Addiction Recovery - Drug and Alcohol
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System?
How long does alcohol stay in your system? Learn detection times for breath, urine, blood, and hair tests, plus what affects elimination speed and when to get help.
Alcohol typically leaves your bloodstream within 12–24 hours for most people, but detection windows vary by test type. A breathalyzer can detect alcohol for up to 24 hours, urine tests for 12–80 hours (depending on the test), and hair tests for up to 90 days. Your body metabolizes alcohol at roughly one standard drink per hour, but factors like weight, liver health, food intake, and drinking frequency significantly affect clearance time.
Your liver processes alcohol at about 0.015% BAC per hour, you can't speed this up.
Feeling sober doesn't mean alcohol has left your system.
Detection windows depend on the test: breath (24 hours), urine (12–80 hours), blood (12 hours), hair (90 days).
Factors like body weight, sex, liver function, and hydration affect how long alcohol stays detectable.
Drinking water or coffee won't eliminate alcohol faster, only time does.
When to Get Urgent Help:
You've been drinking heavily for days and feel shaky, confused, or nauseous when you stop (possible
Someone is unresponsive, vomiting while unconscious, breathing slowly, or has cold/clammy skin (call 911, possible alcohol poisoning).
You're experiencing severe anxiety, hallucinations, or seizures after stopping drinking (call emergency services).
What Happens When You Drink Alcohol?
When you drink, alcohol enters your bloodstream through your stomach and small intestine. Your liver metabolizes about 90% of it using enzymes (primarily alcohol dehydrogenase). The remaining 10% leaves through breath, sweat, and urine.
Your liver can process approximately one standard drink per hour:
12 oz beer (5% ABV)
5 oz wine (12% ABV)
1.5 oz spirits (40% ABV)
If you drink faster than your liver can process, alcohol accumulates in your bloodstream, raising your blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Understanding what makes alcohol addictive can help explain why some people struggle to moderate their intake.
How Long Does Alcohol Stay in Your System by Test Type?
Test Type | Detection Window | What It Measures |
Breathalyzer | Up to 24 hours | Alcohol in breath/lungs |
Blood test | 6–12 hours | Current BAC |
Urine test (standard EtG) | 12–48 hours | Alcohol metabolites |
Urine test (advanced EtG) | Up to 80 hours | Ethyl glucuronide (metabolite) |
Saliva test | 12–24 hours | Alcohol in saliva |
Hair follicle test | Up to 90 days | Ethyl glucuronide in hair |
Important: EtG (ethyl glucuronide) tests are highly sensitive and can detect alcohol consumption days after your last drink, even from non-beverage sources like mouthwash or hand sanitizer.
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Factors That Affect How Long Alcohol Stays in Your System
Body weight and composition: People with higher body fat retain alcohol longer.
Sex: Women typically metabolize alcohol more slowly than men due to lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase.
Age: Older adults metabolize alcohol more slowly.
Liver health: Liver damage (from chronic drinking or disease) slows alcohol processing. Learn more about
signs your liver is healing if you've recently stopped drinking.
Food intake: Drinking on an empty stomach increases absorption speed and peak BAC.
Drinking speed and amount: Binge drinking overwhelms your liver's capacity.
Hydration: Dehydration can slow elimination, but drinking water doesn't speed up metabolism.
Medications: Some drugs (like acetaminophen or certain antibiotics) interfere with alcohol metabolism.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), individual variation in alcohol metabolism can be significant, with genetic factors playing an important role.
How Long Until You Can Drive Safely?
Short answer: Wait at least one hour per drink, but use a breathalyzer or wait longer if uncertain. We recommend not driving at all if you've been drinking, be safe and take public transportation.
Feeling sober is not the same as being sober. Even if you feel fine, alcohol may still impair reaction time, judgment, and coordination. Most states define legal intoxication as a BAC of 0.08% or higher, but impairment begins at lower levels.
Safe rule of thumb:
After 1 drink: wait 2 hours
After 2 drinks: wait 4 hours
After 3+ drinks: wait 6+ hours or use a personal breathalyzer
If you drank heavily the night before, you may still be over the legal limit the next morning. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that impaired driving remains a leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States.
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Can You Speed Up Alcohol Elimination?
No. Your liver metabolizes alcohol at a fixed rate, about 0.015% BAC per hour. Common myths don't work:
Myth | Fact |
Drinking water flushes alcohol out | Water helps with hydration but doesn't speed metabolism |
Coffee sobers you up | Caffeine makes you feel more alert but doesn't lower BAC |
Eating after drinking helps | Food slows absorption if eaten before drinking, but doesn't speed elimination |
Exercising burns off alcohol | Sweating eliminates less than 2% of alcohol; your liver does the work |
Cold showers or fresh air help | These may wake you up but don't reduce BAC |
The only thing that clears alcohol from your system is time. If you're looking for ways to sober up fast, it's important to understand what actually works versus dangerous myths.
What to Expect: Timeline of Alcohol Leaving Your Body
Within 1 hour: Peak BAC is reached (if drinking stopped). 1–3 hours: BAC begins dropping at ~0.015% per hour. 6–12 hours: Most alcohol is eliminated from blood; you may still test positive on breath or urine. 12–24 hours: Alcohol typically undetectable on standard breath/blood tests. 24–80 hours: Metabolites (EtG) may still show in advanced urine tests. Up to 90 days: Hair tests can detect past alcohol use.
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Treatment Options If You're Concerned About Your Drinking
If you're Googling this because you're worried about passing a test, or because you're drinking more than you intended, it may be time to talk to someone. Many people wonder, "I drink every night, am I an alcoholic?" If this sounds familiar, professional guidance can help.
Levels of care:
Detox (medical): 3–7 days, medically supervised withdrawal for heavy drinkers to prevent seizures or DTs. Learn about how to detox from alcohol safely.
Residential treatment: 30–90 days, 24/7 support with therapy, group work, and medical care.
Partial Hospitalization (PHP): 6 hours/day, 5–7 days/week, structured treatment while living at home or in sober living.
Intensive Outpatient (IOP): 3 hours/day, 3–5 days/week, therapy and group support around work/school.
Outpatient therapy: 1–2 sessions/week, ongoing support and relapse prevention.
Therapies that help:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
12-step facilitation or SMART Recovery groups
Medications that help:
Naltrexone (reduces cravings)
Acamprosate (helps maintain abstinence)
Disulfiram (causes unpleasant reaction if you drink)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does alcohol stay in your urine? 12–48 hours on standard tests; up to 80 hours on EtG tests.
Will I pass a breathalyzer the morning after drinking? It depends on how much you drank. If you had 5+ drinks, you may still be over the legal limit 8–12 hours later.
Can alcohol be detected in a hair test? Yes, for up to 90 days. Hair tests detect a metabolite called ethyl glucuronide (EtG).
Does drinking water help you pass a drug test? No. Drinking water dilutes urine but doesn't speed up alcohol metabolism. Labs can detect diluted samples.
How long does alcohol affect your liver? Your liver begins processing alcohol immediately, but chronic heavy drinking can cause lasting damage (fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis).
Can mouthwash cause a positive alcohol test? Yes. Some mouthwashes contain alcohol and can trigger a positive EtG test. Avoid alcohol-based products if being tested.
How long until alcohol is completely out of my system? For most people, alcohol and its metabolites are undetectable after 24–80 hours, depending on the test.
Can I drink the night before a blood test? It's best to avoid alcohol for 24 hours before any medical test, as it can affect liver enzymes and blood sugar levels.
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What to Do Next
If you're reading this because you're concerned about a test, the safest answer is: wait. Only time eliminates alcohol from your system.
If you're reading this because you're worried about how much you're drinking, you're not alone, and help is available. Talk to our admissions team: We can help you figure out if you need detox, outpatient support, or just a conversation. No pressure, no judgment.
We’re Here To Help You Find Your Way
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, there is hope. Our team can guide you on your journey to recovery. Call us today.
Written by
The Edge Treatment Center
Reviewed by
Jeremy ArztChief Clinical Officer
Addiction Recovery
Drug and Alcohol
December 27, 2025