RSA in Brisbane and across Queensland

Queensland runs one of the simplest RSA regimes in Australia, and the simplicity is itself the thing most often misrepresented.

There is no approved-provider register, no expiry, and no minimum age under the Liquor Act 1992. Any RTO with the unit on its scope may deliver it, anywhere in Australia, and Queensland recognises the resulting credential.

For the full Queensland position including penalties and who must hold it, see RSA Queensland. This page covers the practical questions someone working in Brisbane actually asks.

The short answers

"OLGR-approved" describes nothing

This is the claim worth being precise about, because it appears regularly in Queensland RSA marketing.

The Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation does not approve, endorse, accredit or certify RSA training providers. There is no register to appear on and no approval to hold. What Queensland recognises is the credential itself — a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment for SITHFAB021, issued by any RTO with that unit on scope.

So a provider advertising itself as "OLGR-approved", "OLGR-compliant" or "Queensland Government approved" for RSA is describing a scheme that does not exist. That is not a small marketing liberty; it is a claim a prospective student cannot verify, because there is nothing to verify it against.

Contrast this with New South Wales, where provider approval is real, mandatory and publicly listed, and with Victoria, where LCV maintains an approved-provider list. Queensland is the opposite model.

What OLGR does warn about

Queensland permits online delivery and imposes no restriction on mode. It does, however, publish a direct warning:

"Many online courses don't meet Queensland's RSA certification requirements even though they charge fees and claim to give you the right certificate."

Read that carefully. The distinction OLGR draws is accredited versus unaccredited, not online versus face-to-face. An accredited online course is fine. An unaccredited one is worthless regardless of how it is delivered — and Queensland's open recognition of the national credential is precisely what makes the unaccredited-course problem sharper here, because there is no provider register acting as a filter.

The check that works: does the course name the unit code SITHFAB021, and is there an RTO number? If either is missing, no Statement of Attainment is being issued.

The 30-day rule

Queensland requires the credential to be held within 30 days of starting work in a role that requires it. You can begin work and complete training inside that window.

That is broadly comparable to Victoria's one month from first supplying alcohol, and considerably more generous than jurisdictions that require the certificate before the first shift.

No expiry, and what that does and does not mean

Queensland places no expiry on RSA. A Statement of Attainment for SITHFAB021 does not lapse, and there is no Queensland refresher requirement.

Two caveats worth holding:

• An employer may still ask for recent training. No expiry is a regulatory position, not a workplace one.
• It does not travel everywhere. A Queensland RSA is not accepted in New South Wales or South Australia, and Victoria requires the issuing provider to be on LCV's approved list. Moving interstate usually means retraining.

Minimum age

Queensland sets no minimum age for RSA under the Liquor Act 1992. This differs sharply from Western Australia, where a licensee who employs a juvenile to sell, supply or serve alcohol commits an offence carrying a $10,000 penalty.

Do not carry one state's age position across to another. Enrolment age and the legal age to serve are separate questions, and both differ by jurisdiction.

What the unit assesses

SITHFAB021 requires a candidate to interpret the legal requirements for the applicable state, source and explain two house policies, outline three early indicators of intoxication with intervention strategies, outline refusal and assistance procedures for three named groups of intoxicated customers — those in emotional or physical distress, those with no food consumption during extended service of alcohol, and those appearing to be under the effect of illicit substances or other drugs — and outline the communication and conflict-resolution skills for asking two different customers to leave, one compliant and one refusing.

Note that the first of those is state-specific. The unit is national, but competent completion requires interpreting Queensland law if that is where you will work.

Common questions about RSA in Brisbane

Is any RSA provider approved by OLGR?

No. Queensland operates no approved-provider register for RSA. Any RTO with SITHFAB021 on its scope may deliver it, and Queensland recognises the credential rather than approving providers.

Does my Queensland RSA expire?

No. There is no expiry and no refresher requirement in Queensland.

Can I use an interstate RSA in Brisbane?

Yes, without conditions, provided it is a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment for SITHFAB021.

Can I use my Queensland RSA in Sydney?

No. New South Wales requires training through a provider approved by Liquor & Gaming NSW.

How long do I have to get it?

Within 30 days of starting work in a role that requires it.

Is there a minimum age in Queensland?

No minimum age applies under the Liquor Act 1992.

Can I do the course online?

Yes. OLGR imposes no delivery-mode restriction, but warns that many online courses are not accredited. Check for the unit code and the RTO number.

What document should I receive?

A Statement of Attainment naming SITHFAB021, issued by a registered training organisation, appearing on your national training transcript. A "Certificate of Achievement" or similar is not a nationally recognised outcome.

About the provider

Complete Hospitality Training, RTO 3722, CRICOS provider code 04242E, Level 3, 28 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Contact melbourne@cht.edu.au or +61 3 9654 1554.

SITHFAB021 is on CHT's scope of registration, both as a standalone unit and within the skill set SITSS00071. Completing it produces a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, which is the document Queensland recognises. CHT holds no Queensland regulator approval for RSA, because no such approval scheme exists.

This page reflects the regulatory position as at September 2026. Liquor licensing rules change. Verify current requirements with the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation.