Calculate a 0 to 12 AUDIT-C screening score using the US original or UK questionnaire. Optional actual intake averages give a weekly estimate; a previous score from the same version gives a point comparison.
AUDIT-C Score Formula
The AUDIT-C score is the sum of your answers to three questions about how you drink. Each question is scored from 0 to 4, so the total runs from 0 to 12.
AUDIT-C = Q1 + Q2 + Q3
Screening answer categories do not determine an exact weekly amount. The optional weekly estimate uses separately entered actual average drinking days and amount per drinking day.
Weekly amount = actual average drinking days per week * actual average amount per drinking day
- AUDIT-C = total consumption score, from 0 to 12.
- Q1 = how often you drink (frequency), scored 0 to 4.
- Q2 = how many drinks you have on a typical drinking day (amount), scored 0 to 4.
- Q3 = heavy-occasion frequency, scored 0 to 4. The US original question uses six US standard drinks; UK mode uses six UK units for females or eight for males.
- Actual average drinking days and actual average amount per drinking day = optional user-reported inputs. US standard drinks and UK units are different; re-enter the amount in the selected version’s unit.
Choose the questionnaire version before answering. US original mode uses US standard drinks (14 g alcohol); UK mode uses UK units (10 mL, about 8 g alcohol) and its own heavy-occasion question. The score, cutoff and interpretation use that selected version. A positive screen or concerning drinking pattern warrants clinical assessment. No score or weekly amount establishes that drinking is safe.
AUDIT-C Score Interpretation
The total maps to a risk level. The bands below are the Public Health England thresholds. A total of 5 or more is a positive screen in that system.
| Score | Risk level | What it suggests |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 4 | Lower risk | Below the increasing-risk threshold |
| 5 to 7 | Increasing risk | Positive screen; a full AUDIT is often the next step |
| 8 to 10 | Higher risk | Higher-risk screen; clinical assessment is advised |
| 11 to 12 | Possible dependence | Full assessment for alcohol dependence is advised |
US clinical practice uses a lower, sex-specific cutoff than the UK 5-point threshold. A score of 4 or more is a positive screen for men, and 3 or more is positive for women. The lower cutoff for women reflects the lower drinking level at which risk rises. The questionnaire versions also use different units and heavy-occasion questions. Re-answer when switching versions; their scores should not be treated as interchangeable.
For an optional weekly estimate, enter actual average days per week and the actual average amount per drinking day. Broad categories such as “4 or more” and “10 or more” do not identify single values. The estimate does not diagnose alcohol use disorder or establish a safe drinking limit.
| Weekly estimate input | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Actual average drinking days per week | 0 to 7; do not substitute a midpoint from Q1 |
| Actual average amount per drinking day | US standard drinks or UK units, matching the selected questionnaire |
| Weekly estimate | Multiply these actual averages; blank inputs omit the estimate |
AUDIT-C Example Problems
Example 1. A woman drinks on 4 or 5 nights a week, so Q1 scores 4. On a drinking night she has 3 or 4 drinks, so Q2 scores 1. She never has six or more on one occasion, so Q3 scores 0. The total is 4 + 1 + 0 = 5. For a woman the cutoff is 3, so this is a positive screen. The answers alone do not determine weekly intake. If separate actual averages were 5 days and 3.5 US standard drinks, the weekly estimate would be 17.5 US standard drinks.
Example 2. A man drinks 4 or more times a week, so Q1 scores 4, but he only has 1 or 2 drinks each time, so Q2 scores 0, and he never has six or more at once, so Q3 scores 0. The total is 4, which is a positive screen for a man. Every point comes from frequency. That does not remove the positive screen or establish a safe weekly intake. Actual amounts and other clinical context need review; the score is not a diagnosis.
AUDIT-C FAQ
What is a positive AUDIT-C score?
In US clinical use, a total of 4 or more for men and 3 or more for women is a positive screen for hazardous drinking or a possible alcohol use disorder. The UK system uses a single cutoff of 5 or more. A positive screen does not mean you have a disorder; it means your drinking is worth a closer look and a conversation with a clinician.
Does the AUDIT-C diagnose an alcohol use disorder?
No. The AUDIT-C measures how much and how often you drink, which is why it is called the consumption test. It is a screen, not a diagnosis. A diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder needs a clinician who can take a full history and apply diagnostic criteria. A positive AUDIT-C is a reason to complete the full 10-question AUDIT or to talk with a health professional.
What does it mean if all my points come from the first question?
Frequency alone can meet a screening cutoff. Review actual recent amounts and clinical context with a health professional. Zero points on Q2 means the lowest response category, not necessarily zero alcohol; the screen does not establish that intake is safe.
