Zero Tolerance for Drivers Under 21

Key points

1. Under 21, driving with any measurable alcohol in your blood or breath is unlawful.

   Source: Handbook p. 67

   “for any person under 21 years of age to drive, operate or be in actual physical control (APC) of a motor vehicle within our state who: ■ Has ANY measurable quantity of alcohol in the person’s blood or breath”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 67

2. A first zero tolerance offense or test refusal means revocation for 6 months.

   Source: Handbook p. 67

   “the revocation would be for a period of SIX MONTHS.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 67

3. Refusing the breath or blood test also brings a zero tolerance revocation, 6 months for a first offense.

   Source: Handbook p. 67

   “refusal of the breath or blood test or a measurable amount of BAC, the revocation would be for a period of SIX MONTHS.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 67

4. If you are under 16, the cancellation is extended until you turn 16.

   Source: Handbook p. 67

   “Service Oklahoma shall extend the cancellation until you are 16 years of age.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 67

5. A second zero tolerance offense or refusal means revocation for 12 months.

   Source: Handbook p. 67

   “the second revocation would be for a period of 12 MONTHS.”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 67

6. Under 18, a court can cancel or deny your license for 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years or until age 21, whichever is longer.

   Source: Handbook p. 67

   “PENALTIES FOR PERSONS UNDER 18 At the discretion of the court, a period of: ■ 6 months ■ 1 year ■ 2 years or until the person attains the age of 21 years, whichever period of time is longer”
   Oklahoma Driver Manual, Handbook p. 67

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Oklahoma practice test

1. 1. What alcohol condition violates Oklahoma's Zero Tolerance Law for a driver under 21?

   1. Only alcohol combined with a traffic collision
   2. Only a BAC of 0.02 or higher
   3. Only a BAC of 0.08 or higher
   4. Any measurable quantity in the blood or breath
   Show answer

   Any measurable quantity in the blood or breath. Oklahoma's under 21 rule prohibits driving, operating, or being in actual physical control with any measurable quantity of alcohol in the person's blood or breath when tested. It does not wait for 0.02 or 0.08, and a collision is not required. The word measurable is the exam cue: a small detected amount is enough for this special rule, even though adult criminal and administrative thresholds use different figures.

2. 2. After a first Zero Tolerance conviction or offense, how long is the Oklahoma license revocation period?

   1. 30 days
   2. Six months
   3. Twelve months
   4. Two years
   Show answer

   Six months. The first listed Zero Tolerance revocation period is six months. Twelve months belongs to the second conviction or offense, while two years is not the first-offense period in this section. Thirty days appears elsewhere in the manual as a suspension period in another alcohol-related context, so it is an especially tempting mix-up. When studying this chart, connect first offense with six months and second offense with twelve months.

3. 3. What BAC level causes an Oklahoma driver's license to be revoked even without a DUI court conviction?

   1. 0.05 or more for every driver
   2. 0.10 or more unless a crash occurred
   3. 0.08 or more, or any measurable amount for a driver under 21
   4. Only a BAC above 0.15
   Show answer

   0.08 or more, or any measurable amount for a driver under 21. Oklahoma treats a BAC of 0.08 or more as a license revocation threshold, even when the court does not convict the driver of DUI. A driver younger than 21 faces the stricter rule: any measurable alcohol amount can trigger revocation. The 0.05 figure in another choice is relevant evidence that driving ability may be impaired, but it is not the stated automatic license threshold. A useful memory cue is to separate the adult 0.08 rule from the under 21 zero tolerance rule before choosing a number.

Source: the Oklahoma Driver Manual, Chapter 12: Alcohol, Drugs and Driving. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.