
My blog is all about non alcoholic and alcohol free drinks but obviously there is a large overlap with the alcoholic world. I was researching if you can drink non alcoholic beer and drive (full article is here) and as part of that i had to find all the state limits for DUI. These are all good things to share as i will not be the only person who is googling “what are the drunk driving limits by state”
What are the drunk driving limits by state?
I have collated the drunk driving limits for all the US states below.
For nearly all drivers, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit is 0.08%. however commercial and drivers under 21 have lower levels.
State | Standard BAC Level | Commercial Driver BAC Level | “Zero Tolerance” BAC Level | Enhanced Penalty BAC Level | “Implied Consent” Law |
Alabama | .08 | .04 | .02 | — | Yes |
Alaska | .08 | .04 | .00 | .15 | Yes |
Arizona | .08 | .04 | .00 | .15 | Yes |
Arkansas | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
California | .08 | .04 | .02 | .16 | Yes |
Colorado | .08 | .04 | .02 | .17 | Yes |
Connecticut | .08 | .04 | .02 | .16 | Yes |
Delaware | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
District of Columbia | .08 | .04 | .00 | .15 | Yes |
Florida | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Georgia | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Hawaii | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Idaho | .08 | .04 | .02 | .20 | Yes |
Illinois | .08 | .04 | .00 | .16 | Yes |
Indiana | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Iowa | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Kansas | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Kentucky | .08 | .04 | .02 | .18 | Yes |
Louisiana | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Maine | .08 | .04 | .00 | .15 | Yes |
Maryland | .08 | .04 | .02 | — | Yes |
Massachusetts | .08 | .04 | .02 | .20 | Yes |
Michigan | .08 | .04 | .02 | .17 | Yes |
Minnesota | .08 | .04 | .00 | .16 | Yes |
Mississippi | .08 | .04 | .02 | — | Yes |
Missouri | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Montana | .08 | .04 | .02 | — | Yes |
Nebraska | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Nevada | .08 | .04 | .02 | .18 | Yes |
New Hampshire | .08 | .04 | .02 | .18 | Yes |
New Jersey | .08 | .04 | .01 | .10 | Yes |
New Mexico | .08 | .04 | .02 | .16 | Yes |
New York | .08 | .04 | .02 | .18 | Yes |
North Carolina | .08 | .04 | .00 | .15 | Yes |
North Dakota | .08 | .04 | .02 | .18 | Yes |
Ohio | .08 | .04 | .02 | .17 | Yes |
Oklahoma | .08 | .04 | .02 | .17 | Yes |
Oregon | .08 | .04 | .00 | — | Yes |
Pennsylvania | .08 | .04 | .02 | .16 | Yes |
Rhode Island | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
South Carolina | .08 | .04 | .02 | .16 | Yes |
South Dakota | .08 | .04 | .02 | .17 | Yes |
Tennessee | .08 | .04 | .02 | .20 | Yes |
Texas | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Utah | .05 | .04 | .02 | .16 | Yes |
Vermont | .08 | .04 | .02 | — | Yes |
Virginia | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Washington | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
West Virginia | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Wisconsin | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
Wyoming | .08 | .04 | .02 | .15 | Yes |
How many beers gets you to 0.08% BAC?
The drunk driving limit is the same as when you are legally drunk we just need to work out that number for both.
What is a standard beer?
The first thing is to work from a “standard” beer. Obviously beers come in all shapes, sizes and strengths but the USDA have stated what a standard beer, wine and spirit are. They all have the same amount of alcohol but different volumes and concentrations
Drink and volume | Alcohol content |
12fl oz Beer | 5% |
5fl oz Wine | 12% |
1.5fl oz Spirit | 40% |
A standard beer is a 5%, 12fl oz can.
The CDC tell us that the average 160lb adult male (is 160lb average by the way?!) needs to drink x4 12fl oz cans of 5% ABV beer (standard beers) to get drunk. Therefore, you would not be able to drive after 4 standard beers.
These have to be drank over a short period, perhaps 2 hours, as you liver begins to break down the alcohol as soon as it is transported to it via the blood.