<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Zambia </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal for any person with a liquor license, to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under 18 years of age . Before the Liquor Licensing Act was enacted in 2011, the minimum age to sell, serve and supply alcoholic beverages was 14 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Zimbabwe </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> It is illegal for any person to sell, lend, give, supply, deliver or offer alcoholic beverages to any child under the age of 16 years, except upon production of a written order signed by the parent or guardian of the child known to such person . The police has the duty to seize any alcoholice beverage in the possession of a child under the age of 16 years without a written consent of the parents or legal guardian . </Td> </Tr> <P> The minimum age to purchase and consume varies, but the most common age is 18 years . However, in North America the age limits varies between 18 and 21 years of age . Throughout the United States the minimum legal age to purchase any alcoholic beverage from a shop, supermarket, liquor store, bar, club or any other licensed premises is 21 years of age . In Canada each province can decide which minimum age limit is to be set to buy or consume alcohol . Most provinces have a minimum age of 19 years, while Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec have set a minimum age of 18 years . In South America all countries have set a minimum purchase age of 18 years, except for Guyana where minors aged 16 or 17 may consume a glass of beer, wine or cider in a restaurant provided they buy a meal, and Paraguay the only country with a minimum legal purchase and drinking age of 20 years . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Country </Th> <Th> State / region / province </Th> <Th_colspan="2"> De jure </Th> <Th> hide Notes </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Drinking age </Th> <Th> Purchase age </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Anguilla </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or serve alcoholic drinks to anyone under the age of 18 years . Violating the regulation is punished with a $9.600 fine . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Antigua and Barbuda </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> The sale and distribution of alcohol to a person under 16 years of age is illegal . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Argentina </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Bahamas </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal for any adult to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic beverage to a child (defined as anyone under the age of 18 years). The law provides an exception to treat an illness in urgent cases or upon order by a medical doctor . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Barbados </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or serve any alcoholic beverage to anyone under the age of 16 years . The President of the Barbados Road Safety Association is trying to raise the drinking age to 18 years because the law is often violated . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Belize </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> Drinking age is rarely enforced . IDs are almost never requested . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Bermuda </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or serve any alcoholic beverage to a child under the age of 18 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Bolivia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or serve alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of 18 years . Every sold alcoholic beverage has to have a warning message on the bottle or container reading: "VENTA PROHIBIDA A MENORES DE 18 AÑOS DE EDAD" (Sale prohibited to (anyone) under 18 years of age) and "EL CONSUMO EXCESIVO DE ALCOHOL ES DAÑINO PARA LA SALUD" (Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to (ones) health). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Brazil </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic beverage to a person under 18 years of age . The presidential law enacted on March 17, 2015 made any violation of the law a criminal offence . Any adult person selling, serving, giving or supplying alcoholic beverages to a minor is punished with imprisonment of 2 to 4 years, a fine of R $3.000 to R $10.000 and a ban to operate any business selling or serving alcohol . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> British Virgin Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or to supply alcohol to anyone under the age of 16 . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Canada </Td> <Td> Alberta Manitoba Quebec </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> In Alberta no person may give or sell or permit any person to give or sell liquor to a minor in licensed premises . In Manitoba a person must not give, sell or otherwise supply liquor to a minor . the law provides exceptions for a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or other health care professional for medical purposes; for sacramental purposes and by the parent, guardian, spouse or common - law partner, if it is given or supplied in a residence . In Quebec the law probits the sale of alcoholic beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Ontario Saskatchewan British Columbia Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Northwest Territories Yukon Nunavut </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 19 </Td> <Td> Ontario's Liquor Licence Act permits the supply and consumption of liquor to those under the age of 19 . However, supplying a person under the age of 19 is restricted to the person's parent, or legal guardian, and may only occur in a residence or in a private place of the parent or legal guardian . A person under the age of 19 who was supplied liquor in this manner is permitted to consume the liquor only at the place where it was supplied at . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Cayman Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> It is prohibited to sell, serve or supply alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 18 years . It is also illegal for any minor to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcoholic beverages . Violation of the lawis punished with a fine of five thousand dollars, and the court may, if the offence was committed by the licensee, order that the licensee shall forfeit his licence and that no licence may be issued to that person for a period not exceeding ten years from the date of his conviction . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Chile </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> The minimum age is 18 to enter an enclosure that sells alcoholic beverages . Selling alcohol to a minor may incur a fine . One must provide identification upon request . Residents of Chile over the age of 18 must carry their Chilean identification card issued by the Civil Registry and Identification Service at all times . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Colombia </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to a minor (anyone under the age of 18 years). It is not illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Costa Rica </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> The law prohibits the sale of alcohol to a minor (anyone under the age of 18 years). Selling alcohol to a minor will be punished with a fine equivalent to ten basic salaries . Whoever permits minors to maintain in any establishment which main purpose is to sell alcoholic beverages, will be sanctioned with a fine equivalent to five salaries . It is not illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Cuba </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> The penal code prohibits any adult to induce any young person under the age of 16 years, to habitually consume alcoholic beverages . However this means that de facto anyone selling, serving or supplying alcohol should check if the buyer has attained the age of 16 years . In most cases this law is not strictly enforced . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Dominican Republic </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Ecuador </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell alcohol beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years of age . The law obligates establishments to place a visible notice at the point of sale and to check identification to enforce the law . However it is not illegal for minors to buy, attempt to buy or consume alcohol . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> El Salvador </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is strictly prohibited to sell or serve alcoholic beverages to a minor under the age of 18 years . Violation of the law is punished with ¢ 25,000.00 and if convicted once more the license will be suspended for a period of six months . It is legal for minors to buy, attempt to buy and consume alcohol . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Falkland Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal for any adult to sell, give or provide alcohol to a minor under the age of 18 years in any public place or licensed premises . Parents may permit their children to consume alcohol on private premises . Minors consuming alcohol in public are committing a criminal offence . The law provides exceptions for the consumption of alcohol by minors for prescription of or at the direction of a government medical officer or in the course of the administration of Holy Communion according to the rites of any Christian denomination . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Grenada </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic drink to a minor under 18 years of age . Minors under 18 years are prohibited by law, to consume alcoholic beverages in public . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Guatemala </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell, serve or supply any alcoholic drink to a minor under 18 years of age . Minors under 18 years are prohibited by law, to consume alcoholic beverages in public . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Guyana </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 / 16 for beer, wine and cider with meal </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or serve alcohol to a person under 18 years of age . The law provides an exception for minors aged 16 and 17, if they consume a glass of beer, wine oder cider with a meal in a restaurant . Otherwise attempting to buy alcohol or buying alcohol as a minor is an offence . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Haiti </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or serve alcohol to minors from May 17, 2017 . Vendors are required to check identification . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Honduras </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Jamaica </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell or serve any alcoholic beverage to a child (which is defined as anyone under the age of 18 years). </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Mexico </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> The minimum age to buy and consume alcoholic beverages is regulated by each state of Mexico . But all states have set a minimum age of 18 years, and in no state it is illegal for minors to buy and consume alcohol . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Nicaragua </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 14 18 </Td> <Td> The law from 1980 prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors under the age of 18 years . Every point of sale or establishment serving alcohol, is required to post a notice stating that the sale of alcohol to minors under 18 years of age is illegal . However the law permits children as young as 14 to purchase and consume alcohol in a restaurant without further restrictions . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Panama </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Paraguay </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 20 </Td> <Td> According to Art . 1 ° of the law to "ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors", it is illegal to serve or sell alcohol or to allow the consumption by minors under 20 years of age . Furthermore, under Art 2 ° all public establishments selling alcohol must display a clearly legible notice in the sales area with the following text: "ESTA PROHIBIDA LA VENTA DE BEBIDAS ALCOHÓLICAS A MENORES DE VEINTE AÑOS DE EDAD" (It is illegal (prohibited) to sell alcoholic beverages to minors under 20 years of age) </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Peru </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Puerto Rico </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Saint Vincent and the Grenadines </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 16 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Trinidad and Tobago </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to sell, serve or supply alcoholiv beverages to child under the age of 18 years . It is also illegal for an adult to send a child to buy alcohol on behalf . It is not illegal for children to buy or consume alcohol . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Turks and Caicos Islands </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> It is illegal to serve or sell liquor to a young person under the age of eighteen years . Minors under the age of sixteen years may not present in a licensed premises mainly serving and selling alcoholic beverages . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> United States (50 states and integral territories) </Td> <Td> Varies by jurisdiction </Td> <Td> 21 </Td> <Td> The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 withholds revenue from states that allow the purchase of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21 . Prior to the effective date of that Act, the drinking age varied from state to state . Some states do not allow those under the legal drinking age to be present in liquor stores or in bars (usually, the difference between a bar and a restaurant is that food is served only in the latter). Contrary to popular belief, since the act went into law, only a few states prohibit minors and young adults from consuming alcohol in private settings . As of January 1, 2010, 15 states and the District of Columbia ban underage consumption outright, 17 states do not ban underage consumption, and the remaining 18 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage consumption laws . <P> Federal law explicitly provides for religious exceptions . As of 2005, 31 states have family member or location exceptions to their underage possession laws . However, non-alcoholic beer in many (but not all) states, such as Idaho, Texas, and Maryland, is considered legal for those under the age of 21 . </P> <P> By a judge's ruling, South Carolina appears to allow the possession and consumption of alcohol by adults 18 to 20 years of age, but a circuit court judge has said otherwise . </P> <P> The states of Washington and Wisconsin allows the consumption of alcohol in the presence of parents . </P> <P> Some U.S. states have legislation that make providing to and possession of alcohol by persons under twenty - one a gross misdemeanor with a potential penalty of a $5,000 fine or up to a year in jail . </P> See also: Minor in Possession and List of alcohol laws of the United States </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> United States Virgin Islands </Td> <Td_colspan="2"> 18 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Uruguay </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Only selling alcohol to minors under the age of 18 is prohibited, consumption and purchase by minors is not illegal . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Venezuela </Td> <Td> None </Td> <Td> 18 </Td> <Td> Only selling alcohol to minors under the age of 18 is prohibited, consumption and purchase by minors is not illegal . </Td> </Tr> </Table>

What is the legal age for drinking alcohol in usa