Updated August 2026.
A standard US shot is 1.5 fluid ounces — about 44 milliliters (44.36 mL exactly). That is the pour NIAAA and CDC treat as one shot of 80-proof spirits. There is no federal shot-size law. UK pubs must use 25 mL or 35 mL for gin, rum, vodka, and whisky. Australia’s common nip is 30 mL. Some US bars pour 1 ounce.
US shot conversions
| Pour | US fl oz | Milliliters | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pony / small shot | 1.0 | 30 mL | Some venues; 2 Tbsp |
| Common US shot / jigger | 1.5 | 44 mL | 3 Tbsp; NIAAA/CDC shot |
| Double (typical US bar) | 2.0 | 59 mL | Same as ¼ cup — not a “shot” |
| Utah primary liquor cap | 1.5 | 44 mL | Metered; Utah Code § 32B-5-304 |
| US mini bottle | 1.7 | 50 mL | TTB fill; larger than 1.5 oz |
1 US fluid ounce is 29.5735 mL (NIST / 128 fl oz in a 231-cubic-inch gallon). 1.5 × 29.5735 = 44.36 mL, usually rounded to 44. A UK (Imperial) fluid ounce is 28.41 mL — do not mix the two when converting a recipe. A 50 mL airplane bottle is slightly larger than a 1.5-ounce shot.
How other countries measure a shot
Shot size is local custom unless a weights-and-measures rule says otherwise. These are common or legal pours, not a world standard.
| Place | Common or legal shot | US fl oz (approx.) | What the rule actually is |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 44 mL | 1.5 | Custom / health serving, not a federal pour law |
| United Kingdom | 25 mL or 35 mL | 0.85 or 1.2 | GOV.UK specified quantities: gin, rum, vodka, whisky only; premises picks one size, not both |
| Ireland | 35.5 mL | 1.2 | Drinkaware / health “pub measure”; Irish standard drink is 10 g alcohol |
| Australia | 30 mL nip | 1.0 | NMI-approved spirit measures: 15, 30, or 60 mL |
| Canada | 44 mL or 30 mL | 1.5 or 1.0 | Provincial custom, not one federal shot |
| Japan | 30 mL / 60 mL | 1.0 / 2.0 | Bar custom; 60 mL is often treated as a double |
| Germany | 20 mL | 0.7 | Typical schnaps pour, not a national statute we cite |
| Italy | ~40 mL | 1.4 | Custom |
| Russia | 50 mL | 1.7 | Custom |
| South Africa | 25 mL | 0.85 | Custom |
UK doubles follow the house single: 50 mL where the single is 25 mL, 70 mL where it is 35 mL. Other spirits (tequila, brandy) are not on that GOV.UK four-spirit list. England and Wales pubs often choose 25 mL and Scottish pubs often choose 35 mL because of the old gill, but the current Order lets any UK premises pick either size.
Shot glass vs jigger vs what you actually get
A shot glass is the drinking glass. A jigger is the hourglass measuring tool. Many jiggers are 1.5 oz on one side and 1 oz (or 0.75 oz) on the other. A “cheater” glass has a thick bottom so it looks full under 1.5 ounces. Novelty souvenir glasses often hold 2 ounces or more. A kitchen ¼ cup is 2 ounces — a double, not a shot.
Measure with a jigger at home. That is the only way a recipe’s 1.5-ounce line matches how many shots are in a 750ml bottle.
Why 1.5 ounces shows up in US health math
NIAAA (updated December 2025) and CDC define one standard drink as 14 grams (0.6 fluid ounces) of pure alcohol. That is the amount in 1.5 ounces of 40% ABV spirits, 12 ounces of 5% beer, or 5 ounces of 12% wine. TTB’s voluntary Serving Facts statements for distilled spirits also use a 1.5 fl oz serving (TTB Ruling 2013-2). That health definition is not a pouring law. A bartender can still free-pour. A “shot” of 21% Malibu is the same volume but not a full standard drink. See how many shots of Malibu and how many shots of vodka.
Utah’s 1.5-ounce rule
Utah Code § 32B-5-304 limits primary spirituous liquor to 1.5 ounces per beverage, poured through a department-approved metered system. Secondary flavorings can bring the total spirituous liquor in front of a patron to 2.5 ounces. Utah DABS requires the dispenser to stay at or under 1.5 ounces. No other US state writes a comparable statewide shot-size cap into statute.
Cooking, espresso, and the word “shot”
Outside bars, “a shot” can mean a splash in a recipe or a ~1-ounce espresso. Those uses borrowed the bar word; they are not TTB pours. Keep 1.5 oz / 44 mL for spirits. US tablespoons are 15 mL, so three tablespoons land on 45 mL — close enough for home cooking, not close enough for costing a bar. Use a marked jigger when the difference between 16 and 17 drinks in a fifth matters.
Sources
- NIAAA, “What Is a Standard Drink?” (updated December 2025): 1.5 oz of 40% spirits = one US standard drink (14 g / 0.6 fl oz alcohol).
- CDC, “About Standard Drink Sizes” (December 2024): 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor.
- TTB Ruling 2013-2 (voluntary Serving Facts): 1.5 fl oz distilled-spirits serving.
- Utah Code § 32B-5-304; Utah DABS dispensing-system rules (1.5 oz primary liquor).
- GOV.UK specified quantities: gin, rum, vodka, and whisky — 25 mL or 35 mL, not both on the same premises.
- Australia National Measurement Institute: approved spirit measures 15, 30, or 60 mL.