Alcohol and drugs
You are 40 years old and on DUI probation. At what blood alcohol concentration (BAC) does it become illegal for you to drive?
- 0.01% or higher. Correct answer
- 0.08% or higher.
- 0.04% or higher.
Why
DUI probation puts you on the strictest line in the handbook and your age does not soften it: 0.01% or higher, at any age. That is the same figure the handbook sets for drivers under 21, so while you are on probation the ordinary adult allowance simply does not apply to you. The 0.08% answer is that ordinary adult limit, and 0.04% is the one for a vehicle requiring a commercial driver's license or for driving a passenger for hire. All DUI convictions remain on your driver record for 10 years, and if you pick up another DUI during that time the court or DMV may add a penalty on top.
Where this comes from
California Driver's Handbook, June 2025 edition. The correct answer is 0.01% or higher.
The rule behind this one
California alcohol and drug rules for drivers goes through the whole topic, with the page of the California Driver's Handbook behind every rule.
More on alcohol and drugs
- A friend is driving and you are in the passenger seat of their car. May you drink a beer?
- You are convicted of a DUI in California. What does DMV do to your driving privilege, and what must you do?
- You are arrested for DUI and the officer takes your driver's license. What are you given instead, and for how long?
- You have been arrested for DUI and want a DMV administrative hearing. By when must you ask for one?