Drinking age

Last Updated: Jun. 04, 2008

Tags: all countries, bars, drinking, travel and tour advice

More Tour and Travel Advice for: Australia, USA & Canada, Australia and New Zealand

drinking age, las vegas group

Drinking age varied from country to country and sometimes from region to region.

Valid Identification

What qualifies as a valid form of ID and proof of age varies from region to region and even place to place. Some bars in Europe will let almost anyone inside while entry and service will be refused to even the oldest clients in Australia, New Zealand and the USA or Canada if they cannot prove their age.

A valid Driver’s License from your home country is usually sufficient no matter when you travel but nothing beats having your Passport on hand, particularly when travelling in a foreign country.

Europe

Again, the enforcement of these restrictions and the need for identification will vary from region to region and this is a general guide for the whole of Europe. 18 is the oldest you must be to drink in any European country.

Drinking Age
- Beer and Wine – 16
- Liquor and Spirits – 18

Bars and Clubs – 16 – 18 depending on the venue

Please Note: Different laws apply for the legal drinking age in Sweden.

USA

Drinking – All States – 21
Bars and Clubs – Varies from 18 -21 – No drinking without ID

Canada

Laws vary between 18 and 19 from Province to Province.

Drinking, Bars and Clubs
- Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec – 18
- All other Provinces (including British Columbia and Ontario) -19

Australia

Drinking – All States – 18
Bars and Clubs – 18

New Zealand

Drinking – 18
Bars and Clubs – 18

Add a Comment Comments (4)

I was recently in New Zealand and we were denied entry to their Casinos, as the age for Casino’s over there is 20!

AussieTraveller posted 12 days ago Flag as Inappropriate
Drinking age in Switzerland is 16 for beer and wine and 18 for Spirits…including alcopops but the real issue is the price Switzerland can realy damage your wallet….I kno w i live here now, a good tip is if you like beer club together for a pitcher/ jug and share! a 1.5 ltr jug is 19 chf in one of the cheaper places, Frankenstrasse 6 Bar in Luzern just behind Mc donalds, and they show Satellite sports with English comentary if you are missing the game…enjoy your trip….benitsesbill

BenitsesBill posted on Apr. 17, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
Good point! Thanks! We’ve added a section to explain exactly what the deal is in Sweden….pretty interesting stuff. Thanks Again!

mattyvcontiki posted on Jan. 08, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I’d like to point out this article isn’t entirely correct. In Sweden if you want to purchase alcohol from their liquor stores, you must be 20 years of age, as I found out first-hand.

efti posted on Jan. 04, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate