What is the Legal Limit for Underage Drinking?

DUI Under 21 – What Is the Legal Limit for Underage Drinking?

By: William C. Head, Criminal Defense Attorney Atlanta GA and ABA Board-Certified DUI Attorney

The legal BAC for underage DUI varies slightly across America, from 0.00 grams percent to 0.02 grams percent. The legal alcohol limit for any motorist younger than age 21 who is behind the wheel and underage drinking is zero tolerance.

However, only 15 states currently use 0.00 grams percent BAC, for their state’s motorists, for the underage drinking BAC level. So, a zero tolerance law may not really be “ZERO.” Under GA DUI laws, the permissible under age DUI number is 0.02 grams per cent or more. Therefore, underage drinking and driving laws vary from state to state.

Instead of all 50 states and DC being 0.00 grams percent, most state DUI laws have left either a 0.01 gr % or 0.02 gr % BAC levels for underage drivers, simply because their breathalyzer that is used to take a breath alcohol test in those states has an “accepted variability” of measurement of up to a 0.02 “margin of error.”

These states acknowledge this margin of error by writing their DWI-DUI laws to accommodate a very low legal blood alcohol level for a DUI under 21, for underage drinking and driving.

Source: https://alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/Blood_Alcohol_Concentration_Limits_Youth_Underage_Operators_of_Noncommercial_Motor_Vehicles.html?tab=Maps

Use the following BAC calculator to determine your blood alcohol content. When using this BAC chart, refer to the pictures below that show how much alcohol is contained in an average drink.

The legal limit for underage drinking in Georgia is 0.02. But a police officer from the Georgia State Patrol or your local DUI Task Force can still arrest you for drinking and driving if your BAC is below 0.02.

If you were arrested for underage drinking and driving, call Atlanta DUI lawyer William C. Head at (404) 567-5515 anytime day or night. Mr. Head specializes in helping drivers under 21, including college students at the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia State, Kennesaw State, and SCAD.

What Kind of Attorney Do I Need? Searching for The Best DUI Lawyer

After being arrested for DUI in Georgia, the first thing to do it identify an expert on Georgia DUI law through top attorney ratings. Look at who is BEHIND the law firm, review each of the trial lawyers’ credentials, and check out the criminal defense attorney who leads the law office. Every experienced DUI lawyer in the law firm must have full command of DUI laws and possess training in all aspects of successfully challenging the driving under the influence criminal case.

This successful defense record must include suppressing breath alcohol tests, and knowing every prior appellate decision on the Georgia implied consent law. An increasing number of drugged driving cases require that our criminal defense lawyers know how to challenge a GBI blood alcohol or drugs test. Being an INSTRUCTOR in the three NHTSA standardized field sobriety tests (SFST) is also necessary.

The best DUI attorneys in Atlanta, Georgia will offer you a FREE consultation, explain how their criminal attorneys search for a successful defense in your case, and aggressively represent clients to the maximum extent the law allows. Limit your search to DUI lawyers who have legitimate lawyer ratings and a history of proven results on knowing how to beat a DUI. If we are the criminal defense attorneys for you, ask us about our attorney payment plans.

Call our DUI defense lawyers NOW, 24-7, for an initial case review and FREE legal advice: 404-567-5515, or email our criminal justice attorneys.