Understanding Pennsylvania Senate Bill 688: Compliance & Consequences for Bars, Restaurants, and Clubs

As regulations evolve across the state, businesses involved in alcohol sales, particularly bars, clubs, restaurants, and convenience stores, must stay ahead of the legal curve.

If your Pennsylvania business sells ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, a major regulatory shift has arrived. Senate Bill 688 expands the availability of RTD beverages beyond state-run liquor stores, allowing them to be sold at grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, and distributors. 

While this expansion opens new revenue streams, it also introduces stricter compliance requirements, especially regarding age verification.

One of the key rules? 

If a customer appears under 35, your business must use an ID scanner or transaction scan device to verify their age before completing a sale.

In this blog, we’ll explain what SB 688 means for your business, why ID scanners are now essential for legal compliance, and how they help protect you from penalties, license risks, and reputation damage.

What Is Senate Bill 688?

Pennsylvania’s Senate Bill 688 introduces new regulations for the sale of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails.

Pennsylvania’s Senate Bill 688, sponsored by Senator Mike Regan, introduces expanded access and updated regulations for the sale of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. These popular, pre-mixed alcoholic beverages were previously limited to Pennsylvania’s state-controlled Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores.

Recognizing the growing demand and market imbalance compared to malt-based beverages like hard seltzers, Senator Regan introduced SB 688 to level the playing field. 

The bill opens up RTD cocktail sales to a much wider range of venues, including grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, and licensed distributors, to boost consumer access and support local distilleries.

This bill allows for the sale of ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails at a wider range of venues beyond state-run liquor stores. This includes grocery stores, restaurants, distributors, and other retail establishments.

With this broader access, however, comes a firm requirement: businesses must use electronic ID scanners - specifically, transaction scan devices - when selling alcohol to any customer who appears under the age of 35.

Why ID Scanners Matter Under the New Law

The law’s intent is straightforward: reduce the chances of underage alcohol purchases and increase accountability at the point of sale.

Human error is always a risk, and when age verification is done manually, the chances of mistakes rise considerably.

Using an ID scanner helps ensure that businesses fulfill their legal obligations with precision.

Let’s once again understand the key benefits of an ID scanner

Key Benefits of Using ID Scanners

ID scanners, particularly driver’s license scanners, provide essential benefits to businesses working to comply with SB 688:

1. Legal Protection Through Affirmative Defense

Businesses that properly scan IDs correctly can claim affirmative defense, shielding them from penalties if an underage sale occurs inadvertently.

2. Increased Accuracy and Faster Service

An ID scanner automates age and ID verification, reducing human error and eliminating the guesswork. Employees have a tool to instantly verify the age so they can pay attention to the customer and servicing their needs with efficiency.

3. Fraud Prevention

ID scanners can detect expired or suspicious IDs, including inconsistencies or mismatched data on a license. These capabilities are vital when it comes to spotting fake or borrowed IDs.

The Consequences of Non-Compliance

Failing to meet the requirements of SB 688 could lead to more than just operational headaches:

➤ Fines and Legal Sanctions 

Businesses caught selling alcohol to minors without proper ID verification can face substantial fines and potential license suspension. These penalties can severely impact your business’s operations and viability.

➤ Loss of Legal Protections

Without an ID scanner, retailers lose their legal protection, making them fully liable for violations.

➤ Damage to Reputation

In today’s environment, even one compliance failure can damage a company’s reputation, weakening trust among the community and regulators, and potentially affecting overall profitability.

How ViAge ID Scanners Help You Stay Compliant

ViAge offers reliable and legally compliant ID scanning solutions for businesses of all sizes. Whether you operate a small bar or a large retail chain, our devices help ensure you meet state mandates while supporting fast, effective service.

Why Businesses Need an ID Scanner

A high-quality ID Scanner instantly verifies age, reducing human error in alcohol sales.

➤ Pass Sting Operations with Confidence

ID Scanners detect fraudulent and expired IDs, ensuring compliance during regulatory checks.

➤ Meet SB 688 Requirements

Using a driver's license scanner ensures you follow Pennsylvania’s transaction scan device mandate.

➤ Reduce Liability Risks

An ID Scanner provides affirmative defense, shielding your business from fines and penalties.

➤ Strengthen Employee Judgment & Security

A driver's license scanner flags altered and suspicious IDs, empowering employees to make informed decisions and prevent fraudulent transactions.

➤ Empower Your Team

Equip employees with a tool that builds their confidence and creates a standard for checking all IDs.

Recordkeeping: Your Best Defense in the Event of an Audit

Another critical benefit of ID scanners or driver’s license scanners is digital recordkeeping. Every scan creates a time-stamped, verifiable record that shows your staff followed the law.

These records can be used to protect your business during audits, inspections, or any disputes with regulatory bodies.

Additionally, maintaining this data can help you identify trends, such as repeat attempts to use fake IDs, and optimize staff training and scheduling accordingly.

Final Thoughts: Compliance That Works for Your Business

SB 688 is more than a procedural update—it reflects a broader statewide push toward modernizing age verification through technology.

For business owners, compliance is not just about avoiding fines; it’s about adopting smarter practices that support operational integrity.

If someone appears under 35, scanning their ID is now a legal requirement, not a courtesy. Using a ViAge driver's license scanner or ID Scanner means you’re doing more than meeting the standard; you’re actively protecting your business and community.

Explore ViAge’s selection of compliant ID scanners today and take the next step toward compliance and protection.