The Law
For more details on alcohol laws, please refer to gov.com
Scotland’s Drink Drive Limits
Scotland’s drink-drive limit was reduced, by law, on 5 December 2014.
There are strict alcohol limits for drivers in Scotland. It is impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals as it’s different for each person. Any alcohol in your body will have an effect on your mind and body’s responses. The police advise that even if you’ve had a small amount of alcohol, you shouldn’t drive.
The current limits are:
- 22 mcg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath (the ‘breath limit’)
- 50 mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood (the ‘blood limit’)
- 67 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of urine (the ‘urine limit’)
This means that just one drink could put you over the legal limit for driving.
How to ensure you do not drink and drive:
- arrange a designated driver when going out with friends
- use public transport such as bus, train and taxi
- if you have to drive, drink non-alcoholic drinks
Alcohol and Young People
You can be stopped, fined or arrested by police if you’re under 18 and drinking alcohol in public.
If you’re under 18, it’s against the law:
- for someone to sell you alcohol
- to buy or try to buy alcohol
- for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for you
- to drink alcohol in licensed premises (such as a pub or restaurant)
However, if you’re 16 or 17 and accompanied by an adult, you can drink (but not buy) beer, wine or cider with a meal.
If you’re 16 or under, you may be able to go to a pub (or premises primarily used to sell alcohol) if you’re accompanied by an adult. However, this isn’t always the case. It can also depend on the specific conditions for that premises.
It’s illegal to give alcohol to children under 5.
Alcohol Prohibition Areas
Local authorities have the power to make by-laws to prohibit the drinking of alcohol in designated public places under provisions contained in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (under sections 201, 202 and 203) subject to confirmation by Scottish Ministers.