Legal drinking age

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The legal drinking age is a limit assigned by governments to restrict the access of children and youth to alcoholic beverages. In most countries the legal age to purchase alcohol is 18, but there are considerable exceptions. Laws on consumption of alcoholic beverages vary even more widely. In some countries all alcoholic beverages are illegal, often due to religious law.

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Contents

Country / Region De jure Notes
Drinking Age Purchase Age
Algeria No minimum[A] 18[A]
Botswana No minimum No minimum
Cameroon 15[A] No minimum[A]
Egypt 21[A] 18, 21[A] For purchases, legal age is 18 for beer, 21 for everything else.
Eritrea 18[A]
Ethiopia 18[A]
Ghana No minimum age[B]
Kenya 18[A]
Libya Illegal
Malawi 15[B]
Mauritius 18[A]
Morocco No minimum[C] 16[C]
Namibia No minimum[A] 18[A]
Niger No minimum[A] 18[A]
Nigeria No minimum[A] 16[A]
South Africa 18[A]
Tunisia 18[A]
Uganda 18[A]
Zambia No minimum[A] 18[A]
Zimbabwe 15[A] No minimum[A]

Country / region De jure Notes
Drinking Age Purchase Age
Antigua 16
Argentina 18
Bahamas 18
Barbados 18 Those aged 10-17 are allowed to consume alcohol provided they are with a parent.
Belize 18
Bermuda 18
Bolivia 18
Brazil 18
Canada 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec;
19 In some provinces it is legal for minors to drink in licenced places for example; resturants, homes etc. under adult supervision only.

.[1] Legal drinking age legislation falls under provincial jurisdiction.
Cayman Islands 18
Chile 18
Colombia 18
Costa Rica 18
Cuba No minimum age 16
Dominican Republic 18
Ecuador 18
Guatemala 18 It is illegal to serve alcohol after 1 AM.
Haiti 16
Honduras 18 But ID is seldom asked for
Jamaica 15
Mexico 18 Drinking in Public Places or Inside a Vehicle is Illegal. ID is seldom checked.
Nicaragua 19
Panama 18
Paraguay 18
Peru 18
Puerto Rico 18 The legal BAC limit for intoxication while driving is 0.08.


Trinidad and Tobago 18
United States of America 21 The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 states that revenue will be withheld from states that allow the purchase of alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. Some states do not allow those under the legal drinking age to be present in liquor stores or in bars (usually, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is whether food is being served). Contrary to popular belief, since National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, few states specifically prohibit minors' and young adults' consumption of alcohol in private settings. As of 2006, however, 30 states do not specifically ban underage consumption and an additional 15 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. [4]
Federal law explicitly provides for religious, medical, employment and private club possession exceptions; as of 2005, 31 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage possession laws. [5]
Underage purchase of alcohol, though illegal in all fifty states, is not a federal offense, although restrictions on highway funding for states that allow it make it illegal federally de facto. See Underage drinking in the United States. Additionally, exceptions exist on certain military installations, for instance Fort Bliss, Texas, where the Commanding General lowered the age to 18 to reduce the number of soldiers traveling out of the country to nearby Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, to drink.
US Virgin Islands 18
Uruguay 18
Venezuela 18

Country / region De jure Notes
Drinking Age Purchase Age
Azerbaijan 15 18
Armenia No minimum age
Bahrain 18 In some bars they allow people 14 and over to have a couple of beers under adult supervision only.
Bali no minimum age 15
Brunei Illegal Muslims are not allowed to drink or possess alcohol, non-Muslim residents and visitors may import alcohol for personal consumption. Public sale of alcohol is illegal.
People's Republic of China No minimum age 18 Introduced in January, 2006. [6]. Although the purchase age is legally 18, it is generally not observed for foreigners living in China.
Georgia No minimum age 18
Hong Kong 18 18
India 18-25 (varies between states). 19 in Maharastra. 25 in Delhi. Alcohol consumption prohibited in the states of Gujarat and Mizoram. In addition, alcohol consumption is also banned in some 'holy' cities. A 94 year old law in the Delhi state banning women bartenders was ruled unconstitutional by the Delhi High Court, but the state government's appeal is being heard at the Supreme Court.
Indonesia 18
Iraq 18
Iran Illegal to all, except for Jewish or Christian ceremonies Only alcohol used for Jewish or Christian religious ceremonies is allowed.
Israel No minimum age 18
Jordan 18
Japan 20
Kuwait - Illegal to buy.
Lebanon 18
Malaysia 21 The sale of alcohol to Muslims is illegal, as is consumption of alcohol by Muslims in public.
Nepal 18
Oman 21 Very few (if any) establishments will serve alcohol during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
North Korea (DPRK) 17
Pakistan 21 Illegal for Muslims. Forbidden by Sharia (Islamic Law, with qur'anic and other traditional legal inspirations) .. but can be purchased in some areas of Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad.
Philippines 18
Qatar 18
Russia 18
Saudi Arabia Illegal to all Forbidden by Sharia (Islamic Law, with qur'anic and other traditional legal inspirations)
Singapore 18
South Korea 19 From January 1 of the year the person becomes 19
Sri Lanka 18
Republic of China (Taiwan) 18 Parents, guardians, and others taking care of people under 18 are required pursuant to the Children and Youth Welfare Law (zh:兒童及少年福利法) to prohibit underage drinking or risk administrative fines when the situations are serious.
Thailand 18 Must be 20 to enter night clubs, but all people over 18 can buy alcohol in convenience stores.
Turkey 18 People under 18 years old are allowed to drink non-distilled beverages while being accompanied by parents. Also, minors cannot enter bars.
United Arab Emirates 21 21 Dubai laws state that no person under the age of 16 may be in a place serving alcohol after 18:00. Alcohol is only served in restaurants and bars attached to hotels.
Vietnam 15 18

Country / region De jure Notes
Drinking Age Purchase Age
Albania No minimum age
Austria 16, 18 for distilled beverages in some states Upper Austria, Salzburg and Tirol prohibit the consumption of distilled beverages below the age of 18, while Carinthia and Styria prohibit drinks containing more than 12% or 14% of alcohol respectively in this age bracket. Carinthia additionally requires adolescents to maintain a blood alcohol level below 0.05%, while Upper Austria prohibits "excessive consumption", and Salzburg prohibits consumption that would result in a state of intoxication. Prohibitions in Vienna, Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vorarlberg only apply to alcohol consumption in public. Vienna additionally prohibits the consumption of alcohol in schools under the age of 18. (information based on the respective state Youth Protection Laws, available at [7], as of December 11, 2007)
Belarus 18
Belgium 16; 18 for strong spirits(20%+) No minimum age to drink in private.
Bosnia and Herzegovina 18
Bulgaria 18 Even though the law states you must be 18 years of age to consume or purchase alcohol.
Croatia 18
Cyprus 16
Czech Republic 18
Denmark No minimum age outside bars. In bars 18. 16 If a shop fails to ask for an ID-card and they are identified having sold alcohol to an underage, they are fined. A national ID-card can be obtained in the local town hall in order for the youth to verify the youth age towards shops [2]. This card is rarely used though, since a passport or moped-licence can be used. [3]
Estonia 18
Finland No legal drinking age, possession age same as purchase age 18 (shops and Alko stores up to 22% ABV and all alcohol in bars), 20 (over 22% ABV in Alko stores); alcohol may not be sold to intoxicated customers. Although consumption by minors is not prohibited, it is strictly limited to certain rare situations because of various statutes regarding possession and offering. Because of this, legal drinking age is often perceived to be 18 by the general public. Purchase age also applies to possession.
France 16; for drinking strong liquor on premises: 18[4] It is not customary to request identification, unless the person is manifestly of inappropriate age. It is, however, a crime to sell alcohol to a minor under 16.[5] It is illegal for someone under the age of 16 to be at a bar without an adult, even if drinking a non-alcoholic drink.
Germany 16 (15) (wine, beer), 18 (spirits) Underage persons in possession of alcohol are not punished; however, people who make alcohol available to them are. The legal drinking age does not apply when drinking in private. Persons 15 and older may be given non-distilled beverages in public when they are with a parent or legal guardian.
Gibraltar 16
Greece none 17 No legal age for drinking in private. Greece was always famous for having no legal age for buying alcohol, but this has recently been changed by the New Democracy government to 17, and has met much criticism.
Hungary No minimum age 18
Iceland none 20 Possession or consumption of alcohol by minors is not an offence but supplying them with alcohol is. However, law allows alcohol possessed by a minor to be confiscated.
Ireland none 18 By law, only a passport, driving licence or a Garda age card is accepted as proof of age (although not always asked for in practice). Purchasing alcohol for a minor is illegal (except by parents for consumption at home).
Isle of Man 5 18 (16) As in the United Kingdom it is only illegal for an adult to give alcohol to a child under 5 years, unless under medical supervision or you need it as if it is an emergency, but this gives an effective drinking age of 5. The age for buying and consumption of alcoholic beverages on licensed premises is 18; however, a person over the age of 16 may buy an alcoholic beverage with a substantial meal, as long as they are accompanied by a person over 18. [6]
Italy 14 16 It is legal for 14-15 year olds to drink if the alcohol is provided by a parent or legal guardian. The age for purchasing alcohol is 16.
Jersey 18 [7]
Liechtenstein 18
Luxembourg 15
Latvia No minimum age 18
Lithuania 18
Macedonia 18
Malta No minimum age 16
Moldova No minimum age (beer),
18 (wine and spirits)
Montenegro No minimum age 18
Netherlands No minimum age 16 (under 15% ABV),
18 (15% ABV and over)		 If a shop fails to ask for an ID-card and they are identified having sold alcohol to an underage, they are fined. No minimum age to drink in private with a parent/guardian.
Norway No minimum age 18 (under 22% ABV),
20 (22% ABV and over)		 Beer, cider and alcopops can be bought in any store, while all beverages above 4.7% must be bought at The Wine Monopoly. A minor buying or attempting to buy alcohol is never held criminally responsible.
Poland 18 Selling alcohol to people already drunk is illegal. If an underage person is caught with alcohol, they face arrest.
Portugal 16
Romania No minimum age 18 Sale of all distilled spirits is illegal for those under 18. Advertising distilled alcohol is forbidden during the day (between 5:00 and 22:00). All restrictions apply on sale and distribution to underage persons, not consumption.
Russia 18 Although there is an age limit, alcohol is sold to all similar to the rest of Eastern Europe.
Serbia 18 I.D. rarely asked for at stores, most bars/restaurants will serve to individuals 15 and up.
Slovakia No minimum age 18 Only the seller can be punished.
Slovenia No minimum age 18
Spain No minimum age 18 Regional drinking age in the Autonomous Community of Castile and León, 18.
Sweden 18 (bars and restaurants, beer with 2.25% - 3.5% (volume) alcohol in shops), 20 (Systembolaget stores) [8] See also alcohol in Sweden. Bars/clubs often voluntarily choose to have higher age limits than 18, commonly 20 or 23.
Switzerland 15 for wine, beer and cider
15-18 (varies from canton to canton) for spirits & spirit-based cocktails ie. alcopops		 Switzerland prohibits minors to buy alcohol, but there is no age restriction for the consumption of alcohol. Wine, beer and ciders as well as some other party drinks can be purchased by the age of 16. Spirits as well as alcopops can only be sold to people above the age of 18. If a shop fails to request an ID from the customers, they can be fined.
Ukraine 18 18
United Kingdom 5 18 The legal age to purchase alcohol is 18. People aged 16 and 17, with the licensee's permission, may consume only 1 glass of wine, beer or cider with a table meal in specific areas of the premises, providing they're with an adult and the adult orders it (England & Wales only, Scotland no adult required to be present). The legal age for the purchase of liqueur chocolates is 16. The legal age for drinking in one's home is 5 provided parental consent is given. Children under 5 must not be given alcohol unless under medical supervision in an emergency.It is illegal to sell alcohol to someone who already appears drunk. You may not buy alcohol for a drunk person on licensed premises. All off-sales are advised to ask for photographic ID if the person looks under 21.[9]. Purchasing alcohol on behalf of a minor will result in an £80 on-the-spot fine.

Country / region De jure Notes
Drinking Age Purchase Age
Australia 18 It is illegal to buy, drink or possess alcohol if under 18 on licensed premises, but states allow drinking or possessing alcohol on private premises for people under the age of 18 (under the supervision of an adult[s]). In New South Wales there is no law against minors possessing or drinking alcohol on private premises, but there are laws against supplying or selling alcohol to a minor, as well as against minors "carrying away" alcohol from a licensed club.[8][9]Minors may be on licensed premises accompanied by a parent or guardian (but not purchase alcohol) and parents can not provide alcohol with a meal on licensed premises. In Victoria, if a minor is caught with alcohol it will be confiscated and guardians notified of the offense, and a fine may occur. It is also illegal to provide minors with alcohol, and one can be fined by it if caught in the act. It is illegal to buy alcohol if already drunk, and to supply alcohol to such a person. [10]
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 21
Fiji 18
Guam 18
Palau 18
Solomon Islands 18
Vanuatu 18
Tonga 18
Tokelau 18
New Zealand No minimum age 18 Alcohol can only be sold by licensed premises but there is no obligation to serve any person. It is illegal to purchase alcohol if already drunk. Drinking on public transport is prohibited, unless the vehicle (e.g. ship, train) holds a liquor license. ** Minors (under 18's) can be fined if they drink alcohol in public places, without a parent or guardian present. Minors can drink alcohol in a public place if they are accompanied and it is provided by their parent or guardian; this includes licensed premises, such as restaurants, and at private social gatherings, but excludes designated restricted areas, where under 18's are not permitted. While there are extensive laws prohibiting alcohol purchase by any person under 18 years of age, to actually drink alcohol (without the element of purchasing) is NOT currently an offence. On 8 November 2006 the New Zealand Parliament rejected a bill to return the legal age to 20 after significant lobbying by the Keepit18 group [10] and others.
Samoa 18
Papua New Guinea No minimum age
Kiribati 21 Liquor Ordinance (Cap.50)
American Samoa 18
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A. Minimum Drinking and Purchasing Age Laws. The Deuce Media Ltd. (2002).
B. Global Status Report: Alcohol Policy - Country Profiles. World Health Organization.
C. Minimum Legal Ages for Alcohol Purchase or Consumption Around the World. World Health Organization.

  1. ^ Drinking Age Limits - International Center for Alcohol Policies
  2. ^ Law no. 213 af march 31, 2004
  3. ^ Danish ID-card is rarely used
  4. ^ Code of public health: L3342-1 « [In all places providing beverages either for immediate consumption or not] and all public places, it is prohibited to sell or offer alcoholic drinks to minors younger than 16, either for immediate consumption or for carrying away. ». L3342-2 further restricts sales for immediate consumptions of certain categories of alcoholic drinks to adults over 18; these categories include mostly all alcohols stronger than cider, beer or wine, as defined in L3321-1. L3342-3 prohibits receiving minors younger than 16 in premises selling alcohol unless they are with a parent, tutor, or other guardian over 18, except that minors at least 13 year old can be received in places selling only nonalcoholic or nearly nonalcoholic drinks (< 1.2°).
  5. ^ L3353-3 punishes sales of alcoholic drinks to minors under 16 by a fine, and also possibly imprisonment for repeat offenders.
  6. ^ Reiltys Ellan Vannin - Alcohol Strategy -
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ [2] - Section 115 of the Liquor Act 1982 (NSW)
  9. ^ [3] - Underage drinking offences, NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing]
  10. ^ Alcohol and young people - New South Wales police

Wikipedia is a reference

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_drinking_age"
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