Do not complete this training unless you have been instructed to do so by your manager.

Frequently Asked Questions by Alcohol Servers:

Q. Is RBS training mandatory and do I need a certificate to serve alcohol in California?

RBS training under the requirements of CA Assembly Bill 1221 will become mandatory on July 1, 2022. This new state mandate will require on-premises alcoholic beverage servers and their managers to successfully complete an ABC approved RBS training program and exam no later than August 31, 2022.

Currently, RBS training is only required if your local government mandates it. If you are required to take an RBS class for employment, please access the RBS Portal to search for a Department Authorized training provider and approved program.

Q. Who must be trained under AB 1221?

Beginning in July 2022, any ABC licensee who has an “ABC On-Premises License” will need to have their staff (alcohol servers and managers of alcohol servers) trained and certified in RBS within sixty (60) days of the date of initial employment.  This includes but is not limited to restaurants, bars, fast casual dining, tasting rooms (including off-sale locations), hotels, and stadiums.

RBS certification means that the alcohol server has successfully completed training by an ABC approved training provider and passed the alcohol server certification exam (hosted by ABC). Once the server has successfully completed the training and exam, their certification is valid for 3 years. The alcohol server certification must be renewed prior to its expiration to remain valid.

Q. How do I find my Server ID number?
There are two ways you can locate your server ID number. The first is by way of the registration message that is sent via the RBS Portal. To access the message, click on the envelope icon, the message will be titled Enrollment Registration Completed. The second way you can see your Server ID number on your Server Dashboard; it will be in the first box with your Server Details. Both ways require you to have registered and paid for your server application through the online portal.

Q. How do I search for approved RBS training providers?
Once you have created an account on the RBS Portal, you can look for approved RBS training providers.

Q. How do I access my alcohol server certification exam?
The training provider from whom you took training has up to 24 hours* to report you have completed training and grant access to the exam. You will receive an email from ABC/RBS Portal notifying you that your exam is ready. If it has been more than 24 hours, you may reach out to the training provider who provided your course and inquire as to when your exam access may be granted.

*SFS reports every business day, so course completions on a Friday will not be reported until the subsequent Monday.

Q. How do I get a copy of my certification to provide my employer as proof of certification?
Congratulations on completing training and completing the RBS exam to become certified. Your training certificate is recorded on your Server Dashboard in the training history at the bottom of the page. We are using digital certificates, which will be housed in the RBS Portal. You have been issued a certification number, and that will serve as your training certificate and is valid for three years.
 
Your employer will be able to check and confirm your certification via the Licensee Login on the RBS Portal, which will be available later this year as it gets closer to the legal requirement for the mandatory statewide training. In the interim, if you want, you may take a screenshot of your Server Dashboard and provide that to your employer.

Q. What is the difference between RBS and LEAD?

Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training educates people seeking employment or those who are currently employed as servers of alcoholic beverages at on-premises licensed locations. It provides servers with the necessary knowledge and skills to responsibly serve alcoholic beverages to avoid causing alcohol related harm to their communities.

Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs (LEAD) is ABC’s free voluntary prevention and education program for off-sale licensees and their employees. LEAD provides practical information on serving alcoholic beverages safely, responsibly, and legally, as well as ways to prevent illicit drug activity at a licensed establishment. This covers off-premise alcohol sales.

California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control FAQ’s:

https://www.abc.ca.gov/education/rbs/frequently-asked-questions/