BAC Limits in the UK

BAC limits by country: USA  ·  Canada  ·  Australia  ·  United Kingdom  ·  Ireland  ·  India

• England, Wales & Northern Ireland 0.08% (80 mg)
• Scotland 0.05% (50 mg)
• New drivers same limit harsher penalties

Understanding the Table

• Legal Limit — The prescribed limit for every driver. UK law expresses it in milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood; 80 mg equals 0.08% BAC, 50 mg equals 0.05%.
• Breath Limit — The equivalent figure for a roadside breath test: 35 µg per 100 ml of breath in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 22 µg in Scotland.
• New Drivers — Unlike most countries, the UK has no separate limit for learner, provisional or newly qualified drivers. The general limit applies to everyone. What differs is the penalty: 6 or more points in the first two years after passing your test revokes the licence outright (Road Traffic (New Drivers) Act 1995) — and a drink-driving conviction carries a mandatory ban.

All 4 UK Nations

Data based on statutes as of September 2026 (last legal-data review: 19 September 2026).

Key Things to Know

The Limit Changes at the Scottish Border

Scotland lowered its limit to 50 mg (0.05%) in December 2014. England, Wales and Northern Ireland remain at 80 mg (0.08%), among the highest general limits in Europe. Drive from Carlisle to Gretna and the legal number drops by more than a third.

England & Wales: Consultation, Not Law

The Department for Transport consulted on a 50 mg general limit and a lower new-driver limit (consultation closed 11 May 2026). As of 19 September 2026 nothing has been enacted; the 80 mg limit still applies.

Northern Ireland: Enacted, Not Commenced

The Road Traffic (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 provides for 50 mg generally and 20 mg for novice and professional drivers, but that section has not been brought into force. The commencement order taking effect on 1 October 2026 covers graduated driver licensing only. Alcophone will switch Northern Ireland to 50 mg when the limit actually commences.

Mandatory Ban, Even for a First Offence

A drink-driving conviction anywhere in the UK means a minimum 12-month driving ban, an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison. There is no “warn range” — you are either under the limit or you are not.

Alcophone Has Your Nation Built In

Pick England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland and Alcophone applies the right prescribed limit. There is no new-driver toggle for the UK because the law has no separate limit — the app will not tell you that you have a lower threshold than you actually do.