Legal drinking age

The legal drinking age is a non-legal term describing the situation that exists from the application of various alcohol licensing laws.

In a principal instance, it sets the minimum age of customer below which licensed retailers of alcoholic beverages may not supply. Alternatively, the legal drinking age is applied more extensively as a prohibition on persons below the minimum age being on premises licensed to sell alcohol. At its strictest, the term describes the age below which persons must have their alcohol intake properly supervised by those responsible for them. Rarely will the minimum age be consistent in all cases. Indeed in each case, certain exceptions will exist in some jurisdictions.

In most countries the minimum age to purchase alcohol is 18, but there are notable exceptions (see list below). Some countries distinguish between drinks with lower alcohol-content (such as beer and wine) compared to stronger spirit-based drinks.

Generally, a lower minimum age (say between 12 and 16) is applied in relation to those persons who are not allowed on the premises of a licensed drinking establishment. This prohibition will either be absolute or partial, being limited to certain times of the day, like the evening and night. Exceptions may exist when the premises are licensed but not open to the public (i.e. are private members clubs) or when substantial meals are also served together with alcohol (e.g. restaurants and hotels). In some jurisdictions, such restrictions may be extended to unsupervised possession and/or consumption of alcohol by minors, and not merely presence at a licensed venue.

An even lower age may apply in some jurisdictions that allow minors to drink in private with parental permission.

Finally there is a de facto minimum age below which minors should not be given any alcohol under any circumstances, and to do so would be an act of negligence or recklessness or constitute a criminal offence.

Legal drinking age by country

Note that exact laws vary from country to country, and often between states or provinces. Laws on consumption of alcoholic beverages vary even more widely. In some countries all alcoholic beverages are illegal, often due to religious law.

A - D

Country / region	De jure		De facto	Notes
Country / region	Drinking Age	Purchase Age	De facto	Notes
Albania	No minimum age
Antigua	16
Argentina	18
Armenia	No minimum age
Australia	18		Underage drinking by those aged 16+ is common, and generally tolerated by law enforcement authorities, and almost always occurs with parental permission. It is not illegal for those under 18 to consume alcohol on private property.
Austria	16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits)			In Vienna, Niederösterreich and Burgenland it is 16 for spirits.
Azerbaijan	15	18
Barbados	18		The laws are relaxed and underaged drinking is very rarely enforced. Those aged 11-18 are allowed to consume alcohol provided they are with a adult.
Belarus	18		It is very easy for someone under the drinking age to get alcohol.
Belgium	16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits)		No minimum age to drink in private with a parent/guardian. No age restrictions on beer and wine in shops. Most places don't ask for proof of age.
Belize	18		Rarely, if ever, enforced. Markets do not ask for proof of age.
Bermuda	18
Bolivia	17		Most places don't ask for proof of age.
Brazil	18
Bulgaria	18		Most places don't ask for proof of age.
Canada	18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec; 19 elsewhere		No minimum age to drink in private with a parent/guardian	Legal drinking age legislation falls under provincial jurisdiction.
China (mainland China)	None	18	No minimum age to drink in private with a parent/guardian	Enforcement is still unclear. New policy.	Just introduced in January, 2006. ^{^*}
Hong Kong	None	18
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.
Colombia	18
Costa Rica	18
Croatia	18
Czech Republic	18
Denmark	No minimum age	16 (in shops), 18 (in bars and restaurants)
Dominican Republic	18

E - H

Country / region	De jure		De facto	Notes
Country / region	Drinking Age	Purchase Age	De facto	Notes
Ecuador	18		Alcohol regulations are rarely enforced.
Egypt	21		Never enforced
Estonia	18
Finland	None (see notes)	18 (shops and Alko stores up to 22% ABV and all alcohol in bars), 20 (over 22% ABV in Alko stores)	Legal drinking age is actually enforced to be 18 but it is still quite easy for people under 18 years to acquire alcoholic beverages.	Law mentions only minimum legal possession age, but it is often interpreted that holding a glass or bottle for a time it takes to drink its contents is possession. In some cities non-disturbing or private drinking is overlooked, others have so called "zero-tolerance".
Fiji	18
France	16		The legal drinking age is not enforced when drinking in private. Purchase age is also rarely enforced. In bars, under 18s have to be accompanied by a responsible adult to purchase alcoholic drinks.
Georgia	No minimum age	16
Germany	16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits)		The legal drinking age does not apply when drinking in private. Bar and restaurant staff never ask for proof of age, in contrast to most supermarkets.	Minors in possession of alcohol are not punished; however, people who make alcohol available to minors are.
Greece	17		Never enforced.
Hungary	No minimum age	18	Rarely enforced.

I - N

Country / region	De jure		De facto	Notes
Country / region	Drinking Age	Purchase Age	De facto	Notes
Iceland	20		Alcohol use of over 18-year olds is generally tolerated.	Possession or consumption of alcohol by minors is not an offence but supplying them with alcohol is. Alcohol in possession of minors may be confiscated though.
India	Varies by state. 18 in Karnataka; 21 in Delhi. Maharashtra: 21 (beer and wine), 25 (spirits)		Per state age limit, but rarely enforced.	Drinking age is rarely enforced by the law. Parental influence plays a larger role in enforcing drinking age.
Ireland	18			Is strictly enforced as a general rule (only passport, drivers licence or the Garda age card is accepted as proof of age) now as there was much controversy in recent years with underage drinking to excess. Consumption in private residence under adult supervison is unregulated, however purchasing alcohol for a minor is illegal.
Israel	18		Rarely enforced for wine, as it is often used for religious purposes
Italy	No Minimum Age (in Shops), 16 (in Bars and Restaurants)		Drinking age is usually not enforced for beer or beverages with low alcohol content	Drinking age is not enforced by the law. Parental influence plays a larger role in enforcing drinking age.
Iran	-			Consumption of alcohol, as well as selling it, is illegal for any age and punishable by law.
Jamaica	18
Japan	20			Rarely enforced for foreigners and alcohol can be bought in some vending machines.
Kuwait	-			Illegal to buy however private use is not punished
Kenya	18	Not known
Liechenstein	17
Luxembourg	17
Korea, South	19
Latvia	No minimum drinking age	18
Lebanon	18		Rarely enforced
Lithuania	18
Macedonia	18		Rarely enforced
Malaysia	18 per most sources (21 per Malaysian Tourism Board)			The sale of alcohol to Muslims is illegal, as is consumption of alcohol by Muslims.
Mexico	18		~15 (Near the U.S.-Mexico border)	If with parents and near the U.S.-Mexico border, it is not uncommon for teenagers to be served without question.
Moldova	No minimum age (beer), 18 (wine and spirits)
Nepal	21 to buy, 25 to sell		Rarely enforced
Netherlands	No minimum age	16 (under 15% ABV), 18 (15% ABV and over)
New Zealand	No minimum age	18	While minors can drink at any age, they can only legally be supplied alcohol by their legal guardian.	There are calls for the legal age to be raised back to 20. This is currently under review by the New Zealand Parliament
Nigeria	No minimum age
Norway	18 (under 22% ABV), 20 (22% ABV and over)

O - V

Country / region	De jure		De facto	Notes
Country / region	Drinking Age	Purchase Age	De facto	Notes
Peru	18
Philippines	18		Not enforced in rural areas. Sporadically enforced by private businesses in the National Capital Region.
Poland	No minimum drinking age	18
Portugal	16			People suffering from mental illness or already extremely inebriated cannot purchase or obtain alcoholic beverages.
Puerto Rico	18
Romania	No minimum drinking 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. The laws are rarely enforced in Bucharest and other cities, in both stores and bars, and almost never enforced in rural areas, and proof of identity or age is usually not required.
Russia	18		The legal drinking age is often not enforced when drinking in private.
Serbia	18		Rarely enforced.
Slovakia	No minimum drinking age	18	If enforced, only the seller can be punished.
Slovenia	No minimum drinking age	18
Singapore	18
South Africa	18
Spain	18		If enforced, only the seller can be punished.	Identification is rarely checked
Sri Lanka	21		Very rarely enforced. Proof of age is almost never required for Sri Lankans, even less so for foreigners.
Sierra Leone	No minimum age
Sweden	18 in public	18 (bars and restaurants, beer and cider with < 3.5% (volume) alcohol in shops), 20 (Systembolaget stores)	Strictly enforced by Systembolaget and many restaurants. Peddling to minors is illegal but frequent.	It is common that bars set an age limit of 18 for guests to be able to enter the establishment
Switzerland	No minimum drinking age	14–16 (beer and wine), 18 (spirits)		Age limit on beer and wine varies between cantons
Turkey	18		Purchase is almost never enforced in small stores but enforced in supermarkets. Drinking with parental consent is never enforced in public or in private.
Uganda	18
Ukraine	No minimum drinking age	18	Partially Enforced
United Kingdom	18		Often enforced. (see right)	Persons aged 12 and over can have a meal with beer, cider or wine in a restaurant or in a pub with an area specifically set aside for meals, providing it is eaten with a person aged over 18 present. Liqueur confectionery sale and consumption age is 16. Otherwise the minimum purchase and drinking age in "relevant premises" is 18. ^*
United States	21		Zero tolerance for alcohol consumption before driving. Store sales are heavily enforced while bars and clubs are often lax with checking IDs. Private consumption is tolerated. 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, few states specifically prohibit minors' consumption of alcohol in private settings. In some cases or states, alcohol permits can be purchased at a cost to the parent or legal guardian.	As of 2005, 15 states do not specifically ban underage consumption and an additional 15 states have family member and/or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws. 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. [http://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/index.asp?Type=BAS_APIS&SEC={DA244DAF-EB78-425C-915B-D26D303F9E13}&DE={468A8313-845A-41C8-A6F1-73D42EDD5F24}
Venezuela	18		In Venezuela most families permit underaged people of 14 or older to drink in private, and at most parties parents allow consumption of beer for their children and friends.
Vanuatu	18		Rarely enforced, and no identification is asked in shops/bars

References