AUSTIN, Texas — Downtown Austin's Sixth Street is well-known for its string of late-night bars and lounges.
Each evening by 2 a.m., these businesses shut their doors to customers. But why?
According to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), any bar or restaurant within "late hours" city limits – and with the proper late hours permit – must stop the sale of alcohol by 2 a.m.
This is the standard "last call" time for bars across the state, though there are slight variations depending on permit types, licenses, city size and more.
The law aligns with Texas' legal hours of public consumption, where individuals in areas with extended hours cannot drink alcoholic beverages after 2:15 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
Any eatery or bar not located within a "late hours" area must stop alcohol sales even earlier, at midnight on weekdays and Sundays and at 1 a.m. on Saturdays.
Many of Sixth Street's popular spots – including The Dizzy Rooster, The Jackalope and Firehouse Lounge – all shut down by 2 a.m. nightly.
Texas isn't the only state with a 2 a.m. call time. Others include California, Oklahoma and Washington.
The state with the latest call time is Alaska, which permits its customers to stay at bars and food establishments until 5 a.m. Meanwhile, other states like Delaware, Rhode Island and Maine shut their doors by 1 a.m.
Learn more about Texas' current alcohol laws.
