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Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training Program

Responsible Beverage Service training teaches servers to responsibly serve alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption and mitigate alcohol-related harm in California communities. View the RBS requirements and deadlines in our multi-language flyer.

STEP ONE: REGISTER

On-premises alcoholic beverage servers and their managers must register in the RBS Portal.

STEP TWO: TRAINING

Complete your training from an authorized RBS Training Provider.

STEP THREE: PASS EXAM

Pass the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam within 30 days of your confirmed training.

What is the RBS Training Program?

Assembly Bill 1221 (2017) created the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program Act with the intention of reducing alcohol-related harm to local communities. The bill required the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to create the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program (RBSTP) to ensure on-premises servers of alcoholic beverages and their managers are educated on the dangers of serving alcohol to minors and over-serving patrons.

Approximately 56,000 ABC licensees have on-premises alcohol sales privileges, which means alcohol can be consumed on site. On-premises locations include, but are not limited to, bars, restaurants, tasting rooms, clubs, stadiums, movie theaters, hotels, and caterers (see full list).

To meet the new training requirement, any on-premises alcohol server or manager must register in the RBS Portal, take training from an authorized RBS Training Provider, and pass the ABC Alcohol Server Certification exam within 30 days of their confirmed training. Servers and managers must be certified within 60 days of their first date of employment.

Approved Training Provider Disclaimer: The Department has certified that the curricula presented by the approved training providers meets the requirements set forth in the California Code of Regulations Title 4 §§162-166. The Department’s review is limited to the content required by the aforementioned regulations, therefore, the Department cannot confirm the accuracy of any non-regulated content. If you have questions about the accuracy of the information provided by one of the training providers, or object to the manner in which the information was presented, please contact the training provider. Approved training providers are not employees of the Department or otherwise affiliated with the Department.

Mission of the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program  

Our mission is to ensure effective Responsible Beverage Service training for servers and their managers to curb harm related to underage drinking and the overuse of alcohol in California communities.

Additional Resources

Contact

For alcohol server registration assistance call (916) 318-6435 or email your local district office:

- OR -

Bakersfield

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4800 Stockdale Highway., Suite 213
Bakersfield, CA 93309

Phone:
(661) 395-2731
Fax:
(661) 322-5929
Email:
Bakersfield@abc.ca.gov

Concord

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1800 Sutter St., Ste 450
Concord, CA 94520

Phone:
(925) 655-6314
Fax:
(925) 655-6310
Email:
Concord@abc.ca.gov

Eureka

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1105 Sixth St., Suite C
Eureka, CA 95501

Phone:
(707) 445-7229
Fax:
(707) 445-6643
Email:
Eureka@abc.ca.gov

Fresno

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1330 B East Shaw Ave.
Fresno, CA 93710-7902

Phone:
(559) 225-6334
Fax:
(559) 225-8740
Email:
Fresno@abc.ca.gov

LA/Metro

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888 S Figueroa Street, Suite 320
Los Angeles, CA 90017

Phone:
(213) 833-6043
Fax:
(213) 833-6058
Email:
LAMetro@abc.ca.gov

LB/Lakewood

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3950 Paramount Blvd., Suite 250
Lakewood, CA 90712

Phone:
(562) 982-1337
Fax:
(562) 275-4174
Email:
LongBeach/Lakewood@abc.ca.gov

Lodi

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3021 Reynolds Ranch Parkway, Suite 150
Lodi, CA 95240

Phone:
(209) 948-7739
Fax:
N/A
Email:
Stockton@abc.ca.gov

Monrovia

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222 E. Huntington Dr., Suite 114
Monrovia, CA 91016

Phone:
(626) 256-3241
Fax:
(626) 263-9858
Email:
Monrovia@abc.ca.gov

Palm Desert

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34-160 Gateway Dr., Suite 120
Palm Desert, CA 92211

Phone:
(760) 324-2027
Fax:
(760) 324-2632
Email:
PalmDesert@abc.ca.gov

Redding

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1900 Churn Creek Rd., Suite 215
Redding, CA 96002

Phone:
(530) 224-4830
Fax:
(530) 224-9338
Email:
Redding@abc.ca.gov

Riverside

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3737 Main Street, Suite 900
Riverside, CA 92501

Phone:
(951) 782-4400
Fax:
(951) 781-0531
Email:
Riverside@abc.ca.gov

Sacramento

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2400 Del Paso Road, Suite 155
Sacramento, CA 95834

Phone:
(916) 419-1319
Fax:
(916) 419-3994
Email:
Sacramento@abc.ca.gov

Salinas

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1137 Westridge Parkway
Salinas, CA 93907

Phone:
(831) 755-1990
Fax:
(831) 755-1997
Email:
Salinas@abc.ca.gov

San Diego

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8620 Spectrum Center Blvd., Suite 302
San Diego, CA 92123

Phone:
(858) 300-6855
Fax:
(858) 300-6874
Email:
SanDiego@abc.ca.gov

San Francisco

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33 New Montgomery St., Suite 1230
San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone:
(415) 356-6500
(415) 356-6501
(415) 356-6502
(415) 356-6503
Fax:
(415) 356-6599
Email:
SanFrancisco@abc.ca.gov

San Jose

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100 Paseo de San Antonio, Room 119
San Jose, CA 95113

Phone:
(408) 277-1200
Fax:
(408) 971-9421
Email:
SanJose@abc.ca.gov

San Luis Obispo

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3220 S. Higuera St., Suite 103A
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Phone:
(805) 543-7183
Fax:
(805) 543-3814
Email:
SanLuisObispo@abc.ca.gov

San Marcos

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570 Rancheros Drive, Suite 240
San Marcos, CA 92069

Phone:
(760) 471-4237
Fax:
(760) 471-6142
Email:
SanMarcos@abc.ca.gov

Santa Ana

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2 MacAurthur Place, Suite 200
Santa Ana, CA 92707

Phone:
(657) 205-3533
Fax:
(657) 205-3520
Email:
SantaAna@abc.ca.gov

Santa Rosa

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50 D Street, Room 130
Santa Rosa, CA 95404

Phone:
(707) 576-2165
Fax:
(707)527-9537
Email:
SantaRosa@abc.ca.gov

Van Nuys

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6150 Van Nuys Blvd., Room 220
Van Nuys, CA 91401

Phone:
(818) 901-5017
Fax:
(818) 785-6731
Email:
VanNuys@abc.ca.gov

Ventura

map

1000 South Hill Road, Suite 310
Ventura, CA 93003

Phone:
(805) 289-0100
Fax:
(805) 289-0110
Email:
Ventura@abc.ca.gov

For training provider and general program assistance contact:

RBSTP Team
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: rbstp@abc.ca.gov

Translation Services
Email: eeo@abc.ca.gov

RBS Portal

Frequently Asked Questions

Is RBS training and certification mandatory to serve alcohol in California?

Yes, effective July 1, 2022, RBS training is required by CA Assembly Bill 1221 and Assembly Bill 82 for on-premises alcoholic beverage servers and their managers. The regulations have been incorporated into the California Code of Regulations, Title 4, Article 25, Sections 160-173. 

Is RBS information available in multiple languages?

The RBS informational multi-language flyer is available to download in multiple languages. RBS training courses are offered in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. The exam is available in English, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. To change the language when you take the exam, select Language next to your name and choose from the available languages.

Where can I find approved RBS training providers?

As of Monday, March 29, 2021, ABC will begin approving AB 1221 compliant RBS training courses from a variety of approved RBS training providers. The Department will be adding additional training provider courses as they are approved. Servers may search for approved RBS training providers via the RBS Portal.

How do I get a copy of my RBS certification?

ABC is not issuing physical or downloadable RBS certificates. Once you complete training and pass your ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam, your status on your RBS Server dashboard will be updated to Certified. Your Server ID number and status are located in the “Server Certificate Details” box on your RBS Server dashboard.

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