Alcohol — United Kingdom
What travelers need to know about alcohol in United Kingdom. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Alcohol in United Kingdom: prohibited — what is legal at home can be a serious crime here.
You must be 18 to buy alcohol in the UK. If you are 16 or 17 you can drink beer, wine or cider with a meal in a pub or restaurant, but only with an adult — and you still cannot buy it yourself.
Under-18s can be stopped, fined or arrested by police for drinking alcohol in public. It is also an offence for an adult to buy alcohol for someone under 18.
§ GOV.UKInto Great Britain you can bring 42 litres of beer and 18 litres of still wine duty-free, plus EITHER 4 litres of spirits over 22% OR 9 litres of drinks up to 22% (sparkling wine, port, sherry, cider).
Go over an allowance and you pay tax and duty on ALL the goods in that category, not just the excess — 19 litres of wine means duty on all 19. Undeclared goods can be seized.
§ GOV.UK (HMRC)Being drunk on a flight to or from the UK is strictly enforced — US officials warn it can lead to arrest and prison time.
Arrest and prison time, per the US State Department UK page.
§ US State Dept