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No, You Can't Use Your Municipal ID To Get Into A Bar
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Dec 12, 2015
Modified Dec 12, 2015
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Josh Robin / Twitter
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Dec 12, 2015
Modified Dec 12, 2015
Share
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The city's booming municipal ID program is in full swing, which is very exciting for anyone who needs access to city services, bank accounts, or the Prospect Park Zoo. Unfortunately, it's not great when you need to get drunk, because apparently bars say they can't accept a Muni card as valid ID.
DNAinfo reported yesterday that some Muni ID cardholders were surprised to find themselves turned away by bar bouncers, even though the city's IDNYC website notes that the ID "does not authorize cardholders to purchase alcohol or tobacco products."
One bar-goer was reportedly quite frustrated after he was denied entrance to several bars in Williamsburg recently. "I was like what's the problem here? The Muni ID is no longer a valid way to identify yourself and I have to go back and start using my passport?" he told the website. "It doesn’t make sense...it's very confusing."
State-issued IDs like drivers licenses and non-drover IDs, U.S. military IDs, and passports are considered valid identification for alcohol purchases, per the State Liquor Authority. Though the city-issued Muni ID is not, it does grant individuals access to city buildings, borrow books from local libraries, open bank accounts, and file police complaints.
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Rebecca Fishbein
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