What is the legal alcohol limit when driving in the UK?

The legal alcohol limit for drivers is:
- 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, or
- 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, or
- 107 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of urine

Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your ability to drive.

If the police want to investigate whether you are over the drink driving limit, they will carry out a screening breath test at the roadside. If you fail this test, or if they have other grounds to believe that your driving was impaired through drink, you will be arrested and taken to a police station.

Anyone caught over the legal alcohol limit when driving will be banned from driving for at least 12 months, and fined up to £5,000. You can also be sent to prison for up to six months. Imprisonment, the period of disqualification and size of fine depend on the seriousness of the offence.

If you are caught drink driving second time in a 10 year period, you’ll be banned for at least three years.