Frequently Asked Questions

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. 

On-premises licenses, as they pertain to RBS, generally include on-sale licenses and other license types that include on-site alcohol consumption, such as bars, restaurants, tasting rooms, clubs, stadiums, movie theaters, hotels, and caterers.

The following license types are subject to RBS requirements: Type 1, 2, 3, 4, 23, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 83, 86, 87, 88, 90, 91, 93, and 99.

Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training is a mandatory program which educates people seeking employment or those who are currently employed as alcohol servers at on-premises licensed locations, such as bars, restaurants, tasting rooms, clubs, stadiums, movie theaters, hotels, and caterers. 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 employees and licensees of off-sale locations such as liquor stores, convenience stores, and gas stations. LEAD provides practical information on selling alcoholic beverages safely, responsibly, and legally, and preventing illicit drug activity on or around their licensed establishment.

Although some local governments currently require alcohol servers working in their jurisdictions to attend a LEAD course, the ABC LEAD program does not fulfill the requirements mandated by AB 1221 and does not qualify as an ABC approved RBS Training.

Yes, you are required to be RBS certified. Cities and counties may apply additional ordinances that further support the efforts of AB 1221 but cannot supersede the standards defined in the act.

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.

The RBS Portal can be accessed and is operational across all major browsers on several platforms and operating systems. The supported browsers are the latest versions of Microsoft Edge New, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Safari. You can access the RBS Portal by using these browsers on any operating system, including but not limited to Windows10, MacOS, iOS, and Android.

An alcohol server is anyone who does any of the following:

1. Checks customer identification for purposes of alcoholic beverage service or entry to an ABC on-premises licensed establishment;
2. Takes customer alcoholic beverage orders;
3. Pours alcoholic beverages for customers; or
4. Delivers alcoholic beverages to customers.

An alcohol manager is anyone who trains, directly hires, or oversees alcohol servers at an ABC licensed premises, or who trains alcohol servers how to perform the service of alcohol for consumption for an ABC on-premises licensee. This definition specifically excludes an employee or contractor of another separate ABC licensee who is training alcohol servers for marketing or distribution purposes.

No. The law expressly states that non-compliance by alcohol servers is not a criminal violation (Business and Professions Code Section 25684). However, while servers themselves do not face criminal penalties for failing to be certified, licensees may be subject to administrative action if their alcohol servers are not in compliance with certification requirements.

Get certified in the RBS Portal, which has the tools you need to ensure compliance with the mandatory RBS training requirements.

Create an account in the RBS Portal and select "I want to get my Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) certification to serve alcoholic beverages or check IDs at my job." Registration requires a $3 fee, which is non-refundable. Watch a short video to learn how to become a registered server or manager.

You only need one account in the RBS Portal. Your account is specific to you and must be registered with your legal first and last name. You can have multiple roles (Server, License Administrator, Training Provider, etc) for the same account.

Yes, you must have an email address to create an account. You must use an email address that is valid, verifiable, and registered to you.

Yes, you can update your email address.

To change your email:

1. Log into the RBS Portal.
2. Select your email address and click Profile.
3. Click Edit on the My Profile page.
4. Replace your current email address with your new email address and type the new email address again to confirm.
5. Click Update and then Submit to submit the change.
6. Do not log out.
7. Confirm the change from the email sent to your updated email address. If you logged out after submitting your update, you must log back into the RBS Portal with your username or old email address to complete the email update.

If you do not confirm the new address from the email within 24 hours, it will not be updated.

If you cannot access the email you used to create your RBS account, email [email protected] to request a change.

If you need to edit your name, birthdate, or other personal information, email [email protected] with your request. Changes may require proof of legal identity.

Click Forgot Password? from the Log in page. Passwords must be a minimum of 15 characters and cannot be similar to a previously used password. Password reset is an automated, self-service feature, and our staff cannot view or change your password.

The exam costs $3 and is included as part of your registration in the RBS Portal. Once training is confirmed by a training provider, you will have three attempts within 30 days of your confirmed training to pass the exam with a 70% or better. If you do not pass, you will be required to retake training, pay another $3 exam fee, and pass the exam.

RBS training providers are authorized to charge a fee for their training program. The cost of training is determined by the training providers and ABC cannot negotiate corporate or group pricing.

If you have a confirmation of payment but the system is showing your payment as incomplete, please forward your email confirmation from [email protected] to [email protected] so we can work to resolve the issue.

Your Server ID number is in the “Server Certificate Details” box on your RBS Server homepage. It is called “Server ID Number” and is a nine-digit number.

Make sure your registration is complete and you are using the Server ID number from your RBS Server homepage. You must complete your payment, submit your application, and be able to access your RBS Server homepage before the Server ID number can be used for training.

No. You must register in the RBS Portal, take training from an approved RBS training provider, and pass the exam within 30 days of your confirmed training.

If your training provider was not an approved RBS training provider when you took the training, you will not be able to take the exam. You must register in the RBS Portal, take training from an approved RBS training provider, and pass your exam within 30 days of your confirmed training.

Click Find a Training Provider on your RBS server homepage to see a list of all available training providers. Use the filters to narrow your search results. If you do not see any training providers, try using fewer filters. You may need to move down the page to see your search results.

Yes, training is currently available in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and Vietnamese. You can search for a Training Provider by language.

Online training is computer-based and self-paced. It can be taken at any time.

In Person training is instructor-led and offered at specific times. It may be a virtual classroom or on site with the instructor.

The training provider’s website is separate from the RBS Portal and does not use the same log in information. You must create an account in the RBS Portal and register as a Server.

The length of training varies by training provider, but generally takes between 90 minutes and four hours.

Your training provider has 24 hours to confirm you have completed your training course. Once your training is confirmed, you will receive an email from ABC notifying you that you have a message in your message center.  When you log into the RBS Portal, you can click the envelope icon to see the message that the exam is available, and the “Take Exam” button will be active on your RBS Server homepage. Please contact your training provider if they have not confirmed your training after 24 hours.

Verify your Server ID and last name on your RBS Server homepage and provide it to your training provider. ABC cannot confirm training, so you must give the training provider your information exactly as it appears in the RBS Portal.

Yes. You must pass your ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam within 30 days of your confirmed training. A certificate from the training provider alone does not meet the requirement for RBS certification.

You must pass your exam within 30 days of your confirmed training. If you do not pass the exam within 30 days, you will be required to take a new training course and pay a $3 fee to retake the exam. You will have an additional three attempts to pass your exam with a score of 70% or better within 30 days of your confirmed new training. You can take training from the same training provider or a different one.

The exam is self-paced and contains 50 multiple-choice questions. It can take up to two hours to complete.

You have three attempts to pass your exam with a score of 70% or better within 30 days of your confirmed training. If you fail the exam three times, you will be required to take a new training course and pay a $3 fee to retake the exam. You will have an additional three attempts to pass your exam with a score of 70% or better within 30 days of your confirmed new training. You can take training from the same training provider or a different one.

Once your training has been confirmed, click Take Exam and then select Language next to your name. Choose from the available languages. The exam is currently available in English, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

The exam is open book, and you can use the study guide from your training provider. You can also use formal or informal translators to help you take the exam.

Questions are randomized and may not be the same if you attempt the exam more than once. Questions may also be updated to comply with changes in regulations or policy.

Your certification status will be updated when you return to your RBS Server homepage after passing the exam. In some cases, it may take one business day for your status to update.

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 homepage will be updated to Certified. Your Server ID number and status are located in the “Server Certificate Details” box on your RBS Server homepage.

You can click print this page from the Server Certificate Details tile on your RBS Server homepage for an unofficial copy of your status. Your employer must confirm your official status with your Server ID in the RBS Portal.

Yes, certifications are valid for three years. Your certification must be renewed prior to its expiration to remain valid. You are eligible to renew your certification within 90 days of your expiration date.

Yes. You are eligible to renew your certification within 90 days of your expiration date. You will be sent reminder emails 90, 60, 30, and 10 days before you expire. The emails will be sent to the email address associated with your account in the RBS Portal. You will receive a final notification when your certification has expired. If you have been added to an RBS server roster, the License Administrator will also be notified that your certification is expiring.

To renew your certification:
Step 1: Log in to your existing account & pay your recertification fee
Step 2: Take RBS training from an approved RBS Training Provider
Step 3: Return to the RBS Portal within 30 days of training to take ABC’s Alcohol Server Certification Exam.

To view your License Administrator homepage, click Licensing Services in the navigation bar.

ABC does not sell your information or distribute it to anyone outside of ABC unless required by law or necessary to process your online request. We may be required to comply with subpoenas and government orders and provide information to the extent permissible by law.

ABC will not contact you by text or email unless you have registered your email address in the RBS Portal. If a training provider contacts you, we recommend you contact them directly rather than responding to a text or email, since contact information can be spoofed. You can view the list of approved training providers on the RBS Portal.

The following license types are subject to RBS requirements: Type 1, 2, 3, 4, 23, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 83, 86, 87, 88, 90, 91, 93, and 99.

ABC recommends that everyone who serves alcohol for consumption complete the certification. However, certification is not required in some circumstances, including:

• Alcohol distributors who provide trainings on how to feature products for marketing purposes.
• Academic instructors who teach a college or university course where beer or wine is tasted.
• Salon or barbershop owners or stylists who provide their customers with complimentary beer or wine.
• Employees of a licensed plane or boat (Type 54 and 55).

The following license types are subject to RBS requirements: Type 1, 2, 3, 4, 23, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 80, 83, 86, 87, 88, 90, 91, 93, and 99.

Some less common license types that require RBS certification are:

• Instruction alcohol servers for a Type 86 license. Certification is required because the server is serving an alcoholic beverage to the public for consumption on the premises. Each licensee involved in the instructional tasting must ensure their employee or agent is certified because the server at these tastings is acting as an agent of both.
• Club members for a Type 50, 51, 52, or 57 license. Anyone who pours, serves, or delivers drinks, including volunteers, must be RBS certified.
• Employees of a licensed train for Type 43, 44, 45, 46, and 53 licenses. All staff who serve alcohol must be RBS certified.
• Designated employees for a Type 31, 34, or 37 license. These license types must meet the requirements for a one-day license.
• Employees who serve alcohol on-site for a business which is not licensed by ABC. There are limited exceptions to when alcohol can be served without an ABC license. Please contact your local district office to determine whether your business requires an ABC license.

Yes. If you serve alcohol for on-site consumption, you must be RBS trained and certified.

ABC is not issuing physical or downloadable RBS certificates. Once your employee completes training and passes the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam, their RBS certification status will be updated to Certified. With a License Administrator account, you can check their certification status by searching their Server ID number and last name as it appears in the RBS Portal. Please review the License Administrator Frequently Asked Questions for information about creating an Online Services account with the License Administrator role.

Yes. Alcohol servers and managers have 60 days from their first date of employment to register in the RBS Portal, take training from an approved RBS training provider, and pass the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam within 30 days of their confirmed training.

Yes. Alcohol servers and managers have 60 days from their date of employment to complete their RBS certification.

No. If the employee has a valid RBS certification in the RBS Portal, they do not need to get certified again. RBS certification is valid for three years and applies to the person, not a specific employer.

No, each alcohol server will need to register for their account individually.

RBS certification can only be completed online. If your employee does not have access to the Internet, you can help them find your local library.

The Department cannot give guidance on this issue, and strongly recommends employees and employers consult labor attorneys that specialize in the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act and similar laws under California law which often extend protections to employees further. The time an employee is being trained may be deemed as hours worked since the training is mandatory to remain employed and directly related to an alcohol server’s employment, even if asked to be completed away from the business and not during normal working hours. In addition, certain California laws require employees to pay any costs associated for trainings required to maintain employment. This information is shared not as a mandate that employers pay for the training or compensate employees for their time to take the training, as that would be dictated by decisions by either a court of competent jurisdiction, or the Federal or State fair employment departments. You may visit the Labor and Workforce Agency website or the Labor Commissioner's Office website for more information on job-related trainings.

The training provider has 24 hours to confirm a completed training course. Once training is confirmed, the server will receive an email from ABC notifying them that they have a message in their message center. When they log into the RBS Portal, they can click the envelope icon to see the message that the exam is available, and the “Take Exam” button will be active on their RBS Server homepage. The server should contact their training provider if their training has not been confirmed training after 24 hours.

Servers have three attempts within 30 days of their confirmed training. If they fail three times or do not pass the exam within 30 days, they must repay the $3 exam fee, retake training, and pass the exam.

ABC does not sell your information or distribute it to anyone outside of ABC unless required by law or necessary to process your online request. We may be required to comply with subpoenas and government orders and provide information to the extent permissible by law.

ABC will not contact you by text or email unless you have registered your email address in the RBS Portal. If a training provider contacts you, we recommend you contact them directly rather than responding to a text or email, since contact information can be spoofed. You can view the list of approved training providers on the RBS Portal.

ABC continues accepting and processing RBS training provider applications. If you are interested in becoming an approved RBS training provider, apply online in the RBS Portal. ABC is not approving individual trainers but training programs, so you will need to develop your own program and materials in the desired languages you wish to teach. Each language or format is its own program and will need to have its own materials developed.

AB 2402 and the accompanying regulations (CCR §§165.1–165.2) require all RBS Training Providers to update their curriculum to incorporate new mandated content, including drink‑spiking prevention and response requirements. These changes ensure consistent, compliant training across all programs.

All AB 2402 curriculum updates must be submitted and approved no later than December 31, 2026. Providers who do not receive approval by this date will not be permitted to conduct training after January 1, 2027.

Under CCR §168.3(h)(3), a provider’s failure to respond within 60 days to a Department request for revisions will be considered a withdrawal of approval. Additionally, under CCR §168.3(g)(9), non‑response or failure to provide required information may constitute grounds for suspension of approval.

Submit the completed AB 2402 curriculum‑update application package to [email protected]. There is no fee for submitting regulated updates. Only updates not related to AB 2402 may incur a charge.

Yes, as long as your current approval remains valid. However, you must receive final approval before January 1, 2027 to avoid disruption in your ability to operate.

Your submission will be assigned to an Analyst for review, per standard RBS Program processes. The Analyst may request clarifications or additional modifications.

Required content is defined under CCR §§165.1–165.2 and includes new AB 2402‑specific components such as:

• Drink‑spiking prevention
• Appropriate actions when a patron may be a victim of drink spiking
• Updated learning objectives and knowledge checks consistent with the new regulations
• The Department will provide feedback if any content is missing or requires revision.

No. The Department does not provide preliminary or partial review. Full submissions are evaluated in order of receipt.

You will receive an acknowledgment email once your update is logged and assigned. If you do not receive confirmation within a reasonable timeframe, reach out to [email protected].

Please email the RBS Program at [email protected].

Yes, at least one person must be RBS trained and certified for events occurring on or after July 1, 2022. This person must be present at the event and actively oversee the alcohol service for the entire duration of the event. Additionally, this person must also create and implement policies for the event that mandate and foster responsible alcoholic beverage service. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements.

Ask your server for their Server ID and last name as it appears in the RBS Portal. Contact your local district office to verify certification.

The 60-day grace period exemption for alcohol server certification is not applicable to daily licenses.

Catered events are an extension of a permanent on-sale licensee, and their alcohol servers are already required to be RBS trained and certified. If a caterer hires additional help for an event, the licensee must ensure those individuals are certified before serving alcohol.

Yes, all alcohol servers for a catered event licensed by ABC must be RBS trained and certified. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements.