4 Best Age Verification Software Tools for Liquor Stores

Do you want to shell out thousands of dollars in fines and possibly deal with up to 60 days of jail time?

Of course not! 

The cost of selling alcohol to a minor varies by state, but in most states, there is a cash penalty, as well as the potential for criminal charges — and that’s just for a first offense. You need to invest in age verification software to avoid these risks and ensure you always know who you’re selling to. 

This post will cover four reliable choices for age verification software you may want to explore for your liquor store. For each, we’ll cover additional software features and pricing. 

Key Features of Age Verification Software 

Age verification software is not optional for modern-day liquor store operations: It’s a must-have. Without these tools, you rely on faulty, manual identification checks to protect your business from legal challenges, fines, and penalties. 

Let’s look at how age verification software can protect your business and prevent you from accidentally selling to minors.

• ID scanning & barcode recognition: Most age verification software tools can scan IDs or recognize barcodes on identification documents, enabling quick and accurate age verification.
• Document authentication & biometric verification: Advanced systems offer document authentication to detect fraudulent IDs. Biometric verification, such as facial recognition, adds an extra layer of security.
• Database integration & mobile app support: Integration with databases helps verify IDs against official records. Mobile app support allows for flexible verification processes.
• QR code verification & customizable settings: Some systems use QR codes for verification, which can be scanned using mobile devices. Customizable settings adapt the software to your specific needs.
• Record keeping & alerts/notifications: The software maintains verification records for compliance purposes. Alerts and notifications signal staff when age verification is required.
• Data security: Robust security measures protect sensitive customer information and maintain privacy, safeguarding your business’s reputation and lowering your risk of a data breach.

Age Verification Software Benefits

Age verification software helps you comply with liquor regulations and create a smoother, safer shopping experience for your customers. But those aren’t the only benefits!

Some additional benefits you can enjoy when you implement a robust age verification software tool include:

• Legal compliance & risk reduction: The foremost benefit is ensuring compliance with age-related regulations, reducing the risk of hefty fines and legal consequences.
• Efficiency & customer satisfaction: Age verification software speeds up transactions by swiftly confirming a customer's age, leading to higher customer satisfaction.
• Accurate verification & brand reputation: The software minimizes human error in age assessment, ensuring accurate and consistent verification. This accuracy safeguards your store’s reputation.
• Employee training & audit trail: Training staff to recognize and verify IDs manually can be challenging. Age verification simplifies this process. Your software solution will also produce a record of all verifications, aiding in internal reviews and audits.
• Real-time verification: The software verifies ages in real time, minimizing delays at the point of sale and allowing you to spend time on other business areas.
• Adaptation to regulations: Reputable age verification software can be updated to comply with changing regulations, future-proofing your business.

Considering these benefits alongside the risks of not adopting age verification software, it’s clear that investing in a reliable solution is vital to your store’s success. However, not all providers are created equal. When selecting a reputable provider, it's crucial to consider factors beyond just features!

Top 4 Age Verification Software Solutions

With all this in mind, let’s dive into our list of the best age verification software tools for liquor stores.

1. Bottle POS

Best for:

Independent liquor stores

Product summary:

Bottle POS is an all-in-one point of sale solution designed specifically for liquor stores. Our solution empowers your business' growth with advanced automation, AI-driven insights, and tailored features to optimize decision-making for your store.

We offer advanced age verification features that enable you and your staff to quickly and confidently approve customers to purchase your products and minimize the risk of selling to minors.

Top features in addition to age verification:

• Dual pricing options to encourage cash sales
• 24/7 mobile inventory management
• Security features to minimize shrinkage
• E-commerce integrations
• Integrated customer loyalty features

Pricing:

Our transparent Build and Price tool gives you the power to create a custom solution that’s perfect for your store!

2. Token of Trust

Best for:

E-commerce

Product summary:

Token of Trust
offers a seamless age verification solution for age-restricted products. Their platform ensures swift and compliant transactions by delivering ultra-fast age checks and secure ID capture. Token of Trust also integrates with popular e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and various APIs.

Top features in addition to age verification:

• Expedited verifications for loyal customers
• Reputation reports for customer transparency
• Advanced data security measures

Pricing:

You can start with a free trial, but all of Token of Trust’s pricing models are available upon request only.

3. IDScan.Net

Best for:

Bars and nightclubs

Product summary:

IDScan.net offers robust ID scanning solutions tailored for retail stores, encompassing comprehensive fraud prevention and age verification capabilities. These solutions serve as powerful tools in the fight against return fraud, chargeback fraud, and age verification during a standard purchase. 

IDScan.net also offers loss prevention solutions that enable store managers, executives, and loss prevention teams to mitigate risks effectively.

Top features in addition to age verification:

• Flexible, mobile scanning solutions
• Banned Individual lists to alert you of repeat offenders
• Advanced reporting that syncs with your point of sale system

Pricing:

IDScan.Net offers a variety of hardware options starting at $525.

4. Lightspeed

Best for:

Enterprise businesses

Product summary:

Lightspeed Retail offers a powerful point of sale solution for multiple industries. In addition to liquor stores and other retail shops, Lightspeed Retail offers point of sale solutions for restaurants, event spaces, golf courses, and more. Its payment interface offers strong age verification features that can help you avoid trouble with legal compliance during alcohol sales.

Top features in addition to age verification:

• Mobile pay and contactless payment options
• Simplified operational workflows
• Integrated discount and promotion options

Pricing:

Lightspeed Retail’s standard package begins at $119 per month.

The Best Age Verification Software for Your Business 

The four options listed in this post are all strong choices for age verification software for your liquor store. With the right solution in place, you should be able to run your store confidently, knowing you can easily comply with all the age restrictions in your state or locality for alcohol sales.

However, age verification is only one of the tools every liquor store needs from its point of sale system.

If you want to manage inventory, checkout, employee time clocking, e-commerce, and more — all in one platform built specifically for liquor stores — you’ll want to explore Bottle POS!

Schedule a free software demo of Bottle POS today to see how we can help you streamline operations and grow your store.