Minimum Legal Ages for
Alcohol Purchase or Consumption
Around the World
|
Minimum Drinking Age : MDA Minimum Purchasing Age : MPA |
| Country | MDA | MPA | Legislation | |
| Argentina | 18 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Australia | 18 | Bans purchase and sales | #1 | |
| Austria | 18 | For consuming spirits in public in all 9 federal states; in 8 federal states age limit for drinking wine and beer in public is 16; in one, 15 | #1 | |
| 15 - 18 |
The legal age for consumption in public venues, including restaurants: from age 15 to 18 depending on the state. Nine federal states authorize consumption of alcoholic beverages starting at age 18, 8 states authorize consumption of wine and beer starting at age 16, and in one state the legal age limit for wine and beer is 15 years (Lower Austria). The limit for being served spirit is 18 years. | #2 | ||
| Azerbaijan | -- | -- | No MDA,MPA | #3 |
| Belarus | 21 | Bans purchase of alcohol | #1 | |
| Belgium | 16 | Bans purchase of alcohol | #1 | |
| 16 | 16 | Legal age for consumption in public places: 16 years Legal age limit for purchasing alcohol: 16 years |
#2 | |
| Bhutan | 18 | Bans sale of alcohol | #1 | |
| Brazil | 18 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Bulgaria | 18 | Bans purchase of alcohol | #1 | |
| Canada | 19 | Exceptions: 18 in Quebec. Manitoba. Alberta | #1 | |
| Chile | 21 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| China | -- | No MDA | #3 | |
| Colombia | 18 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Cook Islands | 18 | Bans sale or other supply | #1 | |
| Croatia | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Czech Republic | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Denmark | 18 | Bans purchase in restaurants and bars | #1 | |
| 15 18 |
Alcohol (above 2.8% volume alcohol) must not be served to adolescents below 18 years of age. According to the Act on the legal age to purchase alcohol, alcohol must not be sold to (above 1.2% volume alcohol) children under 15 years of age. |
#2 | ||
| Egypt | 21 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Estonia | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Fiji | 18 | Bans possession or consumption in public or in licensed premises | #1 | |
| Finland | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| 18 20 |
18 20 |
Legal age for consumption in public places, according to the law: legal age for possession is the same as for purchasing (18 or 20 years) Legal age for purchasing alcohol: 20 years for beverages containing over 22% alcohol and 18 years under that amount. |
#2 | |
| France | 16 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| 16 18 |
16 |
-Legal age limit to purchase alcohol: 16 years. -Legal age limit for consumption in public places: 16 years (18 years for alcohol in the 3rd and 4th groups) * 1st group:nonalcoholic beverages and those with an alcohol level under 1.2%. * 2nd group: fermented, non-distilled beverages (wine, beer, cider, perry), natural sweet wines under the fiscal system for wines, black-current concentrate, and fermented fruit or vegetable juice containing 1.2 to 3% alcohol. * 3rd group: natural sweet wines other than those in group 2, liqueur wines, winebased cocktail drinks, and strawberry, raspberry, black current or cherry liqueurs that titer under 18 degrees pure alcohol. * 4th group: all other alcoholic beverages. |
#2 | |
| Gambia | 16 | Bans sales | #1 | |
| Georgia | -- | -- | No MDA,MPA | #3 |
| Germany | 16 18 |
16 18 |
Legal age limit for consumption in public places: age 16 for beer and wine and age 18 for spirits. Legal age limit to purchase alcohol: age 16 for beer and wine and age 18 for spirits. |
#2 |
| Greece | 18 | Bans purchase in public places such as bars and discos | #1 | |
| 15 18 |
15 18 |
The legal age limit for purchase and consumption in public places 15-18 years old. | #2 | |
| Honduras | 21 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Hungary | 18 | #3 | ||
| Iceland | 20 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| India | 18 | Bans sale | #1 | |
| Indonesia | 16 | #3 | ||
| Ireland | 18 | 18 | Legal age limit for consumption in public places: age 18. Legal age limit for purchasing alcohol: age 18 |
#2 |
| Israel | 18 | Bans sale | #1 | |
| Italy | 16 | Bans sale | #1 | |
| 16 | 16 | Legal age limit for consumption in public places: age 16 Legal age limit to purchase alcohol: age 16 |
#2 | |
| Japan | 20 | 20 | -Bans consumption.
-Person who is in parental authority or have the custody [supervision] must restrain juveniles from drinking alcohol beverages. -Bans sale and supply. -Possessing alcohol beverages for the purpose of drinking by minors well be dealt with by the law, by confiscation, destruction or other neccessary measures. |
#Z |
| Kenya | 18 | Bans sale | #1 | |
| Korea (South) | 19 | No further information available | #B | |
| Kuwait | -- | alcohol forbidden | #A | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Latvia | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Lithuania | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Luxembourg | 16 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| 16 | Legal age limit for consumption (unsupervised) in cabarets is age 16. Legal age limit for purchase of alcohol: recommendations exist, but there is no legislation. |
#2 | ||
| Macedonia (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) |
16 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Malta | 16 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Mexico | 18 | Bans sales | #1 | |
| Moldova (Republic of Moldova) |
18 | No further information available | #1 | |
| 18 | 18 | #3 | ||
| Morocco | 16 | Bans sales | #1 | |
| Mozambique | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Netherlands | 18 | Bans purchase; 16 for buying beer or wine | #1 | |
| 16 18 |
16 18 |
Legal age limit for consumption in public places: age 16 for beverages under 15%, 18 years for beverages over 15%. Legal age limit for purchasing alcohol: age 16 for beverages with under 15% alcohol content and age 18 for beverages with an alcohol content of over 15%. |
#2 | |
| New Zealand | 18 | Bans purchase, sale, and supply | #1 | |
| 20* | 20* | In designated areas alcohol may be sold to those between 18 and 20 who are having a meal or are accompanied by their parent, guardian, or spouse aged over 20. | #3 | |
| Norway | 18 20 |
Bans purchase; 18 for buying beer or wine | #1 | |
| Panama | 18 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Peru | 18 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Poland | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Portugal | 16 | 16 | The legal age limit for consumption in public places is age 16. Legal age limit for purchase is age 16. |
#2 |
| Romania | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Russian Federation | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Samoa | 21 | Bans possession or consumption on licensed premises, in any other public place | #1 | |
| Saudi Arabia | -- | Saudi Arabia prohibits the import, use, or possession of alcohol. | #C | |
| Seychelles | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Slovakia | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Slovenia | 18 | Bans consumption in restaurants and bars; no age limit for purchase in shops | #1 | |
| Solomon Islands | 21 | Bans sales or other supply | #1 | |
| South Africa | 18 | Bans sales | #1 | |
| Spain | 16 | Bans purchase; 18 in some regions | #1 | |
| 16 18 |
16 18 |
Legal age limit for purchase and consumption in public places: - age 16 (national law) - age 18 in certain autonomous communities (Castilla y Leon, Castilla-La Mancha, Basque country, Navarro, Catalonia,Galicia, Andalucia, Cantabria, Extreuadura, Murcia y, C. Valenciana). |
#2 | |
| Sri Lanka | 18 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Sweden | 20 | Bans purchase in state liquor stores; 18 for purchase in restaurants and purchase of medium strength sold in grocery stores | #1 | |
| 18 | 20 | Legal age limit for consumption of beverages containing 3.5% of alcohol or more in public places: age 18 Legal age limit for purchasing alcohol: age 20 |
#2 | |
| Switzerland | 18 | Bans sale or purchase of distilled beverages; 16 for fermented beverages | #1 | |
| 14 - 18 |
14 - 18 |
Federal law prohibits supplying spirits to those under 18. The MDA and MPA for beer and wine is controlled by the Cantons and varies beteen 14 and 16. | #3 | |
| Taiwan | 18 | Bans consumption | #F | |
| Thailand | 17 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Tonga | 18 | Bans possession or consumption on licensed premises or in other public place | #1 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 16 | Bans consumption | #1 | |
| Tunisia | 21 | Minimum drinking age is 21 years. | #D | |
| Turkey | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Turkmenistan | 18 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| Ukraine | 21 | Bans purchase | #1 | |
| United Arab Emirates | -- | Drinking or possession of alcohol without a Ministry of Interior liquor permit is illegal. Alcohol is served at bars in major hotels. Liquor licenses are obtainable only by non-Muslim persons who possess UAE residency permits. | #E | |
| United Kingdom | 18 | Bans purchase; possible to consume some alcoholic beverages in bars or restaurants at 16 | #1 | |
| 16 18 |
18 | Legal age limit for consumption: age 16 for beer and cider (with a meal) and age 18 for spirits and wine. Legal age limit for purchase: age 18 |
#2 | |
| United Republic of Tanzania |
16 | Bans presence on premises where alcohol is served | #1 | |
| United States of America |
21 | Details vary by state | #1 | |
| Uruguay | 18 | Bans sale | #1 | |
| Venezuela | 18 | #3 | ||
Reference
| #1 | Global Status Report: Alcohol and Young People David H. Jernigan World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva 2001 |
| #2 | Overview of national alcohol policies in the 15 countries of the European Union French Society of Public Health, October 1998 |
| #3 | ICAP Reports 4 (March 1998) International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) ->>Data from "Centre for Information on Beverage Alcohol (CBA)", London, UK |
| #A | Embassy of Kuwait in Japan |
| #B | Korea.com |
| #C | Saudi Arabia - Consular Information Sheet (June 19, 2001) U.S. Department of State |
| #D | worldinformation.com |
| #E | United Arab Emirates - Consular Information Sheet (July 19, 2001) U.S. Department of State |
| #F | Japan-Taiwan Interchange Center, Interchange Association, Japan |
| #Z | From the Law "Miseinensya-insyu-kinshihou" [ Juvenail Alcohol Prohibition Act ] |
If you have any futher informations or corrections, please let me know.
MIYACHIYO KATO CLINIC
KEYWORD-COMMON:minimum legal underage minor age ages purchase sale consumption around world country countries act acts law laws legislation legislations restriction restrictions KEYWORD-ALCOHOL:alcohol liquor drink drinking whiskey brandy gin rum sake saki spirit MPA