Answer 3 quick questions about your drinking habits to get your AUDIT-C score. Enter how often you drink, how many drinks on a typical day, and how often you have 6 or more drinks at once — then see your score and what it means for your alcohol use risk level.
AUDIT-C Score
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Risk Level
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What This Means
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The AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption) is a 3-item screening tool adapted from the full 10-question AUDIT test. It helps identify individuals who drink hazardously, harmfully, or who may have alcohol use disorder. It is widely used in clinical and primary care settings.
Anyone curious about their drinking habits can use this calculator. It is particularly helpful for adults who want to understand whether their alcohol consumption falls within safe limits or may be putting their health at risk. Healthcare providers also use it as a quick clinical screening tool.
The AUDIT-C score is the sum of points from three questions: drinking frequency (0–4 points), typical drinks per drinking day (0–4 points), and frequency of heavy drinking occasions (0–4 points). The maximum score is 12, with higher scores indicating greater alcohol-related risk.
For men, a score of 4 or more is considered a positive screen for hazardous drinking or active alcohol use disorder. For women, the threshold is 3 or more. Scores of 7–12 suggest increasing to high-risk drinking patterns. If all points come from Question 1 alone (drinking frequency), drinking may still be within recommended limits.
General guidelines suggest that low-risk drinking is up to 14 standard drinks per week for men and up to 7 for women, with no more than 4 drinks on any single day for men and 3 for women. However, 'safe' varies by individual health factors, and some people should avoid alcohol entirely.
A positive AUDIT-C screen does not automatically mean you have an alcohol use disorder (alcoholism). It indicates your drinking pattern may be hazardous and worth discussing with a healthcare professional. A doctor can conduct a fuller evaluation and recommend appropriate next steps or support.
The AUDIT-C is a validated and widely used screening tool with good sensitivity for detecting hazardous and harmful drinking. However, it is a screening instrument, not a diagnostic test. Results should always be interpreted in the context of a full clinical assessment by a qualified healthcare provider.
The full AUDIT test has 10 questions covering consumption, dependence symptoms, and alcohol-related harms. The AUDIT-C uses only the first 3 consumption questions, making it faster to complete while still being effective for initial screening. If your AUDIT-C score is positive, a clinician may follow up with the complete AUDIT.