Question 1

Is 0.08 legal to drive at in the US?

Accepted Answer

0.08% is where 'per se' intoxication begins in most states, but you can be charged below it if impaired, and Utah's limit is 0.05%. Commercial drivers are held to 0.04% and under-21 drivers to effectively zero.

Question 2

Why do limits differ so much between countries?

Accepted Answer

Policy philosophy: places like Sweden and Brazil treat any drinking-plus-driving as the offense, while 0.08 jurisdictions target measurable impairment. The trend worldwide is downward.

Question 3

Does one drink put me over 0.05?

Accepted Answer

For many lighter-bodied people, one large drink can approach 0.05% within the hour. Run your numbers in the calculator, then remember the error bars and don't drive anyway.

Jurisdiction	Limit	Notes
United States (most states)	0.08%	Commercial drivers 0.04%; under-21 zero tolerance (0.00-0.02%)
Utah (US)	0.05%	Lowest US state limit since 2018
Australia	0.05%	Learners & provisional: 0.00%
United Kingdom (England, Wales, NI)	0.08%	Scotland: 0.05%
Canada	0.08% criminal	0.05% provincial penalties in most provinces
European Union (most)	0.05%	Many: 0.00-0.02% for new drivers
Sweden, Norway, Poland	0.02%	Effectively zero tolerance
Czechia, Hungary, Brazil	0.00%	True zero tolerance
Japan	0.03%	Passengers can also be penalized
New Zealand	0.05%	Under-20: zero

BAC Legal Limits by State & Country

Common questions