What Are ETG Cutoff Levels?
An ETG cutoff level is the concentration threshold that determines whether your test result is positive or negative. If your ETG level is above the cutoff, you fail. If it's below, you pass.
Here's the key point most people miss: the same ETG level can mean pass or fail depending on which cutoff your test uses.
- 500 ng/mL is a common general screening cutoff
- 100 ng/mL is a strict cutoff often used in abstinence monitoring
- 200 and 300 ng/mL are middle-ground thresholds some programs use
- Your result depends on BOTH your ETG level AND the cutoff used
The Four Main Cutoff Levels
500 ng/mL — Standard Cutoff
This is a common cutoff level for general ETG screening because it is less likely to flag low-level incidental exposure.
Who uses it:
- Most pre-employment screenings
- Standard workplace drug testing programs
- Many healthcare employer programs
Detection window: Approximately 24-48 hours after moderate drinking (2-4 drinks).
Why this level: The 500 ng/mL threshold balances detection sensitivity with practicality. It's high enough to avoid most false positives from incidental exposure (like hand sanitizer or mouthwash) while still detecting recent drinking.
300 ng/mL — Moderate Cutoff
This threshold sits between standard employment screening and strict abstinence monitoring.
Who uses it:
- Some clinical testing programs
- Some treatment or monitoring programs
- Programs that want more sensitivity than 500 ng/mL without using the strictest common cutoff
Detection window: Approximately 36-60 hours after moderate drinking.
Why this level: A 300 ng/mL cutoff can detect lower ETG levels than 500 ng/mL while still leaving more room than 100 ng/mL for incidental exposure disputes.
200 ng/mL — Sensitive Cutoff
This threshold is more sensitive than 300 or 500 ng/mL and should be treated as a strict monitoring level.
Who uses it:
- Some court or treatment programs
- Some lab panels configured by a monitoring program
- Programs that want a lower positive threshold but do not use 100 ng/mL
Detection window: Approximately 48-72 hours, depending on drinking amount and metabolism.
Why this level: A 200 ng/mL cutoff catches more low-level ETG than 300 or 500 ng/mL. If you are close to 200 ng/mL, hydration, sample concentration, and lab variability matter more.
100 ng/mL — Strict Cutoff
This stricter threshold is designed for zero-tolerance monitoring situations.
Who uses it:
- Probation and parole programs
- Court-ordered alcohol monitoring
- DUI/DWI monitoring programs
- Treatment and recovery programs
- Some child custody cases
Detection window: Approximately 48-80+ hours, depending on consumption amount.
Why this level: Programs using 100 ng/mL want maximum sensitivity. They're monitoring people who should not be drinking at all, so any alcohol consumption—even moderate—needs to be detected.
Important: If you're on probation or court-ordered monitoring, do not assume your cutoff. Ask for the actual threshold. If you cannot get an answer, plan conservatively around 100 ng/mL because it is 5× more sensitive than 500 ng/mL.
What About 50 ng/mL?
50 ng/mL exists in research and specialized forensic settings, but it is not the main threshold most users should plan around. At this level, incidental exposure concerns become more important, and interpretation should come from the testing program or laboratory.
Quick Comparison
| Cutoff Level | Common Uses | Detection Window | False Positive Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
500 ng/mLStandard | Employment, general monitoring | 24-48 hours | Lower |
300 ng/mLModerate | Some clinical or program screens | 36-60 hours | Moderate |
200 ng/mLSensitive | Stricter monitoring programs | 48-72 hours | Higher |
100 ng/mLStrict | Probation, Court | 48-80+ hours | Highest common |
Employment, general monitoring
24-48 hours
Lower
Some clinical or program screens
36-60 hours
Moderate
Stricter monitoring programs
48-72 hours
Higher
Probation, Court
48-80+ hours
Highest common
* Detection windows are estimates for moderate drinking (3-4 standard drinks). Heavy drinking, slower metabolism, and dehydration can extend all windows.
Lab Confirmation vs Initial Screening
ETG testing is not just "positive or negative." Programs may use an initial screen first, then confirm positives with a more specific laboratory method.
| Testing step | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Initial screen | Quickly checks whether ETG appears above the program cutoff | Faster and cheaper, but more vulnerable to disputed positives |
| Confirmation test | Uses a more specific lab method such as LC-MS/MS or LC-MS/MS-style confirmation | Helps separate true positives from screen noise or incidental exposure claims |
| ETG + EtS panel | Checks ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate together | EtS can support interpretation when ETG alone is disputed |
If your result has legal, probation, custody, or employment consequences, ask whether a positive screen is automatically confirmed and whether ETG and EtS are both reported. Labs and programs can configure panels differently, so the cutoff printed on your paperwork matters more than generic internet advice.
ETG Cutoff Levels for Probation
There is no single national ETG cutoff for probation. The number comes from your court order, your county supervision office, and the laboratory they contract with — not from state law. Public documents and lab references do show a clear pattern, though:
| Cutoff | How probation programs use it | What published sources say |
|---|---|---|
| 100 ng/mL | Zero-tolerance tracks: sobriety courts, DUI/DWI probation, strict abstinence monitoring | Detects most heavy drinking for up to ~5 days and any drinking within ~2 days; incidental-exposure false positives are more likely at this level |
| 200–300 ng/mL | Middle-ground programs that want sensitivity without constant exposure disputes | Peer-reviewed work found 200 ng/mL gives the best balance between sensitivity and specificity |
| 500 ng/mL | The most common court and criminal-justice default | Justice-system references describe 500 ng/mL as the "just right" court cutoff: it detects drinking within ~48 hours and is generally not triggered by mouthwash or hand sanitizer |
The SAMHSA biomarker advisory — the reference document most US monitoring programs lean on — classifies 100–500 ng/mL results as "very low" positives that can reflect either prior drinking or recent extraneous exposure. That ambiguity is exactly why stricter programs pair a low cutoff with EtS confirmation instead of relying on ETG alone.
If you remember one thing from this section: get your number in writing. Your probation paperwork or lab requisition controls the outcome, not an internet average. To see how the same drinking session compares against 100 vs 500 ng/mL, run both numbers through the ETG calculator.
ETG Cutoff Levels for Probation by State
No US state writes an ETG cutoff into state law. The threshold is set at the court and county level, which is why two people on probation in the same state can have different cutoffs. Here is what public documents actually show:
| State | Who sets the cutoff | What public documents show |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Judicial branch guidance + individual problem-solving courts | Colorado judicial drug-testing training materials use 500 ng/mL as the EtG positive reference (positive above 500 ng/mL is "consistent with recent ingestion" within 1–2 days); stricter sobriety-court tracks can run lower thresholds |
| Texas | County CSCDs (Community Supervision and Corrections Departments) + contracted labs | No statewide number. County panels commonly run between 100 and 500 ng/mL; forum reports from DUI/DWI probation frequently mention the strict 100 ng/mL screen |
| Most other states | Court order + program policy + lab panel | Same pattern: 500 ng/mL as the general court default, 100 ng/mL for zero-tolerance tracks |
Use this table as the starting point for one specific question to your probation officer: "Is my ETG screen cut off at 100 or 500 ng/mL, and is a positive screen confirmed by LC-MS/MS?" Do not treat it as a guarantee — local programs change lab contracts and panels without notice.
What Reddit and Probation Forums Report
Threads on r/probation and similar forums are where most people first see real cutoff numbers. Two patterns dominate the reports: a strict 100 ng/mL screen in DUI/DWI and sobriety-court monitoring, and the standard 500 ng/mL screen in general supervision. Forum detection-time stories contradict each other so often because posters rarely mention which cutoff they were tested against — a sample that is negative at 500 ng/mL can still be positive at 100 ng/mL, so two honest reports about "the same" 48-hour wait can reach opposite results. Treat forum numbers as anecdotes, your written order as the source of truth, and realistic timing estimates like our detection times guide as the middle ground between the two.
Probation and Court Caveats
Probation and court-ordered testing is stricter because the program goal is often abstinence monitoring, not just workplace impairment screening.
- Do not assume 500 ng/mL. Some programs use 100, 200, or 300 ng/mL depending on policy and lab configuration.
- A lower cutoff extends the practical detection window. The same sample that is negative at 500 ng/mL can still be positive at 100 ng/mL.
- Dilution can create a separate problem. Drinking excessive water may lower concentration, but it can also produce a dilute specimen that gets flagged or retested.
- A cutoff is not a guarantee. Lab measurement, urine concentration, timing, and individual metabolism all affect the final result.
For court or probation questions, the safest source is the written order, testing agreement, probation officer, or lab requisition. This page explains common thresholds, but it cannot tell you what your specific program uses.
Check Your Current Level
Use our calculator to estimate your current ETG level and see how it compares to different cutoffs:
Quick ETG Check
Instant estimation (No data saved)
High Probability of Detection
Estimated 10 more hours until low risk (<100ng/mL).
*This is an estimation only. Individual results vary. Not legal or medical advice.
How to Find Out Your Cutoff Level
Not sure which cutoff applies to you? Follow these steps:
Step 1: Ask directly. Contact your testing administrator—probation officer, HR department, or program coordinator. Ask specifically: "What is the ETG cutoff level for my test?"
Step 2: Review your documentation. Check your testing agreement, court order, employment policy, or program handbook. The cutoff may be specified in writing.
Step 3: Know the common patterns. If you can't get a direct answer:
- General employment ETG screens often use 500 ng/mL
- Probation/court programs may use 100, 200, or 300 ng/mL
- Treatment or abstinence monitoring can be stricter than ordinary workplace screening
Step 4: When in doubt, assume strict. If you cannot confirm your cutoff, plan for the 100 ng/mL standard. Being conservative is safer than being wrong.
Why Different Cutoffs Exist
Balancing Sensitivity and Specificity
Every drug test faces a tradeoff:
- More sensitive (lower cutoff) → Catches more true positives, but also more false positives
- Less sensitive (higher cutoff) → Fewer false positives, but might miss some true positives
The 500 ng/mL cutoff was chosen because it reliably detects intentional drinking while avoiding most false positives from incidental exposure.
Incidental Exposure Concerns
ETG can be detected from sources other than drinking:
- Hand sanitizers (alcohol-based)
- Some mouthwashes
- Certain foods (ripe fruit, vinegar-based sauces)
- Some medications
At 500 ng/mL, these typically don't cause positive results. At 100 ng/mL, heavy use of alcohol-containing products might. At 50 ng/mL, even normal use could potentially cause issues.
Program Standards
Employment programs: Many general ETG screens use higher cutoffs such as 500 ng/mL to reduce incidental exposure disputes.
Monitoring programs: Probation, court, recovery, and treatment programs can choose lower thresholds when the program requires abstinence.
Lab configuration: Large laboratories and reference labs can offer different alcohol metabolite panels. The same lab may run different cutoffs for different clients.
Source-Backed Notes
The exact cutoff is program-specific, but the interpretation principles are consistent across laboratory and forensic references:
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories describes urine alcohol metabolite testing as a way to detect recent alcohol use and emphasizes interpretation in clinical context.
- Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp/MedTox offer alcohol metabolite testing panels where the ordering program or panel determines what is reported.
- Judicial and probation testing materials commonly discuss EtG/EtS as monitoring markers, but the supervising program sets the compliance standard.
- Colorado's judicial drug-testing training materials (a public court document) reference 500 ng/mL as the EtG positive threshold, and the SAMHSA biomarker advisory describes 100–500 ng/mL results as a "very low positive" band requiring careful interpretation — two examples of the public documents behind the probation table above.
- Peer-reviewed EtG studies show that detection time depends heavily on amount consumed, cutoff level, and individual metabolism.
Use those sources as a reason to verify your actual cutoff, not as a reason to assume every program uses the same number.
What Affects Your Risk Level
Your ETG level depends on multiple factors beyond just time since drinking:
Factors that increase detection risk:
- Drinking larger amounts
- Drinking over extended periods (binge vs. single drink)
- Slower metabolism (age, liver health)
- Dehydration at test time
Factors that decrease detection risk:
- Smaller amounts consumed
- Faster metabolism
- Proper hydration
- More time elapsed
For a complete breakdown, see our guide on factors affecting ETG levels.
Related Resources
- ETG Calculator — Estimate your current ETG level
- ETG Detection Time Chart — Visual reference for detection windows
- ETG Detection Times — Realistic windows by drink amount and cutoff
- Understanding the ETG Chart — How to read the chart
- ETG Calculation Formula — The math behind the estimates
500 ng/mL is a common general ETG screening cutoff, especially where programs want to reduce incidental exposure disputes. Probation, court, treatment, and abstinence monitoring may use lower thresholds such as 100, 200, or 300 ng/mL. Always verify which cutoff applies to your specific test.
Probation programs vary. Many use strict thresholds such as 100 ng/mL, while others may use 200, 300, or 500 ng/mL depending on the court order, lab panel, and local policy. Ask your probation officer or testing administrator for the exact cutoff.
No US state writes an ETG cutoff into state law. In Colorado, judicial training materials reference 500 ng/mL as the EtG positive threshold, while stricter sobriety-court tracks can use lower numbers. In Texas, each county supervision department (CSCD) and its contracted lab set the panel, commonly between 100 and 500 ng/mL. Your court order or testing agreement is the only authoritative source for your specific number.
Generally, no. The testing program—not you—determines which cutoff to use. Court-ordered tests follow whatever the court specified, and employment or treatment programs follow their own lab policy. You usually cannot negotiate the threshold.
Being at or near your cutoff is risky. Lab testing has inherent variability, and your urine concentration changes with hydration. If the calculator shows 450 ng/mL and your cutoff is 500 ng/mL, you are not necessarily safe. Aim to be well below your cutoff.
Regular mouthwash use is unlikely to cause a positive at 500 ng/mL in healthy individuals. However, heavy or prolonged use of alcohol-containing mouthwash could potentially trigger positives at the 100 ng/mL cutoff. If you're being tested at the stricter level, consider alcohol-free alternatives.
This depends heavily on how much you drank. After 3-4 standard drinks, most people drop below 100 ng/mL within 48-72 hours. After heavy drinking (8+ drinks), it could take 80+ hours. Use our ETG calculator for a personalized estimate based on your specific situation.
Certified labs may use an initial screen followed by confirmation with a more specific method such as LC-MS/MS. False positives on confirmed tests are less common than screen positives, but disputes still depend on the lab method, specimen quality, and program rules. If you believe your result is wrong, ask whether the same sample can be confirmed or reviewed.
Only if your test uses the 500 ng/mL cutoff. The same ETG level that passes one test might fail another. For example, 300 ng/mL would pass a standard employment test (500 cutoff) but fail a probation test (100 cutoff). Always know which cutoff applies to YOUR test.
This page is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or legal advice. Individual results vary significantly based on metabolism, health factors, and testing conditions. The information provided should not be used as a guarantee of test results. Consult your testing administrator for specific cutoff levels and a healthcare provider or legal professional for guidance specific to your situation.