Enter number of standard drinks consumed.
1 drink = 12oz beer, 5oz wine, or 1.5oz liquor (14g alcohol each)
Enter your body weight in pounds.
Affects alcohol distribution and EtG peak level
Enter hours elapsed since your last drink.
Time since you finished drinking
Women have lower body water ratio (0.55 vs 0.68 for men)
Hydration affects urine concentration and EtG dilution
Most labs use 500 ng/mL to reduce incidental exposure positives
Hours Until EtG Clears
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⚠️ Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only. EtG detection times vary widely by individual. Do not use these results to make legal, medical, or employment decisions. The only guaranteed way to pass an EtG test is complete abstinence from alcohol. Consult a healthcare professional for guidance specific to your situation.
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Sources & Methodology
Calculations based on published pharmacokinetic research on EtG metabolism, SAMHSA advisory guidelines, and MUSC Clinical Neurobiology Laboratory EtG testing protocols.
MUSC Clinical Neurobiology Lab — EtG Testing Information
Medical University of South Carolina laboratory guidance on EtG detection windows, cutoff levels, and clinical interpretation
NIH/PMC — EtG and EtS Assays: Dose Ranging Alcohol Challenge Study
Peer-reviewed clinical trial measuring urinary EtG/EtS levels at timed intervals across multiple alcohol doses — the primary source for detection window data
Healthline — Urine Test for Alcohol: Types, Limits, Detection Windows
Clinical overview of EtG detection accuracy, cutoff levels, and factors affecting detection windows, citing NIAAA alcohol metabolism research
Formula: BAC = (drinks × 14g) ÷ (weight_lbs × 453.592 × gender_factor) × 100. Peak EtG = BAC × 10,000 ng/mL. EtG remaining = Peak EtG − (150 ng/mL/hr × hours_elapsed). Hours to clear = MAX(0, (EtG_remaining − cutoff) ÷ 150). Hydration factor adjusts EtG concentration: well-hydrated reduces by 20%, dehydrated increases by 15%. Maximum detection window capped at 80 hours per clinical literature.
⏱ Last reviewed: April 2026
How Long Does EtG Stay in Urine? (2026 Complete Guide)
EtG (ethyl glucuronide) is a direct metabolite produced when your liver processes ethanol. Unlike ethanol itself — which leaves your bloodstream within hours — EtG persists in urine for 24 to 80 hours after your last drink, making it the gold standard for detecting recent alcohol consumption in abstinence monitoring programs, courts, and workplace testing.
The detection window is not fixed. It depends on how much you drank, your body weight, biological sex, hydration level, liver function, and the sensitivity cutoff used by the testing lab. A single drink may clear in 24 hours at a 500 ng/mL cutoff, while heavy drinking (8+ drinks) can push detection to 72-80 hours or beyond.
The EtG Detection Formula Explained
Peak EtG (ng/mL) = BAC × 10,000
Step 1 — Calculate BAC: BAC = (drinks × 14g) ÷ (weight_lbs × 453.592 × gender_factor) × 100
Gender factor: Male = 0.68 | Female = 0.55
Step 2 — Peak EtG: Multiply BAC by 10,000 to get ng/mL
Step 3 — Hours to clear: (Peak EtG − cutoff) ÷ 150 ng/mL per hour
Worked example: 160 lb male, 4 drinks, 0 hours elapsed, 500 ng/mL cutoff
BAC = (4 × 14) ÷ (160 × 453.592 × 0.68) × 100 = 56 ÷ 49,190 × 100 = 0.114%
Peak EtG = 0.114 × 10,000 = 1,140 ng/mL
Hours to clear = (1,140 − 500) ÷ 150 = 4.3 more hours
Gender factor: Male = 0.68 | Female = 0.55
Step 2 — Peak EtG: Multiply BAC by 10,000 to get ng/mL
Step 3 — Hours to clear: (Peak EtG − cutoff) ÷ 150 ng/mL per hour
Worked example: 160 lb male, 4 drinks, 0 hours elapsed, 500 ng/mL cutoff
BAC = (4 × 14) ÷ (160 × 453.592 × 0.68) × 100 = 56 ÷ 49,190 × 100 = 0.114%
Peak EtG = 0.114 × 10,000 = 1,140 ng/mL
Hours to clear = (1,140 − 500) ÷ 150 = 4.3 more hours
EtG Detection Time by Drinking Amount
| Drinks | Peak EtG (est.) | 500 ng/mL cutoff | 100 ng/mL cutoff | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 drinks | 500–800 ng/mL | 0–24 hrs | 24–48 hrs | Low |
| 3–4 drinks | 900–1,400 ng/mL | 24–48 hrs | 48–60 hrs | Moderate |
| 5–6 drinks | 1,500–2,000 ng/mL | 48–60 hrs | 60–72 hrs | High |
| 7–8 drinks | 2,000–2,800 ng/mL | 60–72 hrs | 72–80 hrs | Very High |
| 8+ drinks | 2,800+ ng/mL | Up to 80 hrs | 80+ hrs | Very High |
Based on average 160 lb male. Individual results vary by weight, sex, liver function, and hydration.
EtG Cutoff Levels: 500 vs 100 ng/mL
Most courts, employers, and probation programs use a 500 ng/mL cutoff. At this threshold, the detection window is 24-72 hours for most drinking episodes. SAMHSA recommends this level to minimize false positives from incidental alcohol exposure (mouthwash, hand sanitizers, certain foods).
Strict abstinence monitoring programs (e.g., treatment centers, some drug courts) may use a 100 ng/mL cutoff, which significantly extends the detection window and can detect even single-drink consumption for 24-48 hours. At this level, mouthwash and alcohol-based hand sanitizers can occasionally trigger low positives below 300 ng/mL.
Factors That Affect How Long EtG Is Detectable
- Amount consumed: The single biggest factor. More alcohol = higher peak EtG = longer detection window.
- Body weight: Heavier individuals have larger volume of distribution — the same drinks produce lower BAC and lower peak EtG.
- Biological sex: Women have a lower body water ratio (55% vs 68% for men), resulting in higher BAC and higher peak EtG per drink.
- Hydration: Increased urine output dilutes EtG concentration. Drinking lots of water can dilute levels but may flag the sample as dilute (creatinine < 20 mg/dL).
- Liver function: Impaired liver function slows EtG elimination and extends the detection window significantly.
- Urinary tract infections: E. coli UTIs can degrade EtG and cause false-negative results — a reason why labs also test for EtS.
💡 Key fact: The 80-hour detection window applies to heavy drinking (8+ drinks). SAMHSA’s 2012 advisory explicitly warned against using EtG as the sole evidence of drinking in legal proceedings, citing that environmental ethanol exposure (mouthwash, hand sanitizers) can produce low positive results. A result above 1,000 ng/mL is generally interpreted as same-day or previous-day heavy drinking — not incidental exposure.
Frequently Asked Questions
EtG typically stays detectable in urine for 24 to 80 hours after drinking. Light drinking (1-2 drinks) usually clears in 24-48 hours at a 500 ng/mL cutoff. Heavy drinking (6+ drinks) can extend detection to 72-80 hours. The exact window depends on body weight, sex, hydration, liver function, and the test cutoff used by the lab.
At the standard 500 ng/mL cutoff: 1-2 drinks typically clear in 24-48 hours; 4-5 drinks may take 48-72 hours; 8+ drinks can take up to 80 hours. At the sensitive 100 ng/mL cutoff, detection windows are 20-30% longer. Individual metabolism differences can cause significant variation even at the same consumption level.
Most labs and courts use a 500 ng/mL cutoff — results below this are reported as negative for recent alcohol use. Some abstinence programs use a stricter 100 ng/mL cutoff, which detects smaller amounts and extends detection windows. Always check what cutoff your specific testing program uses, as this significantly affects how long you need to wait.
Ethanol-containing mouthwash can produce low EtG results typically below 300 ng/mL. At the standard 500 ng/mL cutoff, mouthwash alone is unlikely to cause a positive result. However, at stricter 100 ng/mL cutoffs, mouthwash exposure has been documented to produce low positives. SAMHSA advises that EtG should not be the sole evidence of drinking in legal actions.
Drinking water increases urine output and dilutes EtG concentration, which can help bring levels below the cutoff threshold. However, excessive hydration may flag your sample as dilute (creatinine below 20 mg/dL), which labs may treat as inconclusive or suspicious. Moderate hydration supports normal elimination — extreme overhydration is counterproductive and may trigger additional scrutiny.
EtG stands for ethyl glucuronide. It is a direct metabolite produced when the liver processes ethanol (alcohol) by conjugating it with glucuronic acid. About 0.02-0.06% of consumed alcohol is converted to EtG. Unlike ethanol, which leaves the bloodstream within hours, EtG remains detectable in urine for days, making it a sensitive marker for recent drinking.
EtG tests are approximately 70-85% accurate. A 2017 study found about 85% accuracy for moderate to heavy drinking. Accuracy drops significantly after 24-48 hours even when drinking occurred. Urinary tract infections caused by E. coli can degrade EtG and cause false negatives. Labs often test for EtS simultaneously to improve specificity and catch false negatives.
The 80-hour rule refers to the maximum commonly cited detection window for EtG in urine after heavy alcohol consumption. Studies show EtG can be detected for up to 80 hours after heavy drinking (8+ drinks). However, this maximum applies to heavy consumption — for light to moderate drinking at the 500 ng/mL cutoff, most people clear EtG well within 48-72 hours.
Yes. A single standard drink can produce detectable EtG at the sensitive 100 ng/mL cutoff for up to 24-48 hours. At the standard 500 ng/mL cutoff, a single drink may only be detectable for 12-24 hours in most people. Individual variation in metabolism, body weight, and liver function significantly affects detection time for small drinking amounts.
A breathalyzer measures current blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and can only detect alcohol consumed within the past 4-6 hours. EtG tests detect a metabolite that persists for 24-80 hours after drinking — long after BAC returns to zero. EtG does not measure intoxication or current impairment; it only indicates whether alcohol was consumed recently.
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