🇺🇸 USA 0.08% 🇬🇧 Scotland 0.05% 🇩🇪 Germany 0.05% 🇯🇵 Japan 0.03%

BAC Calculator

Estimate your blood alcohol content (BAC) and see whether you're above the legal driving limit in different countries. Legal limits vary from 0.00% (zero tolerance) to 0.08% — and the same number of drinks puts you over the limit in some countries but not others.

Quick Answer

Legal driving BAC limits vary widely: US / Canada / UK (England): 0.08%. Australia / Germany / France / Spain / Italy / Scotland: 0.05%. Japan: 0.03%. Sweden / Norway: 0.02%. Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, many Muslim-majority countries: 0.00% (zero tolerance). Japan's strict limit and heavy penalties have made it one of the world's safest countries for drunk driving.

⚠️ This is an estimate only. BAC varies by individual metabolism, food intake, hydration, and medications. Never drink and drive.
drinks

Legal BAC Driving Limits by Country

Country Limit (%) Notes
🇺🇸 USA (most states) 0.080% Utah: 0.05% since 2018; commercial drivers: 0.04%
🇨🇦 Canada 0.080% Administrative suspension at 0.05% in most provinces
🇬🇧 UK (England & Wales) 0.080% Scotland lowered to 0.05% in 2014
🇦🇺 Australia 0.050% New drivers (P-plate): 0.00% in most states
🇩🇪 Germany 0.050% Novice drivers and under 21: 0.00%
🇫🇷 France 0.050% Novice drivers: 0.020%
🇪🇸 Spain 0.050% New drivers: 0.030%
🇮🇹 Italy 0.050% Under 21 and new drivers: 0.00%
🇯🇵 Japan 0.030% Strictest major country; 5-year prison sentence for fatalities
🇰🇷 South Korea 0.030% License suspended at 0.03%; revoked at 0.08%
🇨🇳 China 0.020% DUI at 0.08%; severe penalties
🇸🇪 Sweden / 🇳🇴 Norway 0.020% Among lowest in Europe
🇷🇺 Russia 0.035% 0.00% in practice; strict enforcement
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia / 🇵🇰 Pakistan 0.000% Zero tolerance; alcohol is prohibited

Frequently Asked Questions

How many drinks does it take to reach 0.08%? ▾
It varies significantly by body weight and sex. For an average 70 kg (154 lb) male: approximately 3–4 standard drinks in 2 hours can reach 0.08%. For a 55 kg (121 lb) female: as few as 2–3 drinks. A "standard drink" is 14 g of pure alcohol in the US and 10 g in Australia, while the UK counts units of 8 g — equivalent to one 355ml beer (5%), 150ml wine (12%), or 44ml spirit (40%). These are estimates only.
Why does Australia have a stricter BAC limit than the US? ▾
Australia lowered its BAC limit to 0.05% in the 1990s, aligned with European standards and based on evidence that impairment begins at lower BAC levels than 0.08%. Road safety research (from Monash University Accident Research Centre) supported this policy. The US maintains 0.08% partly due to lobbying by the alcohol industry and hospitality sector — despite evidence that 0.05% would prevent additional fatalities.

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Cite this page APA · MLA · BibTeX

APA

WorldCalculators.org. (2026, September 25). BAC Calculator: Blood Alcohol & Driving Limits by Country. https://worldcalculators.org/calculators/bac/

MLA

“BAC Calculator: Blood Alcohol & Driving Limits by Country.” WorldCalculators.org, 25 Sept. 2026, worldcalculators.org/calculators/bac/.

BibTeX

@misc{worldcalculators2026calculatorsbac,
  title        = {BAC Calculator: Blood Alcohol & Driving Limits by Country},
  author       = {{WorldCalculators.org}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://worldcalculators.org/calculators/bac/}}
}

Figures change when tax years or guidance change. Cite the date shown and link the page so readers see the current version.