Drinking age and alcohol sales by country
Last reviewed: 29 October 2026
The minimum age to buy alcohol, when younger people may drink with adults, drinking in public and where and when alcohol can be sold. Pick a country for the full list of rules, each with its official source.
| Country | Minimum age to buy beer and wine | Minimum age to buy spirits | Drinking by younger people with an adult | Drinking in public places | Where and when alcohol is sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 16; 14 with a parent | 18 | Beer and wine from 14 with a parent | ⚠ Not yet verified | No public vending machines |
| Netherlands | 18 | 18 | No exception | Local rules; no business may allow it | Licence; strong drink only in liquor shops |
| United Kingdom | Buying and drinking alcohol, England & Wales: 18 (England and Wales) | Buying and drinking alcohol, England & Wales: 18 (England and Wales) | Buying and drinking alcohol, England & Wales: 16-17: beer, wine, cider with a meal | Buying and drinking alcohol, England & Wales: Local orders only (PSPOs) | Buying and drinking alcohol, England & Wales: Licence needed; no sales under 18 |
| France | 18 | 18 | Under 16 need an adult in bars | No general ban; local decrees | Licence needed; banned in stadiums |
| Italy | 18 | 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified | Fine for manifest drunkenness in public | ID check; fines; no service to drunk people |
| United States | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | Federal funding rule only; no direct sales ban |
| Canada | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Mexico | 18 | 18 | No sale or supply under 18; no exception stated | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Ireland | 18 | 18 | Private home with consent; bar until 9 pm with parent | Offence within 100 m of the shop or pub | Off-sales 10.30 am-10.00 pm |
| Australia | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Poland | 18 | 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified | Banned, except at points of sale | Licence needed; banned in listed places |
| Sweden | 20 (folköl up to 3.5%: 18) | 20 | Small amount on the spot only if defensible | ⚠ Not yet verified | State retail monopoly above 3.5% |
| Czechia | 18 | 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified | Municipalities may ban by ordinance | No vending machines or sales to the intoxicated |
| Finland | 18 (up to 22% ABV) | 20 (over 22% ABV) | No supplying to under-age persons, even free | ⚠ Not yet verified | Alko monopoly; shops up to 8%/5.5%; 09:00-21:00 |
| Norway | 18 (drinks under 22% alcohol) | 20 (22% alcohol or more) | Handing over banned; minors not penalised | ⚠ Not yet verified | Sale hours 08:00-18:00 (drinks up to 4.7%) |
| New Zealand | 18 | 18 | Only with parent or guardian, supplied responsibly | ⚠ Not yet verified | Licence; default hours 7am-11pm (off-licence) |
| Croatia | 18 | 18 | No service to under 18s in venues | ⚠ Not yet verified | Venues serving alcohol must display a notice of the under-18 ban and must not serve a guest they judge to be under 18 unless the guest voluntarily shows proof of age. The local representative body may ban alcohol service in hospitality venues during certain periods of the day. |
| Japan | 20 | 20 | No drinking under 20; parents must stop it | ⚠ Not yet verified | No sale to under 20; check age |
How to read the comparison
The table compares these points:
- Minimum age to buy beer and wine
- Minimum age to buy spirits
- Drinking by younger people with an adult
- Drinking in public places
- Where and when alcohol is sold
Before you rely on it
This comparison covers national rules. Regional or local rules can apply on top of them, and rules change. A rule marked “to verify” has not yet been confirmed against an official source. Each country page links to the official sources, and those are the place to confirm the details before you act.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.