Whether you’re driving up to Scotland or hiring a car in Spain, France or Italy, understanding each country’s drink-driving limits is essential. Limits vary significantly across the globe and penalties can be severe.
To help you stay safe, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to drink-drive limits across the UK, Europe, North America and Australia alongside the consequences you could face if you’re caught over the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC).
Why Drink Driving Rules Matter When Hiring a Car
If you involved in a drink-driving incident abroad, the consequences can be more than just legal penalties, car hire companies will consider this to be a significant breach of contract. Consequently you could be liable for the full repair cost of the hire vehicle, loss-of-use fees, towing and administration charges as well as third party damage costs. Even if you’ve taken out a ReduceMyExcess excess insurance policy for hired cars, we will not cover incidents caused by being under the influence of alcohol.
International Drink Driving Limits
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limits vary worldwide, here’s a general overview. Make sure to research your destination thoroughly beforehand.
Europe
United Kingdom & Ireland 🇬🇧🇮🇪
0.08% with lower limit for professional and novice drivers in Ireland
France, Italy & Spain 🇫🇷🇮🇹🇪🇸
0.05%
Germany 🇩🇪
0.05% (0.0% for drivers with less than 2 years’ experience)
Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland) 🇸🇪🇳🇴🇫🇮
0.02%
Many European countries enforce strict penalties, including on-the-spot fines, licence confiscation and even vehicle impoundment.
North America
USA 🇺🇸
Typically 0.08% however some states enforce lower levels for commercial or drivers under-21.
Canada 🇨🇦
Also 0.08% but provincial penalties can apply at lower levels.
Oceania
Australia 🇦🇺
0.05% nationwide with lower limits for provisional drivers.
New Zealand 🇳🇿
0.05% for adults, zero tolerance for under-20s.
Asia
Japan 🇯🇵
0.03% with extremely strict enforcement and severe penalties.
China 🇨🇳
0.02% for regular driving; >0.08% can result in criminal charges.
Singapore 🇸🇬
0.05%, with heavy fines and jail time for more serious offences.
Middle East
Many Middle Eastern countries – including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar – have zero-tolerance policies, meaning any amount of alcohol can be considered an offence.
Latin America
Brazil 🇧🇷
0.00% “Dry Law”
Argentina, Chile, Colombia 🇦🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴
0.05%
Regulations change frequently, so checking local rules before travelling is essential.
Penalties
If you are caught to be driving above the limit, penalties, although they vary by how much you are over the limit and your destination, could include:
- Large fines
- Immediate suspension of your licence
- Vehicle impoundment
- Court appearances
- Imprisonment in severe cases
- Full financial liability for hire car damage
Car Hire Excess Insurance
No insurance will cover you for drink driving incidents but having car hire excess insurance can protect you from potential charges including accidental damage to areas of the car like the underbody, autoglass and tyres as well as theft of the vehicle.
Final Thoughts
Understanding international drink-driving laws is essential for anyone planning to hire a car abroad. As limits vary widely across countries as well as across your level of driving experience, staying informed is paramount. The easiest way to stay under the limit is to avoid alcohol altogether if you’re the designated driver.
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