AUDIT scoring Alcohol use test
AUDIT scoring: what your score means
The AUDIT is scored from 0 to 40: you add up the points from each answer, and the total lands in one of the severity bands below. A higher score means more frequent or intense symptoms over the period the test asks about — it’s a guide to whether a conversation with a professional is worth having, not a diagnosis.
| Score | Severity band | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0–7 | Low-risk range | Scores of 0–7 fall in the low-risk range for most adults. This suggests your drinking is unlikely to be harming your health right now — though "low risk" is not the same as "no risk", and the safest amount of alcohol is always less. |
| 8–15 | Increasing-risk range | Scores of 8–15 suggest drinking at a level that raises your risk of harm over time. Many people here feel fine day to day — which is exactly why this range is easy to miss. Small, deliberate changes tend to move it quickly. |
| 16–19 | Higher-risk range | Scores of 16–19 suggest drinking that is likely already affecting your health or life. This is the range where a conversation with a professional is genuinely worthwhile — not because something is wrong with you, but because support works best when it starts early. |
| 20–40 | Possible-dependence range | Scores of 20 or above suggest drinking consistent with possible alcohol dependence. Please treat this as a clear signal to talk to a professional — effective, well-studied help exists, and reaching out is a sign of strength, not failure. |
Get your AUDIT score
How to read your result
Treat the band as a starting point, not a label. Two people with the same score can be in very different places, which is exactly why the AUDIT is a screen and not a diagnosis. If your score suggests moderate symptoms or higher — or if a lower score still doesn’t match how you feel — bring it to a clinician. Re-taking in two weeks shows the trend, which often matters more than a single snapshot.