Milestones guide

Sobriety milestones, from 24 hours to years

Every milestone marks days that took real work. Here are the ones people celebrate most, and how to keep track of yours.

SobrCircle sobriety tracker showing 548 days sober and the next milestone of 2 years in 182 days
Your days and your next milestone, front and center.

The milestones people celebrate

  • 24 hours. The first full day. Many meetings celebrate it, because every longer stretch starts here.
  • 30, 60 and 90 days. The first three months are often the hardest, so many groups mark each one.
  • Months through the first year. Some groups mark every month of the first year, and many mark 6 and 9 months.
  • 1 year. A big one. Many people celebrate with their group and the people who helped them get there.
  • Every year after. Yearly anniversaries, often called sobriety birthdays, keep going for as long as you stay sober.

Chips, coins and key tags

Many 12 step groups hand out chips, coins or key tags at milestones. The colours and the exact milestones vary from group to group, and not every group uses them.

NA groups often give key tags instead of chips. Ask at your home group how they celebrate.

How SobrCircle marks your milestones

SobrCircle counts your days, shows how long until your next milestone, and gives you a badge at 24 hours, every month through your first year, 18 months, and every year after that. When you hit one, your circle hears about it.

Want to see where you are right now? The sobriety calculator works out your days, months and years, and the dates of your next milestones.

Questions people ask

Why is 90 days a big milestone?

The first 90 days are often the hardest stretch. Many people are encouraged to go to 90 meetings in 90 days, and groups often celebrate reaching it.

How do I work out how many days sober I am?

Count the full days since your sobriety date, or use the free sobriety calculator on this site.

What is a sobriety birthday?

Many people call their yearly sobriety anniversary a birthday and celebrate it at a meeting.

What if I relapse?

Many people in recovery have relapsed and started again. Your new sobriety date is the day you start again, and your meetings will welcome you back.

Get SobrCircle

Count every day and celebrate each milestone with your circle. Free to download on iPhone and Android.

Keep exploring

Need help right now? Call or text 988 any time in Canada or the US if you're in crisis. Call 911 in an emergency.