How Late Can You Buy Alcohol in Ontario?

The legal selling window

Retail alcohol sales in Ontario are permitted between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week. That is the outer boundary for LCBO, The Beer Store, licensed grocery and convenience stores, and winery and brewery retail outlets.

Almost no store uses the full window. The 11 p.m. end is used mainly by grocery and convenience retailers; LCBO and Beer Store locations set their own shorter hours well inside it.

Where it differs by store

LCBO: typically 10 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m., shorter on Sunday. Widest selection, and the only mainstream source for spirits.

The Beer Store: roughly 10 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m., beer-focused, with the empties return counter closing at the same time.

Grocery and convenience: as late as 11 p.m., but limited to beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink cans.

Bars and restaurants: licensed to serve until 2 a.m., which is service, not takeaway.

Holidays and exceptions

Statutory holidays generally shorten hours, and there are a small number of days each year when retail alcohol sales are closed altogether. Around long weekends, stores fill up and close on schedule regardless — the queue does not extend the hours.

New Year's Eve is the one night with commonly extended hours at some locations, but it varies branch to branch and is not something to rely on.

After 11 p.m.

Once retail closes, licensed delivery is what remains. Delivery services operate under their own licensing and can bring beer, wine, spirits and coolers to your door after the stores have shut, with age verified against government-issued photo ID at the door.

BottlesNow runs across seventeen markets in the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton, and the age check at the door is not optional — no ID, no delivery, and the order goes back with the driver.

Common questions