How old you must be to drink, country by country
This reference shows the minimum legal drinking and purchase age in countries worldwide, split into on-premise (bars and restaurants) and off-premise (shops) limits. Many countries set a single age, but others vary it by venue or by how strong the drink is, all of which the table captures.
How it works
Drinking-age laws sit in each country’s public-health and licensing legislation. Two distinctions drive most of the variation. First, the venue: some places let younger people drink in a supervised restaurant setting before they may buy alcohol independently from a shop. Second, beverage strength: a common European pattern allows beer and wine at 16 but reserves spirits for 18, on the logic that high-alcohol drinks carry more risk for young people. A few states monopolise off-premise sales through government shops (Sweden’s Systembolaget, Iceland’s Vínbúðin) and set a higher purchase age there. Finally, some countries prohibit alcohol entirely for religious reasons.
A tour of how laws differ in practice
Split strength rules. Germany and Belgium both allow beer and wine from age 16 but require 18 for spirits. Austria follows a similar pattern, with the 16/18 split applying in most states. The UK previously had a narrow 16/18 restaurant exception, but now sets 18 uniformly for all settings.
The US outlier. At 21, the United States has one of the highest minimum purchase ages of any country where alcohol is legal, driven by a 1984 federal law linking highway funding to state age limits. Most other English-speaking countries sit at 18.
Total prohibition. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, and Yemen prohibit alcohol for residents based on religious grounds. Several others formally prohibit it but allow limited exceptions for non-Muslim residents or licensed venues in certain jurisdictions.
Parental-supervised exceptions. Some countries allow minors to consume alcohol at home under parental supervision, even though purchase and public consumption remain age-restricted. The table records the public minimum, not domestic exceptions.
Reading the table
- On-premise is the age to drink at a licensed venue — a bar, restaurant, or club.
- Off-premise is the age to purchase from a shop, supermarket, or off-licence.
- The notes column flags the most important exceptions: strength-based splits, regional variations within federal countries, and total prohibition.
Where the two columns show the same age, a single unified law applies. Where they differ, you must meet the stricter limit for the activity you are doing — and if you are in a country where federal states have their own laws, the state or province rule may differ from the national default.
This reference is general orientation only. Confirm current local law before relying on any age limit.