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Drink Drive Limit UK: The Legal Alcohol Limits in 2026

The drink drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood — 35 micrograms per 100ml of breath, or 107mg per 100ml of urine. Scotland is stricter, at 50mg of blood (22 micrograms of breath). There is no safe amount you can drink and be certain of staying under the limit, because it depends on your weight, sex, metabolism and what you have eaten, so the only reliable approach is none. Going over the limit means up to 6 months in prison, an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least 12 months — and a DR10 endorsement that sits on your licence for 11 years and pushes car insurance up by thousands. Below: the exact limits, the penalties, what a conviction really costs, and the questions UK drivers ask.

See the exact limits → All guides

80mg / 35µg

Blood / breath limit (E, W & NI)

50mg

Scotland’s lower blood limit

11 years

A DR10 stays on your licence

Direct Answer

What is the drink drive limit in the UK?

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the legal limit is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, equivalent to 35 micrograms per 100ml of breath or 107mg per 100ml of urine. Scotland has been stricter since December 2014, at 50mg of blood (22 micrograms of breath, 67mg of urine). These are the numbers the police and courts use — a roadside breath test measures the breath figure directly. There is no safe number of drinks that guarantees you stay under, because alcohol affects everyone differently depending on weight, sex, metabolism, how much you have eaten and how quickly you drink, so the only certain way to stay legal is not to drink before driving. The Department for Transport has said it is not currently reviewing a reduction of the England and Wales limit to the Scottish 50mg level, so the 80mg figure still stands in 2026. Drink-driving is still involved in around 14% of UK road deaths: an estimated 220 people were killed in reported drink-drive collisions in 2024. Here are the exact limits side by side:

Measure	England, Wales & NI	Scotland
Breath	35 µg / 100ml	22 µg / 100ml
Blood	80 mg / 100ml	50 mg / 100ml
Urine	107 mg / 100ml	67 mg / 100ml

Sources: gov.uk — the drink drive limit (England, Wales & NI vs Scotland). Scotland lowered its limit to 50mg on 5 December 2014. Refresh: 7 November 2026.

The real cost of a drink-drive conviction — UK 2026

Higher insurance and getting around during a 12-month ban dwarf the court fine; a typical conviction totals about £9,010 before any lost earnings.

Source: Car Insurance Expert composite, 2026 — court fine and ban from gov.uk drink-driving penalties; insurance uplift from convicted-driver market data. Figures are typical and vary by case.

Cost of a drink-drive conviction	Typical amount (composite)
Higher car insurance over 5 years	£3,600
Alternative transport during a 12-month ban	£3,000
Solicitor / legal representation	£1,500
Court fine (typical)	£660
Drink-drive rehabilitation course	£250
Typical total	£9,010

Sources: court fine and ban lengths from gov.uk drink-driving penalties; insurance uplift and transport costs are a Car Insurance Expert composite for a typical case. A means-tested fine can reach a week’s to a month’s income and lost earnings from a ban can add much more; figures shown exclude job loss. Refresh: 7 November 2026.

The Penalties

What happens if you are caught over the limit

The penalty depends on exactly what you are convicted of. The gov.uk drink-driving penalties are:

Driving or attempting to drive over the limit — up to 6 months in prison, an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least 12 months (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years). This is the offence that carries the DR10 code.
Being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit — up to 3 months in prison, a fine of up to £2,500 and a possible ban, even if you were not driving.
Refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine — the same penalties as drink driving itself: up to 6 months, an unlimited fine and at least a 12-month ban.
Causing death by careless driving when over the limit — up to life imprisonment, an unlimited fine and a ban of at least 5 years.

On top of the court penalty, a DR10 endorsement stays on your licence for 11 years and must be declared to insurers for 5 years, after which it is treated as spent. Enforcement is heavy: 36,415 drivers were convicted of drink-driving in England and Wales in 2024. For what a conviction does to your premium and which insurers still quote, see our DR10 insurance guide and car insurance after a drink-driving ban.

Common Sense

How many drinks, and the morning after

Because the limit is measured in your blood, breath or urine — not in drinks — there is no reliable “you can have X” figure. As a rough guide, in England and Wales many people approach the 80mg limit after about a pint of strong beer or a large glass of wine, but a lighter or smaller person can be over on less, and in Scotland the 50mg limit means even a single drink can put you over. Alcohol also impairs reaction time and judgement well below the legal limit, which is why road-safety bodies advise none before driving.

The morning after catches many drivers out. Your body clears only about one unit of alcohol an hour, so a heavy night can leave you over the limit late into the next morning — and nothing speeds it up. Coffee, food, a cold shower and sleep do not remove alcohol from your blood; only time does. If you have had a lot to drink, plan alternative transport for the next morning rather than assuming you will be clear when you wake.

Common Questions

Drink drive limit UK: FAQs

What is the drink drive limit in the UK?

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the drink drive limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, which is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath or 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine. Scotland is stricter at 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood (22 micrograms of breath). There is no safe amount you can drink and be sure of staying under the limit, because it depends on your weight, sex, metabolism and what you have eaten, so the only reliable approach is not to drink at all before driving.

How many drinks can I have and still be under the limit?

There is no reliable number, which is why drink-aware campaigns and the police advise none. As a rough guide, in England and Wales many people reach the 80mg limit after about a pint of strong beer or a large glass of wine, but a smaller or lighter person can be over the limit on less. In Scotland the 50mg limit means even a single drink can put you over. Alcohol also affects your driving well below the legal limit, so the safest choice before driving is not to drink.

Is the drink drive limit lower in Scotland?

Yes. Scotland cut its limit to 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in December 2014, below the 80 milligrams that still applies in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In breath terms that is 22 micrograms per 100 millilitres in Scotland against 35 micrograms elsewhere in the UK. The practical effect is that a drink that might keep you under the limit in England could put you over it in Scotland, so drivers crossing the border should treat 50mg as the standard.

What is the penalty for drink driving in the UK?

Driving or attempting to drive over the limit carries up to 6 months in prison, an unlimited fine and a driving ban of at least 12 months, rising to 3 years if you are convicted twice in 10 years. Being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit can mean up to 3 months in prison and a fine of up to £2,500. Refusing to provide a breath, blood or urine specimen carries the same penalties as drink driving itself. Causing death by careless driving when over the limit can bring life imprisonment and a minimum 5-year ban.

How long does a DR10 conviction stay on your licence?

A DR10 drink-driving endorsement stays on your driving licence for 11 years from the date of conviction. You must usually declare it to insurers for 5 years, after which it is treated as spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and no longer needs to be declared for most policies. The endorsement is separate from the driving ban, which is a minimum of 12 months. For what a conviction does to your premium, see our DR10 insurance guide.

Can I drive the morning after drinking?

Often not. Your body clears roughly one unit of alcohol an hour, so a heavy night can leave you over the limit well into the next morning, and a significant share of drink-drive arrests happen the morning after. There is no way to speed the process up: coffee, food, a cold shower and sleep do not remove alcohol from your blood. If you have had a lot to drink, plan alternative transport for the next morning rather than assuming you will be clear by the time you wake up.

Is England and Wales going to lower the drink drive limit?

Not at present. The limit in England and Wales has been 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood for decades, and the Department for Transport has said it is not currently reviewing a reduction to the 50-milligram Scottish level. Road-safety groups continue to campaign for a lower limit, pointing to Scotland and most of Europe, but as of 2026 no change has been enacted for England and Wales. Always check the current gov.uk guidance, because this is an area campaigners keep under pressure.

How much does a drink-driving conviction increase car insurance?

A drink-driving conviction sharply raises premiums, and the extra cost typically runs to several thousand pounds over the five years you must declare it, often around £3,000 to £4,000 more in total on a standard profile. You will usually need to buy from specialist convicted-driver insurers rather than mainstream comparison sites, at least while the conviction is recent. On top of insurance, the fine, legal fees and the cost of getting around during a 12-month ban push the true cost of a conviction well into five figures. See our DR10 insurance guide for the full premium breakdown.

Our sources

gov.uk — The drink drive limit — the 80mg / 35µg / 107mg limits for England, Wales & NI and the 50mg / 22µg / 67mg Scottish limits
gov.uk — Drink-driving penalties — prison terms, unlimited fines, the £2,500 in-charge fine and the minimum ban lengths
DfT — Reported road casualties GB, drink-drive collisions 2024 — an estimated 220 killed (down 16%), around 6,350 casualties, and drink-driving involved in about 14% of road deaths
Ministry of Justice / court data 2024 — 36,415 drink-driving convictions in England and Wales
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 — the 5-year declaration period after which a DR10 is treated as spent (the endorsement itself remains on the licence for 11 years)
Car Insurance Expert composite quote data — 2026 convicted-driver premium sample used for the cost-of-conviction estimate

Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team

Reviewed by the Car Insurance Expert editorial team — motoring and insurance analysts. Methodology: legal limits and penalties are quoted directly from gov.uk; the cost-of-conviction figures are a composite from published penalties and our convicted-driver premium sampling, and are typical rather than a quote. Questions: editorial@carinsuranceexpert.co.uk.

Last updated: 7 August 2026. Next scheduled review: 7 November 2026.

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