BAC Chart for Men and Women
A BAC chart, also called a blood alcohol content chart, shows your estimated blood alcohol concentration for your weight and the number of drinks you had in one hour. The charts below cover 100 to 260 pounds and 1 to 10 drinks, for men and women. The legal limit for driving is 0.08 in most U.S. states.
How to Read the BAC Chart
Find your weight in the left column and the number of drinks across the top. The number where they meet is your estimated peak BAC. One drink is a standard drink: a 12 oz beer at 5%, a 5 oz glass of wine at 12%, or a 1.5 oz shot of 80-proof liquor. The charts assume all of the drinks are spread evenly over one hour. The same drinks over more time give a lower peak.
- 0.00–0.04% Relaxed
- 0.04–0.08% Buzzed
- 0.08–0.12% Illegal
- 0.12–0.16% Very Drunk
- 0.16%+ Blackout Risk
BAC Chart for Men: Blood Alcohol Content by Weight
Estimated peak BAC for drinks spread evenly over one hour.
| Weight | 1 drink | 2 drinks | 3 drinks | 4 drinks | 5 drinks | 6 drinks | 7 drinks | 8 drinks | 10 drinks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 lb (45 kg) | 0.029 | 0.052 | 0.091 | 0.129 | 0.168 | 0.206 | 0.245 | 0.283 | 0.360 |
| 120 lb (54 kg) | 0.023 | 0.040 | 0.072 | 0.104 | 0.136 | 0.168 | 0.200 | 0.232 | 0.296 |
| 140 lb (64 kg) | 0.019 | 0.033 | 0.061 | 0.090 | 0.118 | 0.146 | 0.175 | 0.203 | 0.260 |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 0.017 | 0.029 | 0.055 | 0.082 | 0.108 | 0.134 | 0.161 | 0.187 | 0.240 |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | 0.015 | 0.025 | 0.050 | 0.074 | 0.099 | 0.124 | 0.148 | 0.173 | 0.222 |
| 200 lb (91 kg) | 0.014 | 0.022 | 0.045 | 0.068 | 0.091 | 0.114 | 0.137 | 0.161 | 0.206 |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 0.013 | 0.020 | 0.041 | 0.063 | 0.085 | 0.106 | 0.128 | 0.150 | 0.193 |
| 240 lb (109 kg) | 0.012 | 0.017 | 0.038 | 0.058 | 0.079 | 0.099 | 0.119 | 0.140 | 0.181 |
| 260 lb (118 kg) | 0.011 | 0.015 | 0.035 | 0.054 | 0.073 | 0.093 | 0.112 | 0.131 | 0.170 |
BAC Chart for Women: Blood Alcohol Content by Weight
Estimated peak BAC for drinks spread evenly over one hour.
| Weight | 1 drink | 2 drinks | 3 drinks | 4 drinks | 5 drinks | 6 drinks | 7 drinks | 8 drinks | 10 drinks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 lb (45 kg) | 0.032 | 0.057 | 0.100 | 0.142 | 0.185 | 0.227 | 0.269 | 0.312 | 0.397 |
| 120 lb (54 kg) | 0.028 | 0.051 | 0.090 | 0.129 | 0.168 | 0.207 | 0.246 | 0.285 | 0.363 |
| 140 lb (64 kg) | 0.026 | 0.045 | 0.081 | 0.118 | 0.154 | 0.190 | 0.226 | 0.263 | 0.335 |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 0.023 | 0.040 | 0.074 | 0.108 | 0.142 | 0.176 | 0.209 | 0.243 | 0.311 |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | 0.021 | 0.036 | 0.068 | 0.100 | 0.131 | 0.163 | 0.194 | 0.226 | 0.289 |
| 200 lb (91 kg) | 0.019 | 0.032 | 0.062 | 0.092 | 0.122 | 0.151 | 0.181 | 0.211 | 0.271 |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 0.018 | 0.029 | 0.057 | 0.085 | 0.114 | 0.142 | 0.170 | 0.198 | 0.254 |
| 240 lb (109 kg) | 0.017 | 0.026 | 0.053 | 0.080 | 0.106 | 0.133 | 0.159 | 0.186 | 0.239 |
| 260 lb (118 kg) | 0.015 | 0.024 | 0.049 | 0.074 | 0.099 | 0.125 | 0.150 | 0.175 | 0.226 |
Women reach a higher BAC than men at the same weight. On average women have less body water per pound, so the same amount of alcohol is more concentrated in the blood.
How Many Drinks Does It Take to Reach 0.08?
With the drinks spread evenly over one hour, this is how many standard drinks it takes to reach 0.08:
| Weight | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 120 lb (54 kg) | 3.3 drinks in 1 hour | 2.8 drinks in 1 hour |
| 140 lb (64 kg) | 3.7 drinks in 1 hour | 3.0 drinks in 1 hour |
| 160 lb (73 kg) | 4.0 drinks in 1 hour | 3.3 drinks in 1 hour |
| 180 lb (82 kg) | 4.3 drinks in 1 hour | 3.4 drinks in 1 hour |
| 200 lb (91 kg) | 4.5 drinks in 1 hour | 3.6 drinks in 1 hour |
| 220 lb (100 kg) | 4.8 drinks in 1 hour | 3.8 drinks in 1 hour |
Impairment starts well below 0.08. You can be charged with a DUI below the limit if you are impaired, and the limit in Utah is lower, at 0.05.
How Long Does It Take to Sober Up?
Your body clears alcohol at a steady pace. Our calculator assumes about 0.015 BAC per hour, so going from 0.08 to zero takes about 5.3 hours. Coffee, cold showers, and food do not speed it up. See how long being drunk lasts for more.
Why Your BAC Might Differ From the Chart
- Timing: Drinking faster raises the peak, and drinking slower lowers it. These charts spread the drinks over one hour.
- Drink size and strength: A tall can or a heavy pour is more than one drink. Check with the standard drink calculator.
- Your body: Food, medications, and individual differences change how alcohol affects you.
For your own weight, sex, drinks, and times, use the BAC calculator. It graphs your BAC over time and shows when you will be under 0.08 and back to zero.
BAC Chart FAQ
What is a BAC chart (blood alcohol content chart)?
A BAC chart is a table of estimated blood alcohol concentration by body weight and number of drinks. Find your weight in the left column and the number of drinks across the top to read your estimated peak BAC. The chart assumes the drinks are spread evenly over one hour.
What BAC is the legal limit?
A BAC of 0.08% is the legal limit for driving in most U.S. states, and Utah’s limit is 0.05%. You can also be charged with a DUI below the limit if you are impaired.
How many drinks does it take to reach 0.08 BAC?
In one hour, about 4 standard drinks for a 160 pound man and about 3 for a 160 pound woman. A 120 pound woman reaches 0.08 in about 3 drinks. See the table above for other weights.
Why is BAC higher for women than men at the same weight?
On average, women have less body water per pound than men, so the same amount of alcohol is more concentrated in the blood. The chart for women shows higher BAC at every weight.
Does the chart work for wine, liquor, and shots?
Yes, if you count standard drinks: a 12 oz beer at 5%, a 5 oz glass of wine at 12%, or a 1.5 oz shot of 80-proof liquor each count as one. Stronger drinks absorb faster, so the peak can run a little higher. For a specific drink, use the BAC calculator.
How is this BAC chart different from other charts?
It uses the same model as our BAC calculator, which includes how quickly alcohol absorbs and how quickly the body clears it, about 0.015 BAC per hour. The drinks are spread evenly over one hour. Charts that ignore timing can show higher numbers.
How long does it take to go from 0.08 to zero?
About 5.3 hours. The calculator assumes your BAC falls about 0.015 per hour, and it varies from person to person.
How accurate is a BAC chart?
A chart is an estimate. Real BAC also depends on food, how fast you drink, medications, and your body. Never use a chart to decide whether you are safe to drive.