Pennsylvania is one of the many jurisdictions that has long recognized a cause of action against liquor licensees, such as bars and restaurants, for civil damages for injuries to third parties arising out of the service of alcohol to customers. This is the concept commonly referred to as liquor liability or dram shop liability.

In Pennsylvania, however, dram shop liability is not a common law cause of action. Rather, liquor liability sounds in negligence per se and most commonly arises out of the violation of Sections 4-493 and 4-497 of Title 47 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (the Dram Shop Act), which relate to the sale of alcohol to a visibly intoxicated patron (VIP) or the sale of alcohol to a minor.