If you’re like many people, you know that the legal limit for drinking and driving in Wisconsin is 0.08 – that means if your blood-alcohol or breath-alcohol concentration is 8 percent, you’re likely to be hauled off to jail and charged with operating while intoxicated, or OWI. But the law is a little more detailed than that, so here’s what you need to know.
Wisconsin’s Legal Limits for Drinking and Driving
Wisconsin’s legal limit for most people is 0.08. However, if you have three or more prior OWI convictions, your legal limit is 0.02. And if you’re under the age of 21, you have to be completely sober – any alcohol in your system can earn you an OWI charge.
Related: 3 ways to get an OWI dismissed in Wisconsin
How Much Can You Drink Before You Hit the Legal Limit?
Generally, your body weight and biological sex have a lot to do with how alcohol concentrates in your body. The following tables outline about how many drinks you can have in one hour; a drink is classified as one beer, one shot of alcohol, or one glass of wine. Keep in mind that a shot of tequila and a Long Island iced tea contain vastly different amounts of alcohol – and remember, these are estimates and not exact measurements.
Table 1: Alcohol Chart for Men
Bolded numbers are over the legal limit.
Body Weight | 1 drink | 2 drinks | 3 drinks | 4 drinks | 5 drinks | 6 drinks |
120 lbs. | .031 | .063 | .094 | .125 | .156 | .188 |
130 lbs. | .029 | .058 | .087 | .116 | .145 | .174 |
140 lbs. | .027 | .054 | .080 | .107 | .134 | .161 |
150 lbs. | .025 | .050 | .075 | .100 | .125 | .151 |
160 lbs. | .023 | .047 | .070 | .094 | .117 | .141 |
170 lbs. | .022 | .045 | .066 | .088 | .110 | .132 |
180 lbs. | .021 | .042 | .063 | .083 | .104 | .125 |
190 lbs. | .020 | .040 | .059 | .079 | .099 | .119 |
200 lbs. | .019 | .038 | .056 | .075 | .094 | .113 |
210 lbs. | .018 | .036 | .053 | .071 | .090 | .107 |
220 lbs. | .017 | .034 | .051 | .068 | .085 | .102 |
Table 2: Alcohol Chart for Women
Bolded numbers are over the legal limit.
Body Weight | 1 drink | 2 drinks | 3 drinks | 4 drinks | 5 drinks | 6 drinks |
90 lbs. | .053 | .106 | .159 | .212 | .265 | .318 |
100 lbs. | .047 | .094 | .141 | .188 | .235 | .282 |
110 lbs. | .042 | .084 | .126 | .168 | .210 | .252 |
120 lbs. | .038 | .076 | .114 | .152 | .190 | .228 |
130 lbs. | .036 | .072 | .108 | .144 | .180 | .216 |
140 lbs. | .033 | .066 | .099 | .132 | .165 | .198 |
150 lbs. | .031 | .062 | .093 | .124 | .155 | .186 |
160 lbs. | .028 | .056 | .084 | .112 | .140 | .168 |
170 lbs. | .027 | .054 | .081 | .108 | .135 | .162 |
180 lbs. | .026 | .052 | .078 | .104 | .130 | .156 |
Do You Need to Talk to an Attorney About OWI Charges?
If you’ve been accused of operating while intoxicated, we may be able to help you. Call our office as soon as you can – we’re at 414-383-6700. You can schedule your free consultation with an experienced professional to get the legal advice you need.