<P> A person must be at least 21 years old in New Jersey to purchase alcoholic beverages in a retail establishment, or to possess or consume alcoholic beverages in a public (for example, a park or on the street) or semi-public area (e.g. restaurant, automobile). A person only needs to be 18 to own a liquor license, or to sell or serve alcohol (for example, a waiter or supermarket cashier). State law also prohibits an underage person from misrepresenting their age in a licensed establishment . </P> <P> It is illegal to serve alcohol to anyone under 21, encourage an underage person to drink, knowingly allow underage drinking on property that one owns or leases, or possess alcoholic beverages on public school property without written consent of the school board or school principal . State law grants an exemption for religious services, and for parents and guardians over 21 who serve alcohol to their own children in a private location (such as a private home). </P> <P> New Jersey and all other U.S. states comport with the requirement of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which sought to set a national standard of 21 as the minimum age for purchasing and publicly possessing alcoholic beverages . To make states comply, Congress tied a state's failure to enact a drinking age at 21 to a punitive decrease in a state's apportionment of federal highway funding . Federal law requires colleges and universities that accept federal financial aid institute policies to sanction students who violate underage drinking and other alcohol laws, and to track the number of liquor laws violations . The Chronicle of Higher Education has reported that many colleges fail to comply with these laws, and federal enforcement is minimal . </P> <P> There is no state law prohibiting consumption of alcohol by minors while on private property, but many municipalities prohibit underage consumption unless parents or adult relatives are present . Public schools are not permitted to have "24 / 7" conduct policies which sanction students for alcohol consumption outside of school . Minors are allowed to enter licensed establishments, and while state law does not prohibit bars and nightclubs from having events such as "teen nights," or "18 to party, 21 to drink," some municipalities impose restrictions . It is legal for a person under 21 to be in a location where underage drinking is occurring, and New Jersey does not have an "internal possession" statute criminalizing underage drinking after the fact . </P>

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