This table details legislation and regulations that define minimum age limits for purchase, sale, free supply, and consumption of alcohol beverages, and whether a method of verifying age is indicated, in all countries for which IARD has been able to verify the information with the respective national authorities or through publicly accessible documents.
It is updated on an ongoing basis as jurisdictions enact or revise their requirements with assistance from staff of the Law Library of Congress (Washington, DC). IARD last conducted a review of records across all countries in December 2021 - March 2022. At that time IARD expanded the table to include age verification requirements, which were previously not covered. For more information on how the table is populated, see What goes in the IARD Policy Tables?
Suggested citation:
International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD). (2022). Minimum legal age limits. Retrieved from https://iard.org/science-resources/detail/Minimum-Legal-Age-Limits
If you find any of the information outdated, please email us at RegDB@iard.org.
The resources on this website are not intended as health advice to individuals about their drinking. People with specific questions about their drinking are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional. Together, they can determine what is best for that individual, based on individual risk factors, including family history, genetics, and lifestyle. For some people, the better choice may be to not drink at all.
IARD Policy Tables are provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. All IARD materials include a date of content review and they should be read in their entirety and not misrepresented or taken out of context.
© 2021 International Alliance for Responsible Drinking
IARD’s members and the members of its Partnership Council are a diverse group of organizations with a variety of viewpoints. They might not necessarily agree on all or any subjects. Any statements, findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed on this website do not reflect the policies or views of all IARD members or the organizations they represent, unless explicitly stated. However, all members agree on and support IARD’s mission of reducing the harmful use of alcohol.
The resources on this website are not intended as health advice to individuals about their drinking. People with specific questions about their drinking are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional. Together, they can determine what is best for that individual, based on individual risk factors, including family history, genetics, and lifestyle. For some people, the better choice may be to not drink at all.
