Legal drinking age

The most common minimum age to purchase alcohol in Africa is 18. However, Angola (except Luanda Province), Central African Republic, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali have no laws on the books restricting the sale of alcohol to minors. In Libya, Somalia and Sudan the sale, production and consumption of alcohol is completely prohibited.^{[improper synthesis?]}

Country	State/ region/ province	De jure		Notes
		Drinking age	Purchase age
Algeria		None[8]	18[9]	Order No. 26-75 (1975), Article 14
Angola		None[10]		There is no national legislation prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors.
	Luanda Province	18[11]		Legislation in Luanda Province: It is prohibited to sell alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18. It is also prohibited for minors to buy and consume alcohol.[11]
Benin		None	20	Republic of Benin Report to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child CRC/C/BEN/2 (2005): Article 8 of the decree of 10 June 1942 regulating the production, import, advertisement, sale, and consumption of alcohol beverages in French West Africa, prohibits the sale or free supply of alcohol beverages to minors under 20. Article 13 stipulates fines ranging from CFAF 200,000 to CFAF 1 million for such offences, doubled in the case of repeat offences. There are no official measures prohibiting children from consuming alcohol, tobacco or other substances harmful to their health.
Botswana		None[12] (prohibited for any person to supply)[10]	18[12]	It is prohibited for any person with a liquor license to sell or supply alcohol beverages to minors under the age of 18 years. Since the law only applies to licenses, it is not prohibited for minors to buy, consume, or possess alcohol beverages.[12] It is also prohibited for any person to expose or supply alcohol to a minor under the age of 18 years.[10]
Burundi		None[13]	18 (unless accompanied by parent or legal guardian)[13]	It is prohibited for any person with a liquor license to sell or supply alcohol beverages to unaccompanied minors under the age of 18 years.
Cameroon		21 18 (if accompanied by a person 21 years of age or older)[14]		It is prohibited for any person with a liquor license to sell or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under 18 years of age. The law permits adults from the ages 18 to 21 to consume, purchase and buy alcohol beverages if accompanied by a person 21 years of age or older. Anyone over the age of 21 years may buy or consume alcohol unaccompanied.
Cape Verde		None[15]	18[15]	It is prohibited for any person to sell or supply alcohol beverages to minors under the age of 18 years.
Central African Republic		15 (off-premises), or 21 (on-premises)[16]		It is prohibited for any person to sell or supply alcohol beverages to minors under the age of 15 years when sold or supplied off-premises (e.g., liquor stores, wine stores, and supermarkets). It is prohibited for any person to sell or supply alcohol beverages to minors under the age of 21 years when sold or supplied on-premises (e.g., restaurants, bars, and cafes).[16]
Chad		None	18	Law 2017-01 Penal Code Chapter 6 Articles 376–378 establish penalties for licensees who permit entry to youth below age 16 unaccompanied by a supervising adult, sell or offer alcohol beverages to youth below age 18 unaccompanied by a supervising adult, or serve a person below age 18 to intoxication.
Comoros		18[17]		It is prohibited for any person to sell or supply alcohol beverages to minors under the age of 18 years.[17]
Democratic Republic of the Congo		18
Djibouti		None
Egypt		21		Law No. 371 of 1956 concerning public shops and the resolutions implementing it
Equatorial Guinea		21[18]
Eritrea		None[19]	18[19]	It is prohibited for any person to sell or serve alcohol beverages to minors under the age of 18 years.
Eswatini		18[10]		Liquor Licenses Act (1964) Section 27
Ethiopia		21[20][21]		It is prohibited for any person to sell, offer, serve or allow to serve alcohol beverages "in substantial quantities" to any infant or young person. The criminal code defines a young person as any person under the age of 18 years. But the Criminal Code Proclamation 414 (2004) states: "Whoever endangers the health of another, intentionally and unscrupulously, by administering or serving, or by causing or permitting to be administered or served, to minors (defined as anyone under the age of 18 years) (...) alcohol beverages or spirituous liquors of such kind or in such quantity as to make their injurious effect certain or probable, is punishable with simple imprisonment not exceeding one year, and fine." The Revised Family Code Proclamation No. 213 (2000) Article 215 defines a minor as anyone who has not attained the full age of 18. In 2019, the Ethiopian parliament passed a bill that bans a specific category of alcohol advertising in the media and also increases the age limit for purchasing alcohol from 18 to 21 years of age.
Gabon		None	18	Penal Code (1963), Article 209bis-1
Gambia		None[22][10]	16[22][10]	Under the Liquor License Act (1957) it is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to "anyone under the apparent age of 16". A "young person" is defined as anyone under the age of 17 by the Children and Young Persons Act, 1949 Section 2.
Ghana		None	18[23]
Guinea-Bissau		None[10]
Kenya		None[24]	18[24]	It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.
Lesotho		18[25]		It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply any alcohol beverage to a minor under the age of 18 years. It is also prohibited for minors to consume, buy or attempt to buy alcohol.
Liberia		None	18	It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years; "this section shall not apply to a parent or guardian who serves an alcoholic beverage to his child or ward" Penal Law of 1976 Sec 16.
Libya		Prohibited for all ages[26]		Previously Article 498 of the Libyan Penal Code prohibited the sale of alcohol beverages to juveniles under the age of 16 years.[10]
Malawi		None	18[27]	It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.
Mauritania		Prohibited for all ages[28]
Mauritius		None	18[29]	It is prohibited to sell, serve, or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.
Morocco		None	Restricted to 16 for non-Muslims, Prohibited for Muslims	Legislative Decision No. 3.177.66 of 1967 Art 28–29
Mozambique		18[30]		Decree 54/2013 Regulations on the Control of the Production, Sale and Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages (2013), Article 5 (Prohibitions)
Namibia		None	18[31]	It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years.
Niger		18		Penal Code Article 302
Nigeria		None (at national level)[10]	None (all other states) 18 in Abuja Prohibited in Borno	For Abuja: Municipal Area Council Bye-Law 2001 Sec 15
Republic of the Congo		None	18[32]
Rwanda		18		Organic Law implementing the Penal Code N°01/2012/OL Articles 217 and 219
Senegal		None	18[33]
Saint Helena		18 [34]
Seychelles		None	18	Chapter 113 Licenses Act (2010) Subsidiary Legislation: Licenses (Manufacturing) Regulation (1987), Article 8(5)(page 20): In the case of manufacturing and processing of liquor, tobacco and tobacco products, the license holder shall (i) not deliver or sell liquor to, or allow any consumption of liquor by, any person under the age of 18 years or deliver or sell tobacco or tobacco products or allow it to be used on the premises by such a person; Subsidiary Legislation: Licenses (Liquor and Outdoor Entertainment) Regulations (1998), Article 14 (page 28): (1) The holder of a license, his servant or agent shall not (a) employ or allow a person under the age of 18 years, ... (b) sell or deliver liquor, cigarettes or tobacco products to, or allow liquor to be consumed or cigarettes or any tobacco products to be used by any person under the age of 18 years on the premises; ... (i) admit any person under the age of 18 years to a premises licensed as a public bar, toddy bar or at the premises licensed to manufacture and sell baka or lapire;...
Somalia		Prohibited for all ages[35]
South Africa		None	18	The parent, adult guardian of a minor or a person responsible for administering a religious sacrament, may on occasion supply to that minor a moderate quantity of liquor to be consumed by the minor in the presence and under the supervision of that parent, guardian or other person.[36]
South Sudan		18[10]
Sudan		Restricted to non-Muslims Muslims: Prohibited for all ages Non-Muslims: Unknown[37]		Penal Code 1991, Art 78–79
Tanzania		None	18[38]
Togo		None[10]	20[9] 18 (beer, wine and cider)	Ordinance No. 34 of 1967 Code of alcohol beverage outlets and anti-alcoholism measures Art 29
Tunisia		None	18	Law 2004-75 Article 4 prohibits entry to night clubs to those under 18 with an exception for accompanied persons between 16 and 18 in certain venues, sale of alcohol beverages to whom is prohibited.
Uganda		None[39]	18 16 (wine, beer, porter, cider, perry or native liquor with meal)[39]	It is prohibited for any licensee to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. The law provides an exception for anyone who is 16 or 17 years of age, and consumes a fermented alcohol drink with a meal, in a part of a licensed premises that serves meals and is not a bar.
Western Sahara		None[10]
Zambia		18[40] 16 (traditional beer)[41]		It is prohibited for any person with a liquor license, to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under 18 years of age. Before the Liquor Licensing Act was enacted in 2011, the minimum age to sell, serve and supply alcohol beverages was 14 years.[42]
Zimbabwe		None[43]	18 (except with parent or guardian consent)	Liquor Act Article 116 Prohibited conduct by persons in general (1) No person shall— ... (l) being a person to whom in terms of this Act the sale of liquor is prohibited, purchase or attempt to purchase liquor in contravention of such provision; .... (o) sell, lend, give, supply or deliver, or offer so to do, any liquor to any person under the age of eighteen years except with the consent of the parent or guardian of that person. Children's Act Section 78 – It is prohibited for any person to sell, lend, give, supply, deliver or offer alcohol beverages to any child under the age of 16 years, except upon production of a written order signed by the parent or guardian of the child known to such person. The police has the duty to seize any alcohol beverage in the possession of a child under the age of 16 years without a written consent of the parents or legal guardian.[43]

In Central America, the Caribbean, and South America the legal drinking age and legal purchase age varies from 0 to 20 years (see table below). In South America in particular, the legal purchase age is 18 years, with two exceptions:

• In Paraguay, the legal drinking age and purchase age is 20 years.
• In Guyana, minors aged 16 or 17 may consume a glass of beer or wine in a restaurant provided they buy a meal.

In North America the legal drinking age and legal purchase age varies from 18 to 21 years:

• In Mexico, the drinking age is 18 in all states.
• In the United States, the minimum legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages is mainly 21 years of age; the two exceptions are Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands where the age is 18. The legal drinking age varies by state, and many states have no age requirements for supervised drinking with one's parents or legal guardians.
• In Canada, most provinces have a minimum age of 19 years to buy or consume alcohol, while in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec, the minimum age is 18 years. Several provinces permit minors to consume alcohol if it was served to them by their parents/guardians, and it is consumed under their supervision in their home.^[44][45][46] For further information see Alcoholic drinks in Canada § Age.

In the late 20th century, much of North America changed its minimum legal drinking ages (MLDAs) as follows:

In the 1970s, provincial and state policy makers in Canada and the United States moved to lower MLDAs (which were set at 21 years in most provinces/territories and states) to coincide with the jurisdictional age of majority — typically 18 years of age.... As a result, MLDAs were reduced in all Canadian provinces [and] in more than half of US states. In Canada, however, two provinces, Ontario [in 1979] and Saskatchewan [in 1976], quickly raised their subsequent MLDAs from 18 to 19 years in response to a few studies demonstrating an association between the lowered drinking age and increases in alcohol-related harms to youth and young adults, including increases in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and alcohol intoxication among high school students. Following MLDA reductions in the US, research in several states provided persuasive evidence of sharp increases in rates of fatal and nonfatal MVAs appearing immediately after the implementation of lower drinking ages. These scientific findings galvanized public pressure on lawmakers to raise MLDAs and, in response, the federal government introduced the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which imposed a reduction of highway funds for states if they did not increase their MLDA to 21 years. All states complied and implemented an MLDA of 21 years by 1988.^[47]

Country	State/ region/ province	De jure		Notes
		Drinking age	Purchase age
Anguilla		None[48]	18[48]	It is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol drinks to anyone under the age of 18 years. Violating the regulation is punished with a $9,600 fine.
Antigua and Barbuda		None	16 (on premises) None (off premises)[49]	The sale and distribution of alcohol to a person under 16 years of age, and purchase by persons under 16 years of age, for consumption in licensed premises are prohibited. ID is rarely requested.
Argentina		None	18[50]	Drinking age is rarely enforced. ID is almost never requested.
Bahamas		18[51]		It is prohibited for any adult to sell, serve or supply any alcohol beverage to a child (defined as anyone under the age of 18 years). The law provides an exception to treat an illness in urgent cases or upon order by a medical doctor.
Barbados		None	18[52]	It is prohibited to sell or serve any alcohol beverage to anyone under the age of 18 years. Previously 16, the President of the Barbados Road Safety Association pushed to raise the drinking age to 18 years because the law was often violated.[53][54]
Belize		18[55]		Drinking age is rarely enforced. ID is almost never requested.
Bermuda		18[56]		It is prohibited to sell or serve any alcohol beverage to a child under the age of 18 years.
Bolivia		None	18	It is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol beverages to minors under the age of 18 years. Law 259 Against the Sale and Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages (2012) Article 20
Brazil		18[57]		It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply any alcohol beverage to a person under 18 years of age. The presidential law enacted on 17 March 2015 made any violation of the law a criminal offence. Any adult person selling, serving, giving or supplying alcohol beverages to a minor is punished with imprisonment of 2 to 4 years, a fine of R$3.000 to R$10.000 and a ban to operate any business selling or serving alcohol.
British Virgin Islands		16[55]		It is prohibited to sell or to supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 16. ID is rarely requested.
Canada	Alberta Manitoba Quebec	18[58][59][60]		In Alberta no person may give or sell or permit any person to give or sell liquor to a minor in licensed premises.[58] In Manitoba a person must not give, sell or otherwise supply liquor to a minor. The law provides exceptions for a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or other health care professional for medical purposes; for sacramental purposes and by the parent, guardian, spouse or common-law partner, if it is given or supplied in a residence.[59] In Quebec the law prohibits the sale of alcohol beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years.[60]
	Ontario Saskatchewan British Columbia Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Northwest Territories Yukon Nunavut	None	19	Ontario's Liquor Licence Act permits the supply and consumption of liquor to those under the age of 19. However, supplying a person under the age of 19 is restricted to the person's parent or legal guardian, and may only occur in a residence or in a private place of the parent or legal guardian. A person under the age of 19 who was supplied liquor in this manner is permitted to consume the liquor only in the place it was supplied.[61]
Cayman Islands		18[62]		It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is also prohibited for any minor to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol beverages. Violation of the law is punished with a fine of five thousand dollars, and the court may, if the offence was committed by the licensee, order that the licensee shall forfeit his licence and that no licence may be issued to that person for a period not exceeding ten years from the date of his conviction.
Chile		18[1]		The minimum age is 18 to enter an enclosure that sells alcohol beverages. Selling alcohol to a minor may incur a fine. One must provide identification upon request. Residents of Chile over the age of 18 must carry their Chilean identification card issued by the Civil Registry and Identification Service at all times.[63]
Colombia		None	18[64]	The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to a minor (anyone under the age of 18 years). It is not prohibited for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol.[64]
Costa Rica		None	18[65]	The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to a minor (anyone under the age of 18 years). Selling alcohol to a minor will be punished with a fine equivalent to ten basic salaries. Whoever permits minors to maintain in any establishment which main purpose is to sell alcohol beverages, will be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to five salaries. It is not prohibited for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol.[65]
Cuba		None	16[66]	The penal code prohibits any adult to induce any young person under the age of 16 years, to habitually consume alcohol beverages. However this means that de facto anyone selling, serving or supplying alcohol should check if the buyer has attained the age of 16 years. In most cases this law is not strictly enforced.[66][67]
Dominica		None	16	Laws of Dominica Liquor Licences Act Chapter 70:03, Part IV, Sec 15(f)
Dominican Republic		None	18[68]
Ecuador		None	18[69]	It is prohibited to sell alcohol beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years of age. The law obligates establishments to place a visible notice at the point of sale and to check identification to enforce the law. However it is not prohibited for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol.[69]
El Salvador		None	18[70]	It is strictly prohibited to sell or serve alcohol beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years. Violation of the law is punished with ₡25,000.00 and if convicted once more the license will be suspended for a period of six months. It is legal for minors to buy, attempt to buy and consume alcohol.[70]
Falkland Islands		18[71]		It is prohibited for any adult to sell, give or provide alcohol to a minor under the age of 18 years in any public place or licensed premises. Parents may permit their children to consume alcohol on private premises. Minors consuming alcohol in public are committing a criminal offence. The law provides exceptions for the consumption of alcohol by minors for prescription of or at the direction of a government medical officer or in the course of the administration of Holy Communion according to the rites of any Christian denomination.[71]
Grenada		None	16 None (off-premise)	Chapter 174 Liquor Dealers' Licenses Act (1988), accessible through the Laws of Grenada Portal
Guatemala		None	18[72]	It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply any alcohol drink to a minor under 18 years of age on any establishment or in the street.
Guyana		None	18 16 (on-premise for wine or malt liquor with a meal)[73]	It is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol to a person under 18 years of age. The law provides an exception for minors aged 16 and 17, if they consume a glass of beer, wine or cider with a meal in a restaurant. Otherwise attempting to buy alcohol or buying alcohol as a minor is an offence.[73]
Haiti		None	None (at national level)	In the capital Port-au-Prince, it is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol to minors under 18 years old from 17 May 2017. Vendors are required to check identification.[74] The Senate voted on a proposed Law on the protection of minors from alcohol beverages, to establish a legal purchase age of 18 and related implementation measures, in December 2012. The law has not yet been approved and enacted. Law prohibiting minors entry to entertainment venues Article 1 prohibits those under the age of 16 from entering cinemas and theaters (except during children's programming), clubs, cafes, or venues licensed to sell alcohol beverages.
Honduras		None	18	Law for Police Enforcement and Social Coexistence Decree 226 (2001) Article 68 bans the sale of alcohol to minors; The definition of punishable gang activity for minors aged 12–18 includes drinking alcohol beverages in public places (Art 90–91). Code of Children and Adolescents Decree 73 (1996)
Jamaica		None	18[75]	It is prohibited to sell or serve any alcohol beverage to a child (which is defined as anyone under the age of 18 years).[75]
Mexico		18[1]		All Mexican states prohibit the sale of alcohol to any person under 18 years old. Identification is required for age verification. Some states may allow minors to consume alcoholic beverages with parental consent.[76]
Nicaragua		None	18[77]
Panama		None	18[78]
Paraguay		None	20[79]
Peru		None	18[80]
Saint Kitts and Nevis		None	18	Liquor Licences Act Sec 32(f)
Saint Lucia		None	16	Chapter 13.17 Liquor Licence Act Art 37
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines		None	16[81]	Chapter 342 Liquor License Act (1990), Sections 27 and 28
Trinidad and Tobago		None	18[82]	It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to child under the age of 18 years. It is also prohibited for an adult to send a child to buy alcohol on behalf. It is not prohibited for children to buy or consume alcohol.[82]
Turks and Caicos Islands		None	18[83]	It is prohibited to serve or sell liquor to a young person under the age of eighteen years. Minors under the age of sixteen years may not present in a licensed premises mainly serving and selling alcohol beverages.[83]
United States	(50 states)	Varies by state[1]	21[1]	The National Minimum Drinking Age Act requires all states and territories to have a minimum purchasing age of 21 or lose ten percent of their federal highway funding. The act does not apply to the age of alcohol consumption (i.e., states may allow alcohol consumption by those under 21 years of age without penalty). Exceptions to the drinking age are governed by state law. 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 that food is served only in the latter). Only a few states prohibit minors and young adults from consuming alcohol in private settings. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism maintains a database that details state-level regulations on consumption and sale age limits.[84] See also: Minor in Possession and List of alcohol laws of the United States
	Puerto Rico	18		Law 118 Penalties for Provision of Alcoholic Beverages to Minors under 18 years of age (1984)
	United States Virgin Islands	18[85]
Uruguay		None	18[86]	Selling alcohol to minors under the age of 18 is prohibited, with fines between 50 and 200 Unidades Reajustables (UY$ 89,000-355,000 or US$ 2,000-8,000 as of January 2025).[87] Consumption and purchase by minors is not prohibited.
Venezuela		None	18[88]

In the United States, the minimum legal age to purchase alcoholic beverages has mainly been 21 years of age since shortly after the passage of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act in 1984. The two exceptions are Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands where the age is 18. The legal drinking age varies by state, and many states have no age requirements for supervised drinking with one's parents or legal guardians.

Despite a rekindled national debate in 2008 on the established drinking age (initiated by several university presidents), a Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll found in September 2008 that 76% of New Jerseyans supported leaving the legal drinking age at 21 years.^[89] No significant differences emerged when considering gender, political affiliation, or region. However, parents of younger children were more likely to support keeping the age at 21 (83%) than parents of college-age students (67%).^[89]

Seventeen states (Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Wyoming) and the District of Columbia have laws against possession of alcohol by minors, but they do not prohibit its consumption by minors.

Fourteen states (Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Wisconsin, and Virginia) specifically permit minors to drink alcohol given to them by their parents or by someone entrusted by their parents.^{[citation needed]}

Many states also permit the drinking of alcohol under the age of 21 for religious or health reasons.

Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States, has maintained a drinking age of 18.^[90]

United States customs laws stipulate that no person under the age of 21 may bring any type or quantity of alcohol into the country.^[91]

The United States is the only Western nation in the world setting the limit for alcohol consumption and purchases at 21. While the measure is comprehensible to limit underage drinking and alcohol-related traffic crashes, the outcome did not generate less underage drinking or traffic accidents. Canada with a drinking age set at 18 or 19 has less alcohol-related traffic crashes than the U.S. The rationale to increase the drinking age to 21 is based on erroneous statistics from the 1980's, and could even increase criminal behavior.^[92]

Most countries in Europe have set 18 as the minimum age to purchase alcohol. Although Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and Switzerland (except Ticino) maintain a minimum purchase age below 18 years, minors are permitted either full or limited access to alcohol. In 2005,^[146] 2007^[147] and 2015^[148] harmonization at the European Union level toward a minimum purchase age of 18 was discussed, but not agreed.

Timeline of changes to drinking/purchase age or laws restricting the access to alcohol for minors:

• In 2002 the Spanish autonomous-communities Madrid,^[149] Valencia^[150] and Catalonia^[151] raised their minimum purchase age to 18 years. Previously, Valencia and Madrid had a minimum purchase age of 16 years, and in Catalonia minors aged 16 or 17 could purchase alcohol up to 23% ABV on- and off-premise.
• In 2004 Denmark^[152] raised its off-premise purchase age from 15 to 16 years.
• In November 2005 Switzerland passed its Food and Commodities Regulation^[153] (German: Lebensmittel- und Gebrauchsgegenständeverordnung), introducing a ban on alcohol sales to anyone under the age of 16. The Alcohol Law^[154] (German: Alkoholgesetz) passed in 1980 requires a minimum age of 18 years for the retail sale of distilled spirits. Therefore, it is prohibited to sell fermented alcohol (e.g. beer, wine, sparkling wine or cider) to anyone under the age of 16, and any distilled alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. The canton of Ticino has a cantonal law since 1989 that makes the purchase age limit for all alcohol beverages 18 years.^[155]
• In 2006 the Spanish autonomous community Castile and León^[156] raised its minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years.
• In late 2006, Gibraltar^[157] lawmakers passed the Children and Young Persons (Alcohol, Tobacco and Gaming) Act 2006, which raised the minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years. But the new law made an exception: minors aged 16 or 17 can purchase and consume beer, wine or cider under 15% ABV on-premise, and pre-packed containers of an alcohol strength not exceeding 5.5% ABV (e.g. alcopops).
• In 2009 France^[158] raised its minimum purchase age to 18 years,^[159][160] and fines were increased for selling or serving alcohol to a minor (up to €7,500). Previously, the minimum age was 16 years for off-premise and on-premise purchases of low-alcohol beverages (up to 3% ABV) such as wine, beer, cider, perry, mead, crème de cassis and juices from fermented fruits or vegetables that contain 1.2 to 3° alcohol, natural sweet wines from controlled cultivation and 18 for higher-ABV beverages.
• In October 2009, the government of Malta^[161] passed a new law raising its drinking and purchase age from 16 to 17 years.
• In 2010 the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia raised its minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 years.^[162]
• In 2011 Denmark^[163] passed a law raising the minimum age for off-premise sale of alcohol beverages of >16.5% ABV to 18 years of age. The minimum age to purchase alcohol beverages of <16.5% ABV remains 16.
• In March 2012 Moldova raised the minimum purchase age to 18, from 16 previously.^[164][165]
• Italy raised its minimum purchase age from 16 to 18 in 2012. Previously Italy did not have a purchase age for off-premise sales, and the minimum age of 16 years for on-premise sales was not well enforced.^[166]
• As of 1 January 2014^[update], the minimum legal purchase and consumption age was raised from 16 to 18 in the Netherlands. Previously young people over the age of 16 could purchase and consume alcohol beverages of <15% ABV, and those aged 18 and over could purchase all alcohol beverages.^[167]
• As of March 2015^[update], the Spanish autonomous community of Asturias raised its drinking age from 16 to 18 years. Asturias was Spain's last community with a drinking age of 16 years. The new law brings the drinking age into line with the rest of Spain, with the exception of Balearic Islands where no purchase age limit is set.^[168]
• In 2013 the government of Portugal restricted alcohol sales to young people: distilled spirits cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 18, and other alcohol beverages (e.g. beer, wine, or cider) cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 16. Previously the minimum age for all alcohol beverages was 16 years.^[169] As of December 2015^[update], Portugal harmonized its minimum drinking age to 18 years across all beverage types. Previously the purchase age was 16 years for low-alcohol beverages such as beer, wine or cider.^[170]
• As of 1 January 2018^[update], Lithuania raised its minimum drinking age from 18 to 20 years.^[171]
• From January 2019 the federal states of Austria decided to align their drinking and purchase ages. The states Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna therefore raised their age limits for alcohol beverages containing spirits to 18. Prior to 2019 these states had a general drinking and purchase age of 16 years. The sale and consumption of beer, wine and other fermented alcohol beverages is now prohibited to children and young people under the age of 16 years, and the sale and consumption of spirits to minors under the age of 18 years is prohibited throughout Austria.^[172]

Country	Administrative division	De jure				Notes
		Drinking age[173]		Purchase age
		Private	Public	On-premise	Off-premise
Albania		None	18[174]	18[174]		The sale of alcohol beverage in bars, restaurants or other licensed premises, as well as other points of sale, is prohibited to minors under the age of 18 years. Vendors and operators of licensed premises are required to post a clearly legible notice in A4 format stating "Ndalohet shitja e alkoolit personave nën 18 vjeç" (It is prohibited to sell alcohol beverages to people under 18 years). Consumption by those under age 18 in public places is prohibited.[174]
Andorra		None[175]	18[175]	18[175]		Selling, serving or supplying alcohol beverages is prohibited as well as public consumption of alcohol beverage by minors under the age of 18 years.[175]
Austria		None [citation needed]	16 (beer, wine and cider) 18 (distilled beverages)[172]			The age limits are set out by the legislation of each federal state but were harmonized in January 2019.[172] Carinthia also requires 16-18-year-olds to maintain a blood alcohol level below 0.05%.[176]
Belarus		None[177]		18[177]
Belgium		None[178]		18 for distilled beverages of higher than 1.2%ABV and fermented beverages of higher than 22%ABV 16 for other alcohol beverages[178]		Since 10 January 2010, it is prohibited to "sell, serve, or offer" any distilled alcohol beverages to those under the age of 18 or any alcohol beverage to those under 16.[178] Previously, it was prohibited to sell alcohol drinks to under-16s, but accompanying adults could buy drinks for them.
Bosnia and Herzegovina		None[179]		18[179]		Selling alcohol to a minor under the age of 18 years is an offence. The law does not prohibit minors from buying, attempting to buy or consuming alcohol.[179] Law on Public Peace and Order (2015) Article 25 prohibits providing alcohol beverages to minors. Law on Internal Trade (2010), Article 10 prohibits the sale in the retail trade of alcohol beverages to persons under 18 years of age.
Bulgaria		None[180]		18[180][181]		It is prohibited to sell or offer alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18.[180]
Croatia		None[182]		18[182]		It is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol to anyone under 18 years of age. There is no minimum age to buy or consume alcohol by law.[182]
Czech Republic		None		18[183]		It is prohibited to provide alcohol to minors but consumption itself is not prohibited by law.[183]
Denmark		None[184]		18[184]	16 (beverages of up to 6% ABV) 18 (beverages over 6% ABV)[184]	While there is no age requirement for drinking alcohol beverages in Denmark, there are laws that prohibit minors from buying alcohol from on-premise and off-premise outlets. Since 1 April 2025, beverages with an alcohol content of more than 6 percent have been illegal to sell to anyone under the age of 18. The minimum age to buy lighter alcoholic beverages remains 16.[185] If a shop or bar fails to ask for an ID card and is identified as having sold alcohol to an underage person, it is subject to a fine. A national ID card, obtained in the local town hall, can serve as age verification.[186] This card is rarely used though since a passport or driver's license is more commonly used.[187] Both the legal drinking and purchasing age in the Faroe Islands is 18.[188]
Estonia		18[189]		18[189]		It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. Alcohol found in possession of any child can be confiscated by the police.
Finland		18 (1.2–22% ABV) 20 (>22% ABV)[190]		18[190]	18 (1.2–22% ABV) 20 (>22% ABV)[190]	All major grocery chains have implemented a policy to ask for ID if the customer looks under 30.[191] Stores may refuse to sell alcohol if the customer is accompanied by a minor, or if proxy purchasing is suspected. Purchasing alcohol on behalf of a minor is a criminal offence.[190] Police may search minors in public places and confiscate or destroy any alcohol beverages in their possession. Incidents are reported to the legal guardian and child protective services, who may intervene with child welfare procedures. In addition, those aged 15 or above are subject to a fine.[192] In private, offering alcohol to a minor is considered a criminal offence if it results in drunkenness and the act can be deemed reprehensible as a whole, considering the minor's age, degree of maturity and other circumstances.[190]
France		None, minors are under parental authority up to 18 years old, and the parent must even remain present if they offer alcohol to their child under the age of 16. In addition, making a minor drink until intoxication is an offense.[193]		18[194]		France has no explicitly stated consumption age, but selling alcohol beverages to a minor (under 18) is prohibited and can be fined 7500 euros.[194]
Germany		None	14 (beer, wine and cider if accompanied) 16 (beer, wine and cider) 18 (spirits and foods containing spirits above negligible amounts)[195]			It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply fermented alcohol beverages (beer, wine, cider and sparkling wine) to anyone under 16 years of age. However this age limit drops down to 14 if a minor is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. It is generally prohibited to serve, sell or supply any beverage containing spirits and foods containing spirits above negligible amounts, to anyone under the age of 18 years. Violation of the "Protection of Young Persons Act" can be punished with imprisonment up to 10 years. See also: Alcohol laws in Germany See also: Protection of Young Persons Act (Germany)
Gibraltar		None[196]		16 (beer, wine and cider) 18 (spirits)[196]	18[196]	It is prohibited to sell alcohol drinks to anyone under the age of 18, other than the following two exceptions. The minimum age to be served in licensed premises is 16 if:[196] The alcohol beverage is beer, wine or cider below 15% ABV, or The alcohol beverage is served in a bottle, or a pre-packaged container below 5.5% ABV.
Greece		None[197]	18[197]	18[197]		In 2008, the consumption of alcohol beverages was prohibited for minors in public. However, the law does not apply to private events or private premises.[197] However, the law is rarely enforced with authorities reporting high numbers of teen alcohol consumption yearly.[198] ID checks are rare.
Hungary		None		18[1]
Iceland		None		20[199]		Possession or consumption of alcohol by people under the age of 20 is not an offence, but police will contact parents of those under 18 and send a report to the child protection agency, supplying them with alcohol is an offence. Drinking in public is prohibited, though this is rarely enforced in public places.
Ireland		None[200]	18[200]	18[200]		It is prohibited for minors to buy alcohol or for a third party to attempt to buy it for minors. Minors are prohibited to drink in private residences unless it is with their parent or guardian's permission.[201]
Italy		None[202]		18[203][202]		In 2012 the then Health Minister Renato Balduzzi proposed to raise the age to 18.[202] Selling alcohol to those under the age of 18 in shops carries a fine between €250 and €1000. Serving alcohol beverages to those under the age of 16 is a criminal offense and is punished with prison up to one year, if the individual is 16 or 17 it will be treated as an offense that is fined between €250 and €1000 (Legge n. 189/2013).
Kosovo		None		18[204]
Latvia		None[205]		18[205]		It is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol beverages to any minor under the age of 18 years. Persons between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to present an identity document to the retailer when purchasing alcoholic beverages, regardless of whether the retailer has requested it. There is no minimum age to consume or possess alcohol.[205]
Liechtenstein		18 (spirits and spirit-based beverages) 16 (other alcohol beverages)[206]				Spirits and alcopops may be sold only to people at least 18, and other alcohol beverages to people at least 16. Consumption and possession is prohibited at the same ages.
Lithuania		20[171]		20[171]		It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 20 years. People under the age of 20 are prohibited from consuming alcohol beverages or from possessing them. The minimum age was raised from 18 to 20 in 2018.[171]
Luxembourg		None[207]		16[207]		It is prohibited to sell or serve alcohol beverages of >1.2% ABV to any person under the age of 16 years. Violation is fined €251 to €1,000.[207]
Malta		None[208]	17[208]	17[208]		Must provide identification upon request.
Moldova		None[165]		18[165]		It is prohibited to sell, or serve alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years. It is not prohibited for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol.[165]
Montenegro		None		18[1]
Netherlands		None	18[209]	18[209]		The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcohol beverages was raised from 16 to 18 in 2014. Selling alcoholic beverages to people under 18 is prohibited, while buying alcoholic beverages for someone else under the age of 18 is also prohibited.[209]
North Macedonia		None[210]		18[210]
Norway		None[211]		18 (<22% ABV) 20 (≥22% ABV)[212]		Alcohol possessed by minors may be confiscated as evidence. Drinking in public is prohibited, though this is rarely enforced in recreational areas.[213]
Poland		None[214]	None (within designated drinking zones) Prohibited (elsewhere)	18[214]		Article 15 of The Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism[215] prohibits sale or serving of alcohol beverages to anyone under 18 and that if doubt exists as to age, sellers/servers should require ID as proof of age. Drinking in public places, with the exception of designated drinking zones, is prohibited regardless of age.
Portugal		None[216]		18[216]
Romania		None[217]		18[217]		Whoever offers or supplies alcohol beverages to a child under the age of 14 years in an amount which is resulting death to one is punished with imprisonment for 3 to 12 years.
Russia		None		18[218]		The legal purchase age limits are 18. Considered to be raised to 21 .
San Marino		None		16[1]		Criminal Code Article 165
Serbia		None		18		Possession of alcohol is regulated by Article 23 of Consumer protection law which prohibits selling, serving and giving alcohol to a person under the age of 18.[219] However, the law is loosely enforced.[220]
Slovakia		None		18
Slovenia		None[221]		18[221]
Spain		None		18[222]		Autonomous region Balearic Islands does not have legislation on legal purchase age limits.[citation needed]
Sweden		None		18[223][224]	None under 2.25% ABV 20[223] 18 (beer, above 2.25% ABV and below or equal to 3.5% ABV)	See also: Alcohol in Sweden It is legal for anyone at any age to drink,[225] but off-premise sale or supply to anyone under the age of 20 is prohibited and on-premise establishments are prohibited from serving alcohol beverages to anyone under 18. It is legal to serve an underage person alcohol in a private place, provided it's a limited amount and done in moderation.[223] The reason for the lower limit in bars than in Systembolaget shops is that bartenders have a legal responsibility for how drunk a guest gets.[224] Class II beer (up to 3.5% ABV), called folköl ("people's beer"), is sold in regular stores, but with the minimum purchase age of 18.[226] Class I beer (2.25% ABV and under) has no age restriction.
Switzerland	Switzerland (federal law)	None		16 (fermented beverages with up to 15% ABV and natural wines with up to 18% ABV)[227] 18 (spirits)[228]		Whoever offers or supplies alcohol beverages to a child under the age of 16 years in an amount which is harmful to one's health is punished with imprisonment up to 3 years or a fine.[229] Whoever sells or supplies spirits to a person under the age of 18 years is punished with a fine up to 10,000 CHF.[230]
	Ticino			18		Canton Ticino prohibits the selling of any type of alcohol beverage to minors under the age of 18.[231]
Ukraine		None		18[1]		Law No. 1824-VI on state regulation of production and turnover of ethyl, cognac and fruit, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products Article 15-3
United Kingdom	England Wales	5[232] On licensed premises: 18[233] or 16 (for beer, wine or cider with a table meal and if accompanied by adult)[234]		18[235]		It is prohibited to give a child under the age of 5 alcohol, unless for medical reasons.[232] It is prohibited to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18,[233] but 16-17 year olds may consume beer, wine, or cider on licensed premises when at a table meal with an adult who is accompanying them.[234] It is not illegal for under 18s to possess or consume alcohol, but the police can confiscate alcohol from under 18s in public.[236] Import: People over 17 are entitled to a duty-free allowance for alcohol beverages.[237]
	Scotland	None	18[238][239] 16 (beer, wine, cider or perry with a meal if purchased by an adult aged 18 or older)[240] 16 (liquor confectionery)[241]	18[242]		It is prohibited to sell alcoholic beverages to persons under the age of 18,[239] and liqueur confectionery to persons under the age of 16.[241] The police can confiscate alcohol from those below the drinking age in public.[243] Those aged 16–17 may consume beer, wine, cider, or perry on licensed premises with a meal.[240] Import: People over 17 are entitled to a duty-free allowance for alcoholic beverages.[237]
	Northern Ireland	14[244]	18[245]	18[245]		It is illegal for persons under 14 to be given alcohol, and then only for medical purposes.[244] It is prohibited to sell, serve, or offer alcohol beverages to anyone under the age of 18. Minors are prohibited to consume alcohol beverages in public[245] and the police can confiscate alcohol from under 18s in public.[236]
	United Kingdom					Under the BBPA's Challenge 21 and Challenge 25 schemes, customers attempting to buy alcohol beverages are asked to prove their age if in the retailer's opinion they look under 21[246] (or optionally 25) even though the law states they must be a minimum of 18. Many supermarket and off-licence chains display Challenge 21 (or Challenge 25) notices stating that they will not serve people who look under 21 (or 25) without ID.