Source: Alex Ranaldi
Every country has different laws. If you plan to visit Spain, make sure you know some of its simple laws just like the legal drinking age to avoid going to the police station while on vacation. Here are some things to know about the drinking age:
1. The legal drinking age in Spain is 18 years old
Source: Sarah McDevitt
The legal alcohol drinking age of Spain was used to be 16 years of age but then there are a lot of incidents of teenagers getting drunk and wasted so on 2009 they changed the law and it made the legal drinking age of the whole country as 18 years of age.
2. You can drink alcohol at a restaurant if you’re with older people
Source: Ambernambrose
The law applies to the restaurant as well but you can do it as long as you are supervised by older people. The waiters cannot intervene if you mum ordered it and then gave it to you but be sure to don’t overdo it and take advantage of it. The restaurant could be fined.
3. Those under the age of 16 may purchase beer or wine if accompanied by parents
Source: Dushan Hanuska
If children under the age of 16 who wants to try the wines in Spain, then a parent or an older person would proxy the person under 16 to buy alcoholic beverage. The law does state that it is illegal for minors to buy alcoholic beverages but the law does not make any reference about drinking inside homes.
4. Any establishment selling or serving alcohol to minors under the age of 18 will be fined
Source: Simon Law
According to the law selling or serving alcohol to minors under the age of 18 will be fined with a minumum penalty of 30,000 Euros and a maximum penalty of 600,000 Euros.
5. It’s okay to let minors have a taste
Source: Marni Joyce
As we all know, Spain is famous for its high-quality wine production so it wouldn’t hurt to let minors just to have a sip, so they would know what it tastes like. The law is about buying or selling any alcoholic beverages to minors but if the parent is the one who gave it, it is an exemption but just a minimal amount enough for minors to taste.
6. Usually, bartenders and sales people are not really concerned
Source: Kimery Davis
I am not saying it is totally okay to drink alcoholic beverages if you are a minor but if you look older than your age, bartenders usually won’t ask for your age or your identification card. But you still have to be careful. Better safe than sorry.
7. There is another law that does not allow stores to sell drinks after 10:00pm
Source: Jing
Well, if there is a law about minors being forbidden to buy alcoholic beverage, then there is also a law that forbids store to sell drinks after 10:00pm to avoid “botellion”. It is a Spanish phenomenon where there is a street party with lots of noisy drunken people, disturbing neighbors, and damaging public places.
8. Legal alcohol drinking age in Spain is a federal law
Source: Matthew
In Spain, every state or region should follow the law about the legal drinking age of 18 years old. No exemption.
9. Legal limit of blood alcohol content is 0.5 g/c
Source: Alice Salles
There is also a limit of blood alcohol content in each person and also the drivers. The expert drivers have the limitation of 250 microgrammes of alcohol per litre of breath and 150 microgrammes of alcohol per litre of breath for drivers who got their license for 2 years and below. This is to ensure road safety.
10. For 18 years old below, it is prohibited to buy but not prohibited to drink
Source: Gavin Schaefer
Note that the legal drinking age only prohibits 18 years old and under to buy alcoholic beverage but they are not prohibited to drink it. Therefore, it is perfectly okay to drink alcohol if you are below 18 years of age in Spain, only if you are not the one who bought it and if you consume it indoors.
Have a good trip and travel
