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:
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
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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
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.