Drink Driving Limits and Penalties in the UK

Summary

• The safest amount is zero: Even one drink can impair your ability to drive safely.
• Scotland has a lower limit than England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• Penalties are severe: Up to 6 months in prison, unlimited fine, and a minimum 12-month driving ban.

Drink driving kills. It's one of the most serious offences a UK driver can commit. Yet many people don't know the exact limits or penalties.

This guide gives you the facts. Please remember: the only truly safe option is to not drink at all if you're driving.

---

UK Drink Drive Limits

The limits are different in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK:

Measurement	England, Wales & NI	Scotland
Micrograms per 100ml of breath	35 µg	22 µg
Milligrams per 100ml of blood	80 mg	50 mg
Milligrams per 100ml of urine	107 mg	67 mg

Important: There's no reliable way to know how many drinks put you over the limit. It depends on your weight, gender, metabolism, what you've eaten, and the type of drink. The only safe limit is zero.

---

Penalties for Drink Driving

The penalties are serious and can affect your life for years:

• Driving ban: Minimum 12 months. Can be 3 years for repeat offenders.
• Fine: Unlimited. Typically £2,500 or more.
• Prison: Up to 6 months for standard drink driving. Up to 14 years if you cause death.
• Criminal record: A drink driving conviction stays on your record for 11 years.
• Insurance: Your car insurance will increase dramatically. Some insurers won't cover you at all.

---

The Morning After

Many people are caught drink driving the morning after a night out. Alcohol takes time to leave your body.

As a rough guide, it takes about one hour for your body to process one unit of alcohol. A large glass of wine (250ml, 13%) is about 3.3 units — that's over 3 hours to process.

A heavy night of 10+ units could mean you're still over the limit the next morning. Coffee, cold showers, and food don't speed up the process.

---

Drug Driving Laws

The UK also has strict drug driving laws. It's illegal to drive if any of these 17 drugs are above specified limits in your blood:

• Cannabis
• Cocaine
• MDMA (ecstasy)
• Ketamine
• Certain prescription drugs (if above medical doses)

The penalties for drug driving are the same as drink driving: ban, fine, and possible prison.

---

What Happens If You're Stopped?

1. Police can stop any driver and request a breath test.
2. You blow into a breathalyser at the roadside.
3. If you fail, you're arrested and taken to a police station.
4. A more accurate evidential breath test is done at the station.
5. If over the limit, you're charged and appear in court.

Refusing a breath test is a criminal offence. The penalties are the same as drink driving.

---

How to Stay Safe

• Don't drink if you're driving. Full stop.
• Plan ahead: Arrange a taxi, designated driver, or public transport before you go out.
• Wait long enough: If you drank last night, give yourself plenty of time before driving the next morning.
• Don't pressure others: Never encourage someone to drive after drinking.

---

Drink driving laws exist to save lives. The consequences of being caught are life-changing. And the consequences of causing a drink-drive accident are even worse. Always plan ahead and never get behind the wheel if you've been drinking.

Read our other articles: