Report

Can you drive after alcohol-free beer?

By Alex Stewart

Updated 1 November 2026. Every figure links to its source below. How these pages are made.

Quick answerA 0.0% beer is sold as containing no alcohol (England's guidance lets 'alcohol free' drinks hold up to 0.05%). A 0.5% beer contains a trace: 0.22 units in a 440ml can. The government says it is impossible to say how many drinks equal the limit, and the Department for Transport's advice is to have none for the road. If you are driving, a 0.0% beer is the cautious choice.

The legal limits

Alcohol level	England, Wales, NI	Scotland
Micrograms per 100ml of breath	35	22
Milligrams per 100ml of blood	80	50
Milligrams per 100ml of urine	107	67

Source: GOV.UK. Scotland's lower limits have applied since 5 December 2014.

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What the government says

There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it's impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals - it's different for each person.

GOV.UK. THINK!, the Department for Transport's road safety campaign, goes further:

It is not possible to say how much alcohol you can drink and stay below the limit. ... So if you're driving, it's better to have none for the road.

Where alcohol-free beer fits

Drinkaware's advice is to avoid alcohol completely if you have to drive, and it suggests alcohol-free drinks as the safer option: "Choosing something non-alcoholic means you'll be safer to drive." A 0.5% beer is not legally alcohol for licensing purposes, but it is not zero. If you want certainty, pick a beer labelled 0.0%.

How much alcohol is in each

Drink	Units
440ml can at 0.0% to 0.05%	0 to 0.02
330ml can at 0.5%	0.17
440ml can at 0.5%	0.22
Pint of 4.4% lager	2.5

Where IMPOSSIBREW fits

IMPOSSIBREW, which publishes this site, is 0.5%: 0.22 units in a 440ml can. It is brewed for the evening at home, with a Social Blend of L-theanine, ashwagandha and magnesium, not for the drive home. If you are driving, choose a 0.0% beer.

This page explains the rules; it is not legal advice. If in doubt, do not drive.

FAQs

Can I drive after one alcohol-free beer?

A 0.0% beer is sold as containing no alcohol. A 0.5% beer contains a trace (0.22 units in a 440ml can). Official advice is that you cannot know how much keeps you under the limit, so if you are driving, pick 0.0%.

Will alcohol-free beer show on a breathalyser?

No official UK source checked here answers this directly. A 0.0% beer is sold as containing no alcohol; a 0.5% beer contains a trace. If you are driving, the cautious choice is 0.0%.

What is the drink-drive limit in Scotland?

22 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath, lower than the 35 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Sources

All read 1 November 2026 unless stated.