Theo Nash
The legal alcohol limit for driving in the UK is based on the amount of alcohol detected in a person's blood or breath. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath (the 'breath limit') or 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (the 'blood limit'). Scotland has stricter limits, with a breath alcohol limit of 22 micrograms per 100 millilitres and a blood alcohol limit of 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres. These limits are difficult to translate into the number of drinks a person can consume, as this varies from person to person. However, even small amounts of alcohol can affect a person's ability to drive, and the police advise avoiding alcohol altogether if driving.
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What You'll Learn
The legal breath alcohol limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the drink-driving alcohol limit for drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (the 'blood limit'), 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath (the 'breath limit'), and 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine (the 'urine limit'). These limits are based on the amount of alcohol detected in someone's breath, blood or urine.
It is impossible to work out how many drinks or units of alcohol will put you over the limit, as it varies from person to person depending on factors such as weight, age, sex, and metabolism. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your ability to drive, so the police advise that you avoid alcohol altogether if you plan to drive. If you are going out for a drink, you can use a personal breathalyser to check your alcohol level, have a designated driver, or opt for alcohol-free drinks.
If you fail a breath test, or if a police officer has other grounds to believe your driving was impaired due to alcohol, you will be taken to a police station and given a final breath test. At the station, you will need to provide two more breath specimens into a complex breathalyser. The lower of the two readings is used to decide whether you are above the drink-driving limit. Failure to provide a sample is a criminal offence.
Being found guilty of driving while above the legal drink-driving alcohol limit can result in a driving ban of at least a year, six months in prison, and an unlimited fine. If you cause a fatality while under the influence, this can be increased to 14 years' imprisonment. A drink-driving conviction will also significantly increase your car insurance costs and may impact your employment if you drive for work.
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The legal breath alcohol limit in Scotland
The legal alcohol limit for drivers in Scotland differs from that of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the drink-drive limit is stricter than in the rest of the UK.
The limit is based on the amount of alcohol detected in someone's breath, blood, or urine. It is impossible to determine exactly how many drinks this equals, as it varies from person to person depending on weight, age, sex, and metabolism. However, the general advice is to avoid alcohol altogether if you plan to drive.
In Scotland, the drink-driving alcohol limit for drivers is 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (the 'blood limit'), 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath (the 'breath limit'), and 67 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine (the 'urine limit'). These limits are lower than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which are 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, and 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine, respectively.
If you are suspected of drink-driving and fail a roadside breath test, or if the police have other grounds to believe your driving was impaired due to alcohol consumption, you will be taken to a police station for further testing. At the station, you will be required to provide two more breath specimens into a more advanced breathalyser, and the lower of the two readings will be used to determine whether you are above the legal limit. The police also have the authority to request a urine sample or a blood test performed by a medical professional. Refusing to provide a sample is a criminal offence.
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Drink-drive penalties
In the UK, the penalties for drink-driving depend on the offence and are up to the magistrates who hear the case. If found guilty of drink-driving, you may be imprisoned, banned from driving, and/or fined. The minimum punishment for drink-driving in the UK includes a one-year driving ban, six months in prison, and an unlimited fine. Refusing to provide a sample for testing is also considered a criminal offence.
In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the drink-driving alcohol limit for drivers is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, and 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine. Scotland has stricter limits than the rest of the UK, with a limit of 0.05% BAC, which is in line with most other Western European countries. The UK government has also introduced lower drink-drive limits for those working in the transport industry, with a limit of 0.02%—this is one-quarter of the UK drink-drive limit.
If you are facing a drink-driving charge, there is a drink-driving penalty calculator that can provide an estimate of the sentence you can expect to receive. This calculator is based on the Magistrates' Court Sentencing Guidelines provided by The Sentencing Council for England and Wales. It is important to note that the magistrates have the discretion to deviate from these guidelines based on the specific circumstances of the case.
Drink-drive rehabilitation schemes (DDRS) may be offered by the court, which can help reduce a driving ban. However, high-risk offenders will not automatically get their licence back even after completing such a course.
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Alcohol limits for professional drivers
Alcohol limits for drivers in the UK are strict and differ between Scotland and the rest of the UK. While it is impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals, as it varies from person to person, the limits are based on the amount of alcohol detected in someone's breath, blood, or urine.
For professional drivers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the drink-drive alcohol limit is 0.02%. This is one-quarter of the UK drink-drive limit for non-professional drivers, which is 0.08%. In Scotland, the drink-drive limit for professional drivers is 0.02%, which is also one-quarter of the Scottish drink-drive limit of 0.05%. These lower drink-drive limits also apply to pilots, cabin crew, air traffic controllers, aircraft engineers, train drivers, and commercial seamen.
The drink-driving alcohol limit for non-professional drivers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, or 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine. In Scotland, the drink-driving alcohol limit for non-professional drivers is stricter, at 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, or 67 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine.
It is important to note that even small amounts of alcohol can affect your ability to drive, and there is no reliable way to drink and stay within the limit. The police advise avoiding alcohol altogether if you plan to drive. If you are going out for drinks, it is recommended to have a designated driver, choose alcohol-free drinks, or use alternative transportation methods such as taxis or public transport.
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Alcohol limits in other countries
In the UK, the drink-driving alcohol limit for drivers in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath, and 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine. In Scotland, the limit is stricter, with a blood alcohol limit of 50 milligrams per 100 millilitres and a breath alcohol limit of 22 micrograms per 100 millilitres.
Drink-driving laws vary across the world, with different countries implementing their own unique sets of regulations and penalties. Here is a glimpse into the alcohol limits in some other countries:
- Australia — Police officers are authorised to randomly breathalyse or drug test drivers without needing a reason. Those with a blood alcohol content exceeding 0.08% will have their licenses automatically disqualified and must appear in court.
- European Countries — Most western European countries have a drink-drive limit of 0.05, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. However, eastern European countries tend to have a zero-tolerance policy.
- United States — While laws vary between states, many have strict guidelines for sentencing DUI/DWI offences, with some states like Washington imposing mandatory minimum penalties even for first-time offenders. The blood alcohol limit in Massachusetts and Texas is 0.08%.
- South Africa — The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05% for most drivers and 0.02% for professional drivers operating trucks over 3.5 tonnes or vehicles carrying passengers for a reward.
- Nepal — There is a zero-tolerance policy, with breathalyzer testing regularly conducted in major cities and highways.
- Cuba — The limit is 0 for young, inexperienced, and professional or commercial drivers, and 0.05% for all other drivers.
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Frequently asked questions
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the legal breath alcohol limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. In Scotland, the limit is lower at 22 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the drink-driving limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. In Scotland, the limit is 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.
Yes, the drink-drive limit for professional drivers and operatives in the transport industry is 0.02%, which is one-quarter of the UK drink-drive limit of 0.08%. This lower limit also applies to pilots, cabin crew, air traffic controllers, aircraft engineers, train drivers, and commercial seamen.
If you're caught driving over the alcohol limit in the UK, you will be banned from driving for at least a year and may also face six months in prison and an unlimited fine. If you cause a fatality while under the influence, this may be increased to 14 years' imprisonment.
There is no exact number of drinks that will put you over the limit as it varies from person to person. However, as a general guide, two pints of regular-strength lager or two small glasses of wine would likely put you over the alcohol limit. The police advise avoiding alcohol altogether if you plan to drive.
