Determine the exact date you or someone else will reach the legal age to purchase or consume alcohol.
18 (UK, Australia, parts of Europe/Canada)
19 (Parts of Canada, South Korea)
20 (Japan, Iceland, Thailand)
21 (United States, etc.)
Eligibility Result
How to Calculate Your Legal Drinking Date
Calculating the legal drinking age date is more than just adding years to a calendar. Depending on the jurisdiction, the exact moment of eligibility can vary. This tool uses the Gregorian calendar to project the anniversary of your birth based on the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) provided.
For example, if you were born on January 15, 2005, and the legal drinking age is 21, your legal drinking date is January 15, 2026. On this day, you are legally considered an adult for the purposes of alcohol consumption and purchase in the United States.
Global Legal Drinking Ages
While 21 is the standard in the United States, different countries have established different thresholds:
18 Years Old: Most common worldwide, including the United Kingdom, Mexico, Australia, and most of Europe.
19 Years Old: Most provinces in Canada (except Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec which are 18).
21 Years Old: United States, Iraq, Oman, and several other nations.
No Minimum Age: Some countries have no laws regarding the consumption of alcohol, though they may have laws regarding the sale of it.
Example Calculations
To help you understand how the math works, here are a few scenarios:
Scenario A: Born March 10, 2008. Age 18 reached on March 10, 2026.
Scenario B: Born October 31, 2003. Age 21 reached on October 31, 2024.
Scenario C (Leap Year): Born February 29, 2004. Age 21 reached on February 28 or March 1, 2025 (depending on state law, usually March 1st).
Important Legal Disclaimer
Laws regarding alcohol consumption and purchase are subject to change and vary by state, province, and local municipality. This calculator is for informational purposes only. Always carry a valid, government-issued photo ID to prove your age at any establishment where alcohol is served or sold.
function calculateDrinkingAge() {
var birthDateVal = document.getElementById("birthDate").value;
var ageVal = document.getElementById("legalAge").value;
var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result");
var resultText = document.getElementById("resultText");
var targetDateSpan = document.getElementById("targetDate");
var countdownDiv = document.getElementById("countdown");
var statusDiv = document.getElementById("currentStatus");
if (!birthDateVal) {
alert("Please select a valid birth date.");
return;
}
var dob = new Date(birthDateVal);
var targetDate = new Date(dob);
// Logic to add years
targetDate.setFullYear(dob.getFullYear() + parseInt(ageVal));
// Handle Leap Year edge case (Feb 29)
// If original was Feb 29 and new year isn't leap, JS moves it to March 1 automatically
var today = new Date();
today.setHours(0, 0, 0, 0); // Reset time for accurate comparison
var options = { weekday: 'long', year: 'numeric', month: 'long', day: 'numeric' };
var formattedDate = targetDate.toLocaleDateString(undefined, options);
resultDiv.style.display = "block";
resultText.innerHTML = "You will reach the age of " + ageVal + " on:";
targetDateSpan.innerHTML = formattedDate;
// Calculate difference
var diffTime = targetDate – today;
var diffDays = Math.ceil(diffTime / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
if (diffDays <= 0) {
statusDiv.innerHTML = "Status: Legally of Age";
statusDiv.className = "status-msg status-legal";
countdownDiv.innerHTML = "You reached this milestone " + Math.abs(diffDays) + " days ago.";
} else {
statusDiv.innerHTML = "Status: Underage";
statusDiv.className = "status-msg status-minor";
countdownDiv.innerHTML = "Only " + diffDays + " days remaining until your legal drinking date!";
}
// Scroll to result smoothly
resultDiv.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}