Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training

Responsible Beverage Service training educates persons seeking employment or who are currently employed as servers of alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption. It aims to provide servers the necessary skills to responsibly serve alcoholic beverages and mitigate alcohol-related harm in California communities.

RBS Portal for Managers and Servers Now Available!

Employees who serve alcohol at locations with on-premises consumption privileges can now register as a server with ABC, search for approved training providers, and take their alcohol server certification exam all in one place. Prospective RBS training providers can continue to submit their applications for review.

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What is the RBS Training Program?

Passage of Assembly Bill 1221 in 2017 created the Responsible Beverage Service Training Act. The bill required the Alcoholic Beverage Control to create the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program (RBSTP) to ensure servers and their managers of alcoholic beverages are educated on the dangers of serving alcohol to minors and over-serving alcohol to patrons with the intention of reducing alcohol-related harm to local communities. The new mandate creates a new training requirement for an estimated 1,000,000 on-premises alcohol servers, their managers, and licensees beginning in 2021. The passing of Assembly Bill 82, on June 29, 2020, has extended the date in which this requirement is enacted to beginning in 2022. This change was made to alleviate the financial strain on the hospitality industry caused by the COVID-19 state of emergency.

Beginning July 1, 2022, any alcohol server and their manager must have a valid RBS certification from an ABC accredited RBS training provider and pass an online ABC administered RBS exam within 60 calendar days from the 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 additional information contact:

RBSTP Team
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: rbstp@abc.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 928-7621

Hablamos Español
Correo electrónico: rbstp@abc.ca.gov
Teléfono: (916) 928-7621

RBS Portal

Frequently Asked Questions

As an ABC On-Premises Licensee, what are the important dates that I need to know to be in compliance with the new law?

ABC approved RBS training and certification will be mandatory for alcohol servers and their managers beginning July 1, 2022.

ABC On-Premises Licensees have sixty (60) days from July 1, 2022 to have their staff trained and certified by an approved RBS training provider. This includes the successful completion of an ABC administered RBS exam.

Enforcement of AB-1221 will begin September 1, 2022.

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 become a Training Provider for RBS?

ABC is currently accepting and processing RBS training provider applications on an ongoing basis. If you are interested in becoming an approved RBS Training Provider, you can submit an application online in the RBS Portal.

I was previously on ABC’s RBS Trainer List. Do I need to re-apply to become an RBS training provider under AB-1221?

Yes. All persons interested in becoming an approved RBS Training Provider under AB-1221 will need to file an application with ABC. This includes those programs that were previously included on a list maintained by ABC in the past. ABC is now accepting training provider applications.

To receive updates and announcements regarding the RBS Training Program, please sign up on our mailing list.

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Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training

RBS Portal for Managers and Servers Now Available!

What is the RBS Training Program?

Mission of the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program

Additional Resources

Education

Contact

Frequently Asked Questions

As an ABC On-Premises Licensee, what are the important dates that I need to know to be in compliance with the new law?

Where can I find approved RBS training providers?

How do I become a Training Provider for RBS?

I was previously on ABC’s RBS Trainer List. Do I need to re-apply to become an RBS training provider under AB-1221?

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