to ask the price of drinks. Because they often lack familiarity with mixed drinks, they often order certain obvious drinks (e.g. I always card a female trying to order a fuzzy navel, a male ordering something really obscure or nasty, or anyone under 30 ordering a Long Island Ice Tea).

Miscellaneous:

Are there any special events in the area (Proms, In-Sync concert, etc.) which would create a greater likelihood of minors seeking to purchase alcohol?
If it is a couple, does there seem to be a disparity in their ages?
Does one person try to order for friends who have yet to arrive, or are “in the bathroom”?
Does the person mispronounce the name of the drink that s/he is trying to order?
Is a group of people pooling money so that one person can order?
Is a younger person waiting nearby while an older person buys more than one drink?
Ask the person if s/he is an undercover police officer or working for a law enforcement agency. If this is the case, the officer is usually required to tell you so. (Granted, if this is your only question to a youngish-looking individual, you are not doing your job; however, once in a blue moon, this question can save your butt.)

Negative Feedback:

A cautious bartender will card anyone who looks young enough to be an older-looking minor, and will always err on the side of caution. Indeed, most bars/restaurants have a policy that requires you to check for ID on persons looking younger than a certain age (usually 25 or 30). While most patrons understand the need for this and even feel flattered that they are being carded, occasionally people will be bothered by the hassle (especially true if they failed to bring an ID with them). If you have any doubt about the age of the person, and they fail to offer adequate ID, do not serve him/her. Alcohol service is a privilege, not a right, and you are not legally required to serve someone a drink. Of course, if the person really is of age, your tactless refusal could cost you a decent tip. It is important to mitigate the situation so that there are no bad feelings.

Here are a few tips to minimize the “hassle” to someone who feels too old to pull out their ID for you, or to someone you refuse to serve because they lack proper ID.

Butter them up: Politely point out how fortunate it is that they are blessed with such a youthful appearance.
Shift the blame: Point out that ordinarily, you might let them slide, but your manager is keeping a close eye on things this evening.
State a policy: Mention that it is store policy not to serve anyone who looks under 30 without ID, and it is just out of your hands.
Blame the fuzz: Mention that the police have been cracking down on establishments lately, and for all you know, the patron could be an undercover cop.
Substitute: If the person is really put off, offer to get them a non-alcoholic drink of their choice without charge. Sympathize with them about the strict “rules”.