Drinking age and alcohol sales in Italy (2026)
Last reviewed: 29 October 2026
In short: The minimum age to buy alcohol in Italy is 18. Sellers must check ID where the buyer is not clearly an adult, and serving under-18s or visibly drunk people is penalised. Being visibly drunk in public is fined.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Minimum age to buy beer and wineBuying and drinking alcohol | 18 years [1] |
| Minimum age to buy spiritsBuying and drinking alcohol | 18 years [1] |
| Drinking by younger people with an adultBuying and drinking alcohol | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Drinking in public placesBuying and drinking alcohol | Being found in a state of manifest drunkenness in a public place or a place open to the public is punished by an administrative fine (Article 688 of the Criminal Code). No general national ban on drinking in public was found in the sources read. [2] |
| Where and when alcohol is soldBuying and drinking alcohol | Sellers must ask for ID unless the buyer is clearly an adult. Selling or serving alcohol to under-18s is fined EUR 250 to EUR 1,000 (EUR 500 to EUR 2,000 and 15 days to 3 months' closure if repeated). Serving under-16s in a pub or public premises is punishable by up to one year's arrest, and serving a visibly drunk person by 3 months to 1 year's arrest. [1] |
Notes
- Art. 14-ter sets the fine for selling alcohol to under 18s. Whether the ban covers alcohol served on the premises as well as sold is shown in the text in double brackets; this was not resolved.
- Not found in an official text that could be read. Local rules and rules for serving to young people were not verified.
- Local councils may set their own rules by ordinance; these were not checked.
- Articles 689 and 691 of the Criminal Code apply to serving, including in pubs and other public premises. Amounts for the repeat offence are those in Article 14-ter.
Sources
- Normattiva: Art. 14-ter Legge 30 marzo 2001, n. 125 - Introduzione del divieto di vendita di bevande alcoliche a minori (consulted 29 October 2026) · all sources
- Normattiva: Art. 688 Codice penale (R.D. 19 ottobre 1930, n. 1398) - Ubriachezza (consulted 29 October 2026) · all sources
Related pages
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.