POSS MTBV/U-WN BY 19/20 means you were charged with possessing beer or unfortified wine at age 19 or 20, a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 18B-302(b)(1) and (i). It is a criminal charge, not a parking-style ticket.
Many people pay it online. Paying counts as a guilty plea under G.S. 7A-273(2), and the conviction stays on your record.
This guide is for adults 18 to 20 cited in Greensboro, High Point or anywhere in Guilford County, and for their parents.
A lawyer can check whether the charge fits and whether a dismissal or deferral is possible, depending on the facts of your case. Getting help with an underage drinking charge before your court date keeps more results on the table.
Got a POSS MTBV ticket? Call (336) 379-0539 before you pay it or go to court.
What Does POSS MTBV/U-WN BY 19/20 Mean in North Carolina?
It is the court’s short code for “possess malt beverage or unfortified wine by a person 19 or 20 years old.” Each part of the line points to a part of the statute.
| Code Part | What It Means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| POSS | Possess. On other tickets, PUR usually stands for purchase and CON for consume; your lawyer confirms the code from the citation. | G.S. 18B-302(b) |
| MTBV | Malt beverage: beer, ale or malt liquor with 0.5% to 15% alcohol | G.S. 18B-101(9) |
| U-WN | Unfortified wine: wine with 16% alcohol or less | G.S. 18B-101(15) |
| BY 19/20 | You were 19 or 20 on the offense date | G.S. 18B-302(i) |
| NOT 19/20 | Usually: you were under 21 but not 19 or 20 (for an adult, 18) | Citation wording; your lawyer confirms it from the warrant |
“A violation of subdivision (b)(1) or (b)(3) of this section by a person who is 19 or 20 years old is a Class 3 misdemeanor.” G.S. 18B-302(i)
Subdivision (b)(1) covers buying, trying to buy or possessing beer or unfortified wine. Subdivision (b)(3) covers drinking.
POSS MTBV/U-WN NOT 19/20: Under 21 but Not 19 or 20
The same beer or wine possession is a Class 1 misdemeanor if you were 18. G.S. 18B-302(i) lowers the class only for 19- and 20-year-olds, and G.S. 18B-102(b) makes everything else Class 1.
The NOT 19/20 line is generally used when you were under 21 but not 19 or 20. For an adult, that usually means you were 18, and your lawyer confirms it from the warrant.
If you were under 18, different rules apply. Call us and we will tell you who handles that kind of case.
Using a fake or borrowed ID is a separate charge; see what a fake ID charge can cost you.
Penalties for POSS MTBV/U-WN BY 19/20 in Greensboro and High Point
The maximum fine for a Class 3 misdemeanor is $200 under G.S. 15A-1340.23(b). With three or fewer prior convictions, the judgment is a fine only under G.S. 15A-1340.23(d).
| Your Record | Class 3 (Age 19 or 20) | Class 1 (Age 18) |
|---|---|---|
| No prior convictions | 1-10 days, community punishment; judgment is a fine only | 1-45 days, community punishment |
| 1 to 4 prior convictions | 1-15 days, community punishment (community or intermediate with 4 priors); fine only with 3 or fewer | 1-45 days, community, intermediate or active |
| 5 or more prior convictions | 1-20 days, community, intermediate or active | 1-120 days, community, intermediate or active |
On a Class 1 with no record, the grid authorizes community punishment only, and G.S. 15A-1340.20(c) requires the court to suspend the sentence. The one exception is time already spent in custody on the charge, under G.S. 15A-1340.20(c1).
Which level applies is argued by your lawyer, not assumed. The conviction on your record is the part that lasts.
The fine-only rule is covered in how Class 3 misdemeanors are sentenced in NC.
Talk to a defense lawyer before you talk to anyone else
What you say and sign in the first days often decides what is possible later. The earlier we see your paperwork, the more options you usually have.
Call (336) 379-0539Free consultation with a Greensboro attorneyCan You Just Pay a POSS MTBV Ticket?
You can for possession or drinking at 19 or 20, but paying is a written plea of guilty under G.S. 7A-273(2). It creates a conviction right away.
The chief district court judges’ list of alcohol offenses you can pay without court sets $25 and court costs for possession or drinking by a 19- or 20-year-old.
A purchase charge or a NOT 19/20 charge is not on that list and needs a court date.
A dismissal, deferred prosecution or conditional discharge has to be worked out with the prosecutor before judgment is entered. Paying skips that step.
Warning: Once you pay, the conviction is entered. Call (336) 379-0539 before you pay.
Will a POSS or PUR MTBV Charge Affect Your Driver’s License?
The one-year revocation follows any underage conviction under G.S. 18B-302(b) if it happened while you were buying or trying to buy alcohol. That is true whatever the charge is called, even with no car involved.
The court reports that conviction to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) under G.S. 18B-302(g)(3). DMV then revokes the license for one year under G.S. 20-17.3.
Possession with no purchase attempt does not trigger this revocation. A conviction for using a fake or borrowed ID to get alcohol does trigger it.
If your license is already suspended or revoked, the year starts when that ends.
G.S. 20-17.3 names a limited driving privilege only for other subsections, such as giving alcohol to someone under 21. Ask your lawyer what is possible.
If you were behind the wheel, read about driving after drinking under 21, a separate charge.
Can a POSS MTBV/U-WN BY 19/20 Charge Be Dismissed?
It can be, but nothing is automatic. A dismissal, deferral or reduced result is negotiated by your lawyer with the prosecutor, depending on the facts of your case.
What Your Lawyer Checks
Your lawyer starts with what the State has to prove.
- Whose drink it was and who was holding it
- Why you were stopped and whether any search was lawful
- How the officer proved your age
- Whether the right subdivision was charged: possess, consume or buy
Deferral and Conditional Discharge
Deferred prosecution comes before a plea under G.S. 15A-1341(a1); a conditional discharge comes after a plea but before judgment, under (a4). Both need a motion the prosecutor joins.
You must have no prior felony, no prior misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, and no prior probation.
What Happens in Court
The case is heard in Guilford County District Court, in Greensboro or High Point, on the date on your citation. Ask your lawyer whether you need to be there in person.
Here is how we approach defending misdemeanor charges in Guilford County.
Can You Expunge a POSS MTBV/U-WN BY 19/20 Charge?
A dismissed charge can be expunged under G.S. 15A-146. A first conviction for possessing beer or wine before age 21, including at 18, can be expunged after two years under G.S. 15A-145(a).
The two years run from the conviction or the end of probation, whichever is later. You cannot have another felony or non-traffic misdemeanor conviction.
The petition needs your affidavit of good behavior and two character affidavits. The filing fee is $175 under G.S. 15A-145(e), unless you are indigent.
Important: This under-21 path covers possession only. A purchase or consumption conviction does not use it, as the UNC School of Government relief guide explains for drinking at 19 or 20.
Another route may exist: the three-year wait for one nonviolent misdemeanor under G.S. 15A-145.5. Ask your lawyer which path fits.
The charge your case ends on decides the path. Your lawyer can time the petition for clearing an underage alcohol charge from your record.
If your case is dismissed, read about expunging a charge that was dismissed.
Before you pay anything, talk to an underage alcohol defense lawyer about your options. Our Greensboro criminal defense team handles these cases in Guilford County District Court.
If your court date is coming up, call (336) 379-0539 this week.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does MTBV mean on a ticket?
MTBV stands for malt beverage. Under G.S. 18B-101(9), that means beer, lager, malt liquor, ale, porter and other brewed drinks with 0.5% to 15% alcohol. U-WN means unfortified wine, at 16% alcohol or less. Your lawyer can check the exact code on your citation.
What does POSS MTBV/U-WN NOT 19/20 mean?
It generally means you were under 21 but not 19 or 20 on the offense date. For an adult, that usually means 18. At 18 the charge is a Class 1 misdemeanor under the Chapter 18B default rule, and your lawyer confirms it from the warrant.
Is POSS MTBV a misdemeanor or an infraction in NC?
It is a misdemeanor, not an infraction. At 19 or 20 it is a Class 3 misdemeanor under G.S. 18B-302(i), and a conviction goes on your criminal record. It stays there until a court orders it expunged, so a lawyer works toward a result that protects it.
What if it was liquor, not beer?
Liquor, fortified wine and mixed drinks fall under G.S. 18B-302(b)(2), shown on a ticket as F-WN, LQ or MXBV. The lower Class 3 rule covers only beer, unfortified wine and drinking at 19 or 20. A (b)(2) charge is a Class 1 misdemeanor at any age under 21. Your lawyer checks which subdivision is on the ticket.
Can I refuse the alcohol screening test?
Under G.S. 18B-302(j), an officer with probable cause to believe you are under 21 and have been drinking may require an alcohol screening test. The results can be used in court, and so can a refusal. If you refused, tell your lawyer, because it can be raised in court.
I am over 21. Can I be charged for giving beer to a 20-year-old?
Yes. Giving beer or unfortified wine to someone under 21 is a Class 1 misdemeanor under G.S. 18B-302.1(a). If the sentence is not active, probation must include at least a $250 fine and 25 hours of community service. A one-year license revocation follows.
I had beer in my car. Is that a different charge?
It can be. An open container in a vehicle falls under separate laws, and driving after drinking under 21 is its own charge. Read about open container charges in NC, then ask your lawyer which charges fit the facts.
Do I have to go to court for POSS MTBV?
Only the 19 or 20 possession and drinking charges can be paid without going to court, and paying is a guilty plea. A purchase charge or a NOT 19/20 charge needs a court date. Ask your lawyer whether you must attend in person.
- Former President, Greensboro Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
- Elected member, Criminal Justice Section, North Carolina Bar Association
- Selected to present the Wade M. Smith Award for Top Criminal Defense Lawyer in North Carolina
Talk to a Greensboro criminal defense lawyer today
Bring the warrant, the release order and anything else they gave you.
Garrett, Walker, Aycoth & Olson, Attorneys at Law
317 South Greene St, Greensboro, NC 27401
(336) 379-0539
This article explains North Carolina law in general terms. It is not legal advice about your case, and laws, penalties and court procedures change. Contact an attorney about your specific situation.