Category: All of the United Kingdom

Photo: Nathan J Hilton / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.

The drink drive limit in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath (80 mg per 100 ml of blood). Scotland is lower, at 22 micrograms per 100 ml of breath (50 mg per 100 ml of blood). This explainer is for learner and new drivers across the UK. It sets out every official limit, the drug driving rules, the penalties, and where the 2026 government consultation stands.

Key facts

• The limits are the same for learners, new drivers and experienced drivers. There is no lower novice limit in UK law as of November 2026.
• There is no safe number of drinks. GOV.UK says alcohol affects people differently depending on weight, age, sex, metabolism, food and stress.
• Driving over the limit carries a ban of at least 1 year, an unlimited fine and up to 6 months in prison.
• In England, Scotland and Wales, it is illegal to drive with certain drugs in your blood above specified limits, even if your driving is not affected.
• Annex 8 of the Highway Code, the safety code for new drivers, says simply: do not drive after drinking alcohol or taking drugs.

What is the drink drive limit in each part of the UK?

Measure	England, Wales and Northern Ireland	Scotland
Breath (micrograms per 100 ml)	35	22
Blood (milligrams per 100 ml)	80	50
Urine (milligrams per 100 ml)	107	67

Police usually test breath at the roadside. Blood or urine samples may be taken at a police station. If a UK court bans you for drink driving, GOV.UK says you cannot drive anywhere in the UK.

Why the limit is not a target

Rule 95 of the Highway Code for Great Britain says the safest option is not to drink at all if you plan to drive. It explains that alcohol gives a false sense of confidence, slows reactions, reduces coordination and affects your judgement of speed, distance and risk. Alcohol can impair your driving below the legal limit, and it can still be in your body the next morning or evening.

Drug driving: the rules in England, Scotland and Wales

Under the drug driving law, it is illegal to drive if you are unfit because of drugs, or if you have certain drugs in your blood above specified limits, whether or not your driving is affected. Rule 96 of the Highway Code explains that the limits for illegal drugs are very low, so even a small amount can put you over.

Medicines covered by the law

GOV.UK lists these prescription medicines as covered by drug driving limits:

• amphetamine, for example dexamphetamine or selegiline
• clonazepam
• diazepam
• flunitrazepam
• lorazepam
• methadone
• morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs, for example codeine, tramadol or fentanyl
• oxazepam
• temazepam

You can drive after taking these if they were prescribed and you follow the advice of a healthcare professional, and they do not make you unfit to drive. If you are not sure, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Rule 96 says the limits for these medicines are set higher than levels expected from normal doses, and there is a statutory medical defence in some cases.

Roadside testing

Police can carry out a field impairment assessment, such as asking you to walk in a straight line, and can use a roadside drug kit that screens for cannabis and cocaine. If they think you are unfit to drive, you will be arrested and asked for a blood or urine sample at a police station.

Northern Ireland

GOV.UK says the drug driving law described above covers England, Scotland and Wales, not Northern Ireland. In Northern Ireland you can still be arrested if you are unfit to drive because of drugs.

Drink and drug driving penalties

Offence	Prison (maximum)	Fine	Driving ban
Being in charge of a vehicle while over the limit or unfit through drink	3 months	Up to £2,500	Possible ban
Driving or attempting to drive over the limit or unfit through drink	6 months	Unlimited	At least 1 year (3 years if convicted twice in 10 years)
Refusing to provide a specimen of breath, blood or urine	6 months	Unlimited	At least 1 year
Causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink	Life	Unlimited	At least 5 years, plus an extended driving test
Drug driving (England, Scotland and Wales)	6 months	Unlimited	At least 1 year

GOV.UK lists further consequences: a criminal record, much higher car insurance costs, possible problems with employers if you drive for work, and difficulty travelling to some countries, such as the USA. A drug driving conviction stays on your licence for 11 years. A court may offer a drink drive rehabilitation course, which can reduce a ban of 12 months or more.

What it means for a new driver

Any conviction that adds penalty points counts towards the new driver limit. In Great Britain, if you reach 6 or more points within 2 years of passing your first test, your licence is cancelled and you must pass the theory and practical tests again. See the New Drivers Act and driving penalties and endorsement codes.

Is the UK lowering the drink drive limit?

Not yet. The Department for Transport ran a consultation called “Proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences” from 7 January to 11 May 2026. Drink and drug driving were among the areas covered. As of November 2026, GOV.UK shows the consultation as closed, with the department analysing feedback and no outcome published.

You may see reports of a lower limit for new drivers. No such limit is in force. Until the law changes, the limits in the table above apply. Check GOV.UK for the outcome before relying on any change.

Scenario: the morning after

You were at a party until 2am and plan to drive to college at 8am. Rule 95 warns that alcohol may still be in your body the next morning. There is no way to tell when you are under the limit. The only safe choice is not to drive if you have any doubt, and to plan a lift or public transport the night before.

Common questions

How many drinks can I have and still drive?

GOV.UK says there is no way to drink and know you are under the limit, because it depends on your weight, age, sex, metabolism, what you drink, whether you have eaten and your stress levels. The safest number is none.

Is the drink drive limit lower for new drivers?

No. As of November 2026 the same limits apply to everyone in each part of the UK. A consultation closed in May 2026 and its outcome had not been published by November 2026.

Do the limits apply to learner drivers?

The learner is the driver, so the limits apply to them in full. A supervisor has to be able to take control and spot hazards for the learner, so the safe choice is for them not to drink either. Our guide to supervising a learner driver covers what supervisors must do.

Can I drive on prescribed medicine?

Yes, if it was prescribed, you follow the advice of a healthcare professional, and it does not make you unfit to drive. Check the label and ask your pharmacist.

Why is Scotland’s limit lower?

Scotland sets its own drink drive limit. The Highway Code for Great Britain shows Scotland at 22 micrograms per 100 ml of breath and 50 mg per 100 ml of blood, lower than England and Wales.

Back to the main guide: Learning to Drive in Great Britain. In Northern Ireland, see Learning to Drive in Northern Ireland. For fitness to drive more widely, see fitness to drive and the DVLA.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “The drink drive limit” (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, “Drink-driving penalties” (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, “Drugs and driving: the law” (gov.uk)
• Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Rules for drivers and motorcyclists (89 to 102)” (gov.uk)
• Department for Transport, “The Highway Code: Annex 8. Safety code for new drivers” (gov.uk)
• Department for Transport, “Proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences” (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, “Penalty points (endorsements): new drivers” (gov.uk)

Photo: Centre for Ageing Better / Pexels. Illustrative photograph.

If you have a limb difference, short stature or use a wheelchair, you can learn to drive in the UK in a car set up for your body. The usual route is a driving assessment at an accredited mobility centre, which recommends the controls and seating you need, then lessons and the test in a car with those adaptations. You drive the same test to the same standard as everyone else; the examiner can make adjustments for your situation. If an adaptation is needed, your full licence will carry a code showing it.

This guide focuses on the equipment side, by type of body difference. The age-16 PIP route, DVSA test adjustments and Motability support are covered in Learning to drive with a disability in Great Britain, so they are only summarised here. For advice on your own body and health, ask your GP, consultant or occupational therapist.

Start with a driving assessment

A mobility centre assessment is not a test you can fail. An assessor looks at how you get in and out of a car, your reach, grip, strength and movement, and tries different controls with you, often in a static rig and then on the road. You come away with a written recommendation for the adaptations and type of car that suit you.

• GOV.UK points people to the Driving Mobility charity to search for mobility centres and driving assessment centres.
• Many centres accept self-referrals as well as referrals from health professionals; check with the centre.
• Assessments are usually charged for, and fees vary by centre, so ask when booking.

Adaptations by body difference

These are common examples of what assessors recommend. Your assessment decides what is right for you.

Situation	Adaptations often considered
Upper limb difference (one hand or arm)	Steering aid such as a ball or tri-pin; secondary controls (indicators, lights, wipers) moved to a keypad or the steering aid; automatic gearbox
Right leg difference or no use of the right leg	Left-foot accelerator (removable on many systems so others can drive the car); automatic gearbox
Both legs, or no leg use	Hand controls for accelerator and brake (push-pull or push-rock), with a steering aid; automatic gearbox
Short stature	Pedal extensions, seat raisers or adjustable seats, cushions for correct airbag distance, extended controls
Wheelchair user who transfers	Transfer board or swivel seat; a hoist or roof box to stow the wheelchair
Wheelchair user who stays in the chair	Wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV) with a ramp or lift, where you drive from your wheelchair locked in place, plus suitable driving controls

Fitting work should be done by a specialist converter, and you must tell your insurer about every adaptation.

Learning and taking the test in an adapted car

• Find an instructor with an adapted car or one who will teach in yours. Some instructors specialise in disabled drivers and have cars with common adaptations fitted.
• Booking in Great Britain: when you book, say that you have a disability. At the start of the test you can talk to the examiner about your disability and any adaptations fitted to your car. You still have to drive to the same standard to pass, but the examiner can make adjustments, and may agree to more time for instructions.
• Using your own car: it does not need dual controls, but it must have an extra interior mirror for the examiner, L plates (L or D plates in Wales) and insurance that covers a driving test.
• Automatic: most adapted cars are automatic. If you pass in an automatic, your licence covers automatics only. See Automatic licence restrictions.
• Northern Ireland: the test is run by the DVA, not DVSA. Support and adjustments are in Theory and driving test support in Northern Ireland, and wider DVA medical rules are in Driving with a medical condition or disability in Northern Ireland.

Licence codes for adaptations

After you pass, codes on your licence show the adaptations you need, for example adapted controls or an automatic gearbox. What each code means is set out in UK driving licence codes for medical conditions and adapted cars. If a condition affects your driving, you may also need to tell the DVLA; see Driving with a medical condition or disability in Great Britain.

Help with costs

• Motability Scheme: to lease a car, including a WAV, you need to be getting the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP or Adult Disability Payment, the higher rate mobility component of DLA or Child Disability Payment, War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
• Vehicle tax: full exemption on one vehicle with most of the same mobility awards; a 50% reduction with the standard rate mobility component of PIP or ADP. You make the first claim at a Post Office.
• VAT relief: you may not have to pay VAT on adapting a vehicle for your condition.
• Blue Badge: see Blue Badge for new drivers in GB.

Related: Learning to drive with sight in one eye and Extra support for the car theory and driving tests.

Sources

• GOV.UK, “Driving test: disability, health condition or learning difficulty” (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, “Driving test: using your own car” (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, “Financial help if you’re disabled: vehicles and transport” (gov.uk)
• GOV.UK, “Disabled drivers: forum of mobility centres” (withdrawn guidance, gov.uk)