Is Dallas strict on fake IDs?
The majority of bars are 18 and up, and they are strict on fake IDs. As an underage person I can legally go out with my boyfriend and other friends who are of age. The strict enforcement of identification laws prevents underage people from drinking illegally, while the lower age minimum is inclusive.
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Can a bouncer or door guy take away your Fake ID in Texas? A bouncer should not confiscate your fake ID. That puts them at risk for criminal charges or civil charges. However, a police officer may confiscate your fake ID.
If they confiscate it, they can then hand that fake ID over to the police, who can arrest you and charge you with a crime. If state law does not allow these workers to confiscate fake IDs, they might still call the cops on you.
A fake ID is often of lower quality and may have printing errors, incorrect font, or blurry images. A real ID is high quality and has clear accurate information and pictures. Security features. A fake ID may lack security features such as holograms and watermarks that are present in real IDs to prevent counterfeiting.
Use or Possession of a Fake ID under Texas Law
This is considered a Class B misdemeanor if convicted, which comes with a presumptive sentence of up to 180 days in jail and/or fines of up to $2,000.
Starting May 7, 2025, you'll need a REAL ID-compliant driver license with a gold star, a valid passport, or U.S. military ID to travel by air in the U.S. Learn more about REAL ID requirements and how to get one.
At What Age Can You Go to a Club in Texas? Although Texas clubs have no specific legal age limit, most clubs institute a business-wide limit. To prevent legal issues with entertainment and alcohol, many clubs in Texas are 18 or 21+ only and require a legal ID to get in.
Can a minor enter a licensed or permitted premises? Generally yes, if they do not possess or consume an alcoholic beverage. A minor may not enter the premises of a package store unless accompanied by an adult parent, spouse or guardian.
Do bars accept expired ids in Texas?
A store, bar or restaurant chooses whether to sell alcohol to a person with an expired driver's license, a foreign passport or other ID. What's acceptable is a matter of that establishment's private business policies.
That said, not all fakes get caught, and some bouncers aren't paying that much attention. Bouncers have a lot of experience dealing with IDs and with underage people trying to use them. They see enough IDs to know exactly what they look like.

The bouncer can take the fake ID long enough to call the police, since the person is committing a crime and it can be reported. The police would then decide what to do with it.
Whether the ID is real or not, bouncers will often ask questions to confirm. Knowing all the basic information on your ID is always best—name, address, date of birth. But sometimes the questions aren't so straightforward.
Counterfeit IDs sold through the most popular online platforms will all return as valid when scanned. The majority of ID scanners used today rely solely on these tests alone, most fake IDs in circulation are passing as true when scanned.
In states like Florida and Illinois, you can get arrested and charged with a felony. In Illinois, being charged with possession of a fake ID is a class 4 felony.
Over 60% of forged IDs not only appear legitimate on the front, but they also have barcodes encoded with matching information. Basic ID scanners can identify whether an ID's barcode is scannable and/or has information encoded. This process is called ID parsing, and it is the quickest way to identify a front forged ID.
Many times, bartenders and bouncers will bend the card and inspect the edges. That's because real IDs have smooth, uniform edges. Fake IDs are not printed in the same uniform way as real IDs are, and may have rough edges, have edges with differing smoothness, or even be so flimsy that they come apart.
- Borrowed IDs.
- Forged IDs.
- Altered IDs.
MinorDecliner Smart ID Scanner - The Professional's Choice ID Scanner for Bars and Clubs - ID Scanner That Detects Expired IDs and Underage Consumers - Reads The 2D Barcode in All 50 States.
What to do if your child has a fake ID?
“Punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of a thousand dollars,” says psychologist Dr. Betsy Gard. And if parents discover their child has a fake ID, the experts say, first, take it away. Then explain, if they get another one and get arrested, they're on their own.
Respectfully refuse entry or service. Notify the person in a polite way that fake IDs will not be accepted. Inform any other people at the door or serving alcohol at your event. Document the incident.
Possession of a Fictitious or Fake ID under 521.451 is a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by between 0-365 days in the County Jail, and by fines up to $4,000.
The current Texas law defines the offense of Failure to Identify in Penal Code Section §38.02 as follows: (a) A person commits an offense if he intentionally refuses to give his name, residence address, or date of birth to a peace officer who has lawfully arrested the person and requested the information.
The Department of Public Safety administers Real IDs in Texas. Ensure you have all of the required original documents to present for verification of your identity and residence. Eight-year Real ID driver's licenses cost $33 for drivers aged 18-84. The fee is $16 for drivers under 18, and drivers over 84 pay $9.
The Texas REAL ID compliant-card is marked with a circle with an inset star located in the upper right corner of the card.
While club goers over the age of 21 have access to all the nightlife that L.A. has to offer, the 18 and up crowd is limited: most L.A. hotspots only admit 21 and older. This does not, however, precludes underage revelers from living it up in the city that is distinctly synonymous with the Hollywood lifestyle.
Clubs, Bars, Discos:
Yes, if they are over 16. However, most bars and nightclubs enforce a limit of 18 due to alcohol laws.
While other cities in the U.S. may have nightclubs that allow people under the age of 21 to enter, Las Vegas is not one of those locations. All of the nightclubs in Las Vegas are 21 and up. If you are under 21 and are thinking of using a fake ID to get in, please don't.
With the exception of five states (Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, New Hampshire, and West Virginia), all states and DC allow underage consumption of alcohol under limited circumstances such as in the presence of parents, for religious or medical purposes, or while in a class that requires tasting.
Can I get my son a drink in Texas at a bar?
In Texas, a person may purchase an alcoholic beverage for or give an alcoholic beverage to a minor if he is the minor's adult parent, guardian, or spouse, or an adult in whose custody the minor has been committed by a court, and he is visibly present when the minor possesses or consumes the alcoholic beverage.
An individual less than 21 years of age may drink at home when supervised and permitted by an adult. The adult must be present on the premises when a minor individual is served alcohol.
Driver's license from a U.S. state. Federal or state ID card. Military ID card. U.S. passport.
Acceptable types of ID include a driver's license issued by any state, a U.S. passport, a military identification card or any other ID issued by a state or the federal government.
Identification Card Services
The Texas Department of Public Safety issues identification card (ID) that are valid for up to six years to Texas residents. These photo ID cards are official documents that are used to prove a person's identity.
While you question the cardholder, look for these red flags:
Lack of eye contact. Hesitancy answering. Nervous body language.
Many times, bartenders and bouncers will bend the card and inspect the edges. That's because real IDs have smooth, uniform edges. Fake IDs are not printed in the same uniform way as real IDs are, and may have rough edges, have edges with differing smoothness, or even be so flimsy that they come apart.
A fake ID is often of lower quality and may have printing errors, incorrect font, or blurry images. A real ID is high quality and has clear accurate information and pictures. Security features. A fake ID may lack security features such as holograms and watermarks that are present in real IDs to prevent counterfeiting.
Use or Possession of a Fake ID under Texas Law
This is considered a Class B misdemeanor if convicted, which comes with a presumptive sentence of up to 180 days in jail and/or fines of up to $2,000.
At this point, a bouncer may ask the individual to recite information from the ID. They may also turn the person away without asking any questions. Bouncers also bend IDs just enough to see if they're resilient. If the ID retains its shape and doesn't peel at all, this means it's real.
How do fake IDs scan?
Holograms and fluorescent overlays are used as an added layer of security that can be tested by shining white light on the ID or placing it under UV light. As these security features are easily verified with low-tech solutions, the modern counterfeiter will copy these features as closely as possible.
Whether the ID is real or not, bouncers will often ask questions to confirm. Knowing all the basic information on your ID is always best—name, address, date of birth.
- Bouncers keep an eye out for other things besides height, weight, hair and eye color.
"Bouncers aren't paid much," A.G. told us. "Confiscating IDs is a way to make more money, and it's easy since fake IDs are obviously illegal... Rarely will a bouncer ever take an ID and actually refuse to give it back. They are just looking for a bribe."
Black lights often highlight where the individual tampered with the ID, and they always reveal any chalking or other technique that removed the original name or birth date from the ID. Black lights can reveal additional glue or other marks resulting from a seal that the individual removed or replaced.
Essentially, a ghost image is a smaller version of the original photo image on an ID Card and is generally printed semi-translucent. These ghost images are made possible by using a software that will allow for the ghost image to be added to the plastic card during the printing process.
References
- https://www.mtv.com/news/7wo679/fake-id-bouncers
- https://www.tabc.texas.gov/public-safety/retailer-resources/
- https://saputo.law/criminal-law/texas/failure-to-identify/
- https://www.dshs.texas.gov/vital-statistics/acceptable-identification-id
- https://texasview.org/nightclub-age-in-texas/
- https://connectwithkids.com/tipsheet2015/2001/25_jun20/id.html
- https://www.startcollegeservertraining.com/content/3_26.php
- https://www.mcconathylaw.com/criminal-defense/juvenile-crime/use-or-possession-of-a-fake-id/
- https://www.amazon.com/id-scanner-bars-clubs/s?k=id+scanner+for+bars+and+clubs
- https://gns.wisc.edu/wp-topic/7255578
- https://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/underage-drinking/state-profiles/texas/95
- https://home.binwise.com/blog/spot-fake-id
- https://nyulocal.com/the-dos-and-don-ts-of-faux-identification-790dc9de9129
- https://drinkingage.procon.org/states-that-allow-underage-under-21-alcohol-consumption/
- https://smudailycampus.com/news/fake-id-necessary-for-decent-nightlife-in-dallas
- https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/41748/is-it-legal-for-a-bar-bouncer-to-confiscate-a-fake-id
- https://www.tabc.texas.gov/public-safety/age-verification/
- https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/law-and-life/what-happens-if-youre-caught-with-a-fake-id/
- https://www.houstoncriminalattorney.us/misdemeanors/fake-id/
- https://m.yelp.com/search?find_desc=best+places+to+go+with+fake+id&find_loc=Dallas%2C+TX
- https://www.ehow.com/how_7506951_spot-fake-id-black-light.html
- https://www.gettips.com/blog/fake-id-check
- https://keateslawfirm.com/practiceareas/alcohol/possession-of-fake-ID.php
- https://www.tabc.texas.gov/faqs/
- https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/3402/how-to-spot-a-fake-id.html
- https://sharpcriminalattorney.com/blog/dwidui/legal-guide-to-underage-drinking-texas/
- https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license
- https://www.columbiaspectator.com/spectrum/2022/03/30/questions-the-bouncer-might-ask-about-your-id/
- https://lawrina.org/blog/fake-id-charges/
- https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/federal-real-id-act
- https://www.kbb.com/car-advice/real-id/
- https://www.alphacard.com/id-cards/id-card-security
- https://www.texas.gov/driver-services/texas-real-id/
- https://www.columbiaspectator.com/spectrum/2016/10/25/how-does-bouncer-know-your-id-fake/
- https://www.protection-of-minors.eu/en/rquest/4
- https://www.veriff.com/blog/fake-id-statistics
- https://patronscan.com/id-scanning-blog/do-fake-ids-pass-scanners/
- https://nocovernightclubs.com/las-vegas-nightclubs-18/
- https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/best-18-and-over-clubs-nightlife-los-angeles-under-21/
- https://m.yelp.com/search?find_desc=no+id+bars&find_loc=San+Antonio%2C+TX