Drink-driving limits in Europe: a country-by-country guide

Planning to drive overseas? The good news for Australians is that most of Europe uses the same 0.05 limit you're used to at home — just written differently, as 0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood. The catch is the exceptions: several countries have zero tolerance, a few sit even lower at 0.02, and the UK is more lenient at 0.08. Here's how the limits stack up, what the numbers actually mean, and why the safest choice on the road is still none.

The short version

Across the European Union and its neighbours, the general blood alcohol limit for a fully licensed driver falls into four groups:

• 0.05% (0.5 g/L) — the standard in most countries, and the same as Australia.
• 0.02% (0.2 g/L) — stricter limits in Sweden, Norway, Poland and Estonia.
• Zero — the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia allow no measurable alcohol at all.
• 0.08% (0.8 g/L) — the United Kingdom is the outlier, though Scotland dropped to 0.05 in 2014.

On top of that, most countries set a lower limit for novice and professional drivers — often 0.02 or zero — regardless of the general figure. The table below covers the countries Australians visit most.

Drink-driving limits in Europe at a glance

General blood alcohol limits for standard, commercial and novice drivers, shown as a percentage (the way Australia expresses it). Figures are drawn from the European Transport Safety Council.

*England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland's limit is 0.05 for all drivers.

Understanding the units

Europe usually quotes the limit in grams of alcohol per litre of blood (g/L), while Australia uses grams per 100 millilitres, written as a percentage. They describe the same thing, just at different scales:

• 0.5 g/L = 0.05% = Australia's general limit
• 0.2 g/L = 0.02%
• 0.8 g/L = 0.08%

So when a French road sign or a Spanish hire-car leaflet says "0,5", that's the number you already know from home — the comma is just the European decimal point. Move the decimal and it's 0.05.

The zero-tolerance countries

Four countries — the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia — set a general limit of zero. In practice that means any measurable alcohol in your system is an offence, so there is no "one small beer with lunch" allowance before getting behind the wheel. If you're driving in central Europe, treat the rule as simple: not a drop.

Several other countries reach zero through the back door. Germany, Italy, Croatia and Slovenia all keep a 0.05 general limit but drop to zero for novice and professional drivers. Germany's zero limit applies to anyone in their probationary period or under 21, which catches a lot of younger travellers.

Stricter than home: the 0.02 countries

Sweden, Norway, Poland and Estonia set a general limit of 0.02% (0.2 g/L) — less than half of Australia's. That's a genuinely small amount of alcohol; for many people even a single standard drink can push them past it, depending on body size and timing. The Scandinavian countries in particular pair these low limits with heavy penalties and frequent testing, so they're not figures to gamble with.

The UK outlier

England, Wales and Northern Ireland keep a general limit of 0.08% (0.8 g/L) — the highest in Europe and the same as most of the United States. Scotland, however, cut its limit to 0.05 in December 2014 to bring it into line with the rest of Europe. So a drive from Carlisle to Glasgow takes you across a real change in the law, even though it's the same country. If you're used to Australia's 0.05, don't assume the higher English figure gives you room to spare — impairment doesn't care which side of a border you're on.

Novice and professional drivers face lower limits

This is the trap that catches Australians most often. In much of Europe, a novice driver — typically anyone who has held a full licence for only a year or two — is held to a lower limit than an experienced local, often 0.02 or zero. The limit that applies is based on how long you've been licensed, not where. So a P-plater or recently licensed Australian driving in France, Ireland, Portugal or the Netherlands may be on the strict 0.02 limit even though the general figure is 0.05.

Drivers of buses, coaches, taxis and goods vehicles face the same lower limits almost everywhere. If you're hiring a campervan or a larger vehicle, check whether it counts as a commercial class in that country.

Driving in Europe on an Australian licence

Wherever you drive, the limit that applies is the local one — your Australian licence doesn't carry Australian rules with it. It's worth carrying an International Driving Permit alongside your licence, since many European countries expect one, but that's a separate issue from blood alcohol: the drink-driving limit is set by the country you're in.

Penalties for foreign drivers are real. Many EU countries can issue on-the-spot fines, and cross-border enforcement means a penalty followed at home isn't unheard of. More to the point, a drink-driving charge overseas can void your travel insurance and your hire-car cover in one hit. The RAC's country guide is a useful second reference before a trip.

The morning-after trap travels with you

One thing doesn't change from country to country: how slowly your body clears alcohol. On average you process only about one standard drink an hour, and nothing speeds it up — not coffee, not a cold shower, not a big breakfast. After a long dinner with wine, you can still be over the limit the next morning, and in a zero-tolerance or 0.02 country the margin for error is tiny. If you drank late, do the maths before you pick up the keys — the same way you would at home.

For a sense of how a standard drink is defined and why counting them matters, the Australian Government's Alcohol and Drug Foundation is a good plain-English guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the drink-driving limit in most of Europe?

Most European countries use a general limit of 0.5 g/L, which is the same as Australia's 0.05%. The main exceptions are the zero-tolerance countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia), a group set at 0.02% (Sweden, Norway, Poland, Estonia), and the UK at 0.08% outside Scotland.

Which European countries have zero-tolerance limits?

The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia have a general limit of zero. Germany, Italy, Croatia and Slovenia also apply zero to novice and professional drivers while keeping 0.05 as the general figure.

Is the drink-driving limit the same as Australia in Europe?

In most of Europe, yes — Australia's 0.05% is written as 0.5 g/L, and the majority of countries use exactly that. But some are stricter (0.02% or zero) and the UK is more lenient at 0.08%, so always check the specific country.

Does my Australian licence get me the higher limit?

No. The limit that applies is the one for the country you're driving in. Many countries also apply a lower limit to novice drivers — anyone licensed for only a year or two — so a recently licensed Australian may face a stricter limit than a local.

How many drinks can I have and still drive in Europe?

There's no safe number. Weight, sex, timing and food all change your reading, and with limits varying by country and impairment starting below every limit, the only reliable amount before driving is none.