Who Needs A Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Course?
Broadly: anyone who sells, serves or supplies alcohol in a licensed venue. But the precise answer, the document you end up holding, and the deadline for holding it all differ by state. In one state the training alone does not authorise you to work at all, and in another the course is only the first of two stages.
There is one national unit, SITHFAB021 Provide responsible service of alcohol, and eight separate legal wrappers around it. Getting the unit is the easy part. Getting the right wrapper for the state you actually work in is where people come unstuck.
The roles usually caught
- Bar staff and bartenders
- Waiters and food and beverage attendants who serve alcohol
- Baristas in a licensed cafe who serve alcohol
- Bottle shop and packaged liquor staff
- Function, event and catering staff serving alcohol
- Security staff and crowd controllers at licensed premises, in several jurisdictions
- Promotional staff, winery and brewery staff, and retail liquor salespersons in New South Wales
- RSA marshals, in New South Wales
- Volunteers, in New South Wales and South Australia
- Licensees, approved managers, and in New South Wales club secretaries and club directors
New South Wales publishes the widest list of the eight, and it is worth reading in full because several entries are not obvious: service staff and food and beverage attendants, retail liquor salespersons, winery and brewery staff, promotional staff, RSA marshals, security staff and crowd controllers, volunteers, licensees, approved managers, club secretaries and club directors.
The trigger is the act of serving or supplying alcohol, not your job title. A kitchen hand who occasionally carries drinks to a table is serving alcohol. In Victoria the test is stated as a job that includes offering alcoholic drinks, taking orders or payment for alcohol, or pouring or serving alcoholic drinks.
The RSA requirement attaches to the individual, not the venue. The licence belongs to the business. Your certificate is yours.
But there is a second party with a duty, and it is the reason a venue will chase you for paperwork. In Victoria the licensee must ensure anyone who sells, offers for sale or serves liquor has completed an approved program, under s 108AB of the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998, and must ensure each of them completes one again within three years, under s 108AC. Each carries 60 penalty units. Sections 108AD and 108AE add the duties to keep the certificates at the premises and produce them on request by a police officer or liquor inspector, at 5 penalty units each. Penalty unit values are indexed annually under the Monetary Units Act 2004, so the statutory figure is the number of units rather than a dollar amount. In the Northern Territory the parallel duty sits on licensees under s 137(1)(b) of the Liquor Act 2019 (NT) to ensure employees refresh a certificate more than three years old.
So "who needs an RSA" has two answers: the person serving needs the certificate, and the licensee needs to be able to prove every one of them has it.
All eight jurisdictions, side by side
| Jurisdiction | Regulator | Provider needs state approval? | Expiry | Interstate certificate accepted? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victoria | Liquor Control Victoria (LCV) | LCV-approved provider for the delivery mode; eligible interstate holders use the bridging pathway. | Victorian RSA Refresher every three years. | Use a current Victorian RSA certificate. Eligible interstate holders can apply for free bridging: approved original training within three years, with the online-course residence condition. Specific exemptions apply at qualifying producer events. |
| New South Wales | Liquor & Gaming NSW | NSW course providers need L&GNSW approval. Separate recognition and bridging pathways apply to interstate holders. | NSW competency card: five years. Interstate concessions have separate eligibility and certificate-age requirements. | Eligible temporary interstate workers can use approved interstate RSA. Permanent movers and security or RSA marshal roles must meet NSW training and competency-card requirements; eligible holders can use bridging instead of the full NSW RSA course. |
| Queensland | Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation | An RTO registered to deliver the national RSA unit; no separate state RSA provider-approval list. | Valid RSA training generally has no expiry; training completed before 2002 must be replaced. | Accepted where the evidence is a Statement of Attainment for the nationally accredited Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol course. An attendance certificate is insufficient. |
| Western Australia | Racing, Gaming and Liquor | An RTO delivering the nationally accredited RSA course; no separate state RSA provider-approval list. | Keep the RSA certificate as training evidence; approved-manager cards have separate renewal requirements. | Provide the RSA certificate showing completion of the nationally accredited course. An interstate RSA card alone is not accepted as evidence. |
| South Australia | Liquor and Gambling Commissioner | Commissioner-approved RTO for training from 1 November 2020; CBS preserves training completed before that date. | No routine RSA renewal period stated in the cited CBS guidance; check applicable licence conditions. | Check provider approval and training date. Training from 1 November 2020 must be through a Commissioner-approved RTO. Earlier RSA training need not be repeated solely because of that approval change. |
| Tasmania | Commissioner for Licensing | Check the Commissioner’s requirements for staff versus licence holders. | No RSA expiry date in the regulator’s FAQ; an employer may request updated training. | Interstate certificates can be accepted under the Commissioner’s conditions. Requirements differ for employees and liquor licence holders; check the appropriate role. |
| Northern Territory | NT Liquor Commission / Licensing NT | RTO registered to deliver RSA; follow Licensing NT’s guidance for the refresher. | NT guidance gives a three-year limit for interstate certificates and directs holders to a refresher; check current renewal guidance. | Certificates from an RTO registered to deliver RSA are accepted, including interstate certificates. Check certificate age and the NT refresher requirements. |
| Australian Capital Territory | Commissioner for Fair Trading | ACT-approved course/refresher provider, or valid recognised interstate certification. | Three years from course completion, then an ACT-approved refresher. | Valid interstate RSA certificates are recognised, subject to the ACT’s three-year currency limit and ACT-approved refresher requirements. |
Current regulator guidance: NSW, VIC, SA, QLD, WA, NT, ACT, TAS.
Victoria has a second stage that most people miss
In Victoria, finishing the course is not the end of the process. Completing SITHFAB021 with an LCV-approved provider earns you a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment. It does not by itself produce a Victorian RSA certificate.
The full sequence is:
- Complete
SITHFAB021with an LCV-approved RSA provider. - The provider sends your completion details to LCV. Allow a few working days.
- LCV emails you a certificate number.
- Use that number to create an account on the LCV Learning Hub and complete all three components: the pre-training survey, the module Sexual Harassment and Assault: Recognise, Prevent and Respond, and the post-training survey.
- Download your RSA Certificate of Completion.
Staff who stop after step 1 hold a Statement of Attainment and no Victorian RSA certificate. Since 1 December 2025, that additional module has been required to work in many Victorian licensed venues. That module is also part of the RSA Refresher, not only of initial certification. If you are in Victoria, read how to get an RSA certificate for the step-by-step, and the Melbourne RSA update for what changed.
Two further Victorian points. An interstate certificate will not do. LCV states you cannot rely on an interstate RSA certificate to supply alcohol in a Victorian licensed venue or location; instead you complete the free bridging course, RSA Refresher, which gives you a Victorian RSA certificate. Eligibility requires training approved by a state or territory liquor licensing authority, completed within the last three years, and that you were living interstate or overseas if you completed it online; processing takes about 10 working days and applications outside the criteria are declined. Separate exemptions cover interstate staff supplying alcohol at a producer's event. The same free RSA Refresher is what keeps a Victorian certificate current every three years, and it applies to anyone holding one rather than only to licensees. And a course from a provider LCV has not approved produces only an RSA Statement of Attainment, which does not allow you to supply alcohol in Victorian licensed venues or locations. It is also the employer who keeps the RSA Certificate of Completion on site — you do not need to give them the Statement of Attainment the course provider issues, and they can be fined for not holding the certificate.
Victoria's trigger is licence type plus task — and there are two exceptions
Victorian RSA is required to supply alcohol at a venue holding a General, On-premises, Late night or Packaged liquor licence, where the job includes offering alcoholic drinks, taking orders or payment for alcohol, or pouring or serving alcoholic drinks.
Two further triggers people miss, both on the licence side rather than the staff side. RSA is also required when applying for a permanent licence or a licence transfer — with the express exceptions of a BYO permit and a pre-retail licence — and wherever a condition of the licence requires it. Separately, s 26B of the Liquor Control Reform Act 1998 makes an approved RSA program completed in the 3 years before applying a condition of the grant of a general, on-premises, late night or packaged liquor licence. That is not an offence provision; it is a restriction on the grant.
There is also Advanced RSA training, which is a distinct Victorian requirement attaching to some licence types only. It is not something every staff member needs and it is not a renewal of the ordinary certificate.
The Victorian course also carries state-specific content: Victorian liquor laws, drink spiking, ID checks and preventing secondary supply, the use of prone restraint, harm minimisation, and compliance and enforcement.
New South Wales: training is not enough
NSW is the most restrictive of the eight. Three separate things exist:
| Document | Issued by | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| Course completion | An Approved Training Provider (ATP) | n/a |
| Interim certificate | The ATP, and only the ATP | 90 days |
| Competency card with RSA endorsement | Service NSW | 5 years |
The card is what authorises you to work. A Statement of Attainment from an RTO that is not an ATP does not produce a competency card and does not authorise you to work in NSW. To convert the interim certificate into a card you attend a Service NSW centre in person with the interim certificate, 100 points of original identification and have a photo taken. The digital card appears in the Service NSW app shortly after; the physical card arrives by post in two to four weeks.
Moving to NSW permanently? You do the NSW bridging course, not the full course, if you already hold a national RSA Statement of Attainment. Eligibility runs on a split clock: certificates from QLD, WA, SA and TAS must be under five years old, and certificates or refreshers from VIC, ACT and NT must be under three years old. Outside those windows it is the full NSW course.
Working in NSW temporarily? No bridging course, provided you do not live permanently in NSW, you hold approved interstate certification, you can produce it on request, and you understand your obligations under NSW liquor law. Two exceptions override that: anyone working in security or performing RSA marshal duties at NSW licensed premises needs the NSW card whether or not they live there.
An interstate holder who becomes a licensee, approved manager or club secretary in NSW does Licensee Training rather than the bridging course.
Queensland and Western Australia have no approved-provider register
This is the single most useful thing to know before you pay anyone.
In Queensland, OLGR directs candidates to the list of RTOs with SITHFAB021 on scope on training.gov.au. There is no state-level approval beyond ASQA registration. In Western Australia there is likewise no state register and no state top-up module.
So if a provider advertises that it is "OLGR-approved" or "DLGSC-approved" for RSA, it is describing a scheme that does not exist. The only thing to verify in those two states is that the provider is a genuine RTO with the unit on its current scope. There is a rule behind that, too: an RTO may only represent that completing a training product leads to a licensed or regulated outcome where the relevant industry regulator has confirmed it, and no confirmation can exist where no scheme does. See beware of RSA course scams for how to check.
Queensland adds one wrinkle. OLGR states that you only need to complete accredited RSA training once, unless you completed it before 2002, in which case it is invalid and must be redone. There is no expiry date on the Statement of Attainment.
Two Queensland exceptions worth knowing
RMLV is a different regime. Responsible Management of Licensed Venues is an OLGR-developed course delivered only by OLGR approved trainers. That approval requirement is real, but it belongs to RMLV, not to RSA. Do not carry it across.
Licensees and approved managers holding a current RMLV certificate do not need a separate RSA certificate. RMLV certificates expire three years after issue — which produces the odd result that in Queensland the manager's credential lapses while the staff credential does not, so an expired RMLV can leave a manager with no current credential at all.
Queensland also exempts supervised volunteers at community organisations and events from holding current RSA, where the person supervising them holds current training.
Western Australia's manager tier
WA layers a manager requirement on top of RSA:
| Role | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Staff serving alcohol | RSA course |
| Restricted approved manager (club, club restricted and occasional venues only) | RSA course |
| Unrestricted approved manager (any licensed venue) | Course in Management of Licensed Premises, with RSA as a prerequisite |
| Licensee, other than an occasional licence | Course in Management of Licensed Premises |
The approved manager card belongs to the manager tier only. It is valid five years and is renewed online without re-sitting the training. A national police clearance no more than three months old is required. The card requirement attaches to the manager tier, not to RSA itself.
WA also puts two duties on the venue rather than one: a training register on the premises under s 103A(1)(b) of the Liquor Control Act 1988, and a copy of the certificate under reg 14AG(2) of the Liquor Control Regulations 1989. Non-compliance carries a $5,000 penalty.
Tasmania splits staff from licence holders
Tasmania is the only jurisdiction of the eight that runs two different rules for the same unit.
Serving staff. The Commissioner for Licensing recognises RSA training from any Australian jurisdiction that delivers SITHFAB021 or its listed predecessors. No provider approval, no Tasmanian content requirement.
Licence holders — anyone exercising effective control over the sale, service and consumption of liquor. Their course must be delivered by an RTO approved by the Commissioner, must include Tasmanian legislative content, and must include practical assessment of RSA skills. Tasmania is the only one of the eight to attach a practical-assessment condition explicitly.
The Commissioner's register of approved RTOs is published by the Liquor and Gaming Branch at treasury.tas.gov.au/liquor-and-gaming/liquor/responsible-service-of-alcohol/training-organisations.
We are not on that register. Our Statement of Attainment is fine for the Tasmanian serving staff tier and is not acceptable for the licence holder tier. The register does list interstate RTOs, so location is not the barrier; approval simply has to be applied for and granted.
South Australia: provider approval and training-date rules
Since 1 November 2020, all RTOs conducting RSA training for South Australian purposes must be approved by the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner and published on the Commissioner's website. The requirement is not "a nationally accredited RSA certificate" but "nationally accredited RSA training by an RTO approved by the Commissioner".
For South Australia, check the training date and provider approval. Training from 1 November 2020 must be through a Liquor and Gambling Commissioner-approved RTO. CBS states that people who completed RSA before that date do not have to repeat it with an approved provider solely because of that change. An interstate location alone does not decide acceptance. See SA’s approved-provider guidance.
South Australia catches all paid and volunteer staff engaged by a licensee who sell, offer for sale or serve alcohol.
The Territories run on a three-year clock
Northern Territory. Licensing NT accepts RSA evidence from RTOs registered to deliver the unit, including interstate certificates, and provides a free refresher. Its current page gives a three-year limit for interstate certificates and a five-year refresher interval. Confirm the applicable renewal date with Licensing NT if your circumstances are unclear; do not rely on an old summary of a proposed amendment. See current NT guidance.
Australian Capital Territory. Certificates expire three years after the day of satisfactory completion, under section 194(2) of the Liquor Act 2010 (ACT). That applies equally to ACT-issued and interstate certificates, the latter recognised under s 193(2) but still expiring three years from original completion. On expiry you do an ACT-approved refresher, not the full program — a deliberate 2022 reform. That refresher must run at least one hour excluding assessment, is capped at 30 participants for face-to-face delivery, must cover ACT-specific legislative content, and must include procedures for checking that the person completed a full ACT-approved program, a recognised interstate program, or one recognised under transitional arrangements. Providers need explicit approval from the ACT Commissioner for Fair Trading, renewed annually by 30 June, and Access Canberra publishes the list. We were not on that list as at 1 September 2026. ACT catches licensees and commercial permit-holders, employees who supply liquor, crowd controllers, and security employees at licensed premises.
Who needs the gaming equivalent, which is a separate question
Worth putting beside the alcohol answer, because a venue with pokies has two staff-training regimes running at once and neither covers the other.
In Victoria you must complete the state's Responsible Service of Gaming training if you are employed in a gaming venue and both of these are true: you work in the gaming machine area (GMA), and you have more than incidental contact or interaction with players of gaming machines there. You must also complete it if you are a venue operator, the nominee of a venue operator, or the holder of a gaming industry employee licence. A Responsible Gambling Officer, nominated by the venue operator, must have completed at least Module 1.
That training is free, delivered by the government through the Department of Justice and Community Safety through online and venue-support-worker modules — a nationally recognised SITHGAM022 Statement of Attainment does not discharge it. Module 1 is due within one month of starting work and Module 2 within six months, with refresher Modules 3 and 4 every three years thereafter.
The gaming industry employee licence is narrower still and is a licence rather than training: issued by the VGCCC, it is required only where the work involves accessing the logic area of a gaming machine, holding or issuing logic-area keys, accessing a Jackpot Interface Board or Slot Machine Interface Board, or supervising anyone who does. Opening a machine without accessing the logic area — emptying the cash hopper, for instance — does not require it. See how to get a bar and gaming licence.
When you need it by
The common advice "you need it before your first shift" is safe but not strictly accurate everywhere. Several jurisdictions set a grace period:
| Jurisdiction | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Victoria | Before you start supplying alcohol, or within one month of first supplying it |
| Queensland | Within 30 days of starting employment |
| Western Australia | Within 28 days of commencing employment or volunteering in a service capacity, and a copy of the certificate must go to your employer |
| New South Wales | You need a card with current endorsement to work. The interim certificate covers a 90-day window while the card is produced |
| South Australia, Tasmania, ACT | No grace period is published in the regulator material |
Do not rely on a grace period you have not confirmed. Venues generally require evidence at hiring anyway, and in NSW the card takes an extra step beyond the training, so allow time. Note also that certification from an RTO must be issued within 30 calendar days from the completion of the assessment once you have completed the product and paid all agreed fees — so the paperwork has its own timetable on top of the licensing one.
Age rules are not what most sites claim
Two jurisdictions set out rules that get wrongly flattened into a blanket "you must be 18". They are different kinds of rule and should not be merged.
Queensland sets no minimum age. OLGR states there are no minimum age restrictions under the Liquor Act 1992. Under-18s may serve or supply alcohol in hotels, restaurants and cafes, provided the venue does not hold an adult entertainment permit. They still need RSA, and within the same 30 days.
Western Australia penalises the employer, not the employee. A licensee who employs a juvenile to sell, supply or serve alcohol commits an offence carrying a $10,000 penalty under the Liquor Control Act 1988 (WA). That is a prohibition on the licensee's conduct, not an age condition on enrolling in the course.
Victoria separates training from serving. A person under 18 may complete RSA training in Victoria, but must be 18 to serve alcohol.
If you are under 18 and want to work in this field, get the age rules for your own state from the regulator before you assume either position applies to you.
What a real RSA outcome looks like
An accredited outcome is a Statement of Attainment naming SITHFAB021, issued by an RTO, carrying the unit code and the RTO number. The prescribed elements go further: the RTO's name, registration code and logo; the full title and national code of each unit as listed on the National Register; the NRT logo; the signature of an authorised individual; and the organisation's seal, corporate identifier or unique watermark. Your USI must not be printed on it. A document titled "Certificate of Achievement" or "Certificate of Completion" with no unit code and no RTO number is not nationally recognised, whatever the content covered.
The unit code alone proves nothing either. It must be on that provider's current scope of registration on training.gov.au, and in Victoria, NSW, SA, the ACT and the Tasmanian licence-holder tier the provider also needs separate state approval. See why nationally recognised certificates matter.
Where to get it
We hold SITSS00071 Responsible service of alcohol on our scope of registration and deliver SITHFAB021. We also hold SITSS00070 Hospitality Compliance, which packages SITHFAB021 with SITXFSA005 and SITXFSA006.
For Victoria specifically, we appear on LCV's published list of approved RSA course providers, under In-person course providers → One-day RSA course providers (Melbourne, Complete Hospitality Training). LCV approves providers by delivery mode, and we are not on LCV's separate online course provider list, so our Victorian RSA is delivered in person, or online using a meeting platform, rather than as a self-paced online course.
- RSA across all jurisdictions
- RSA online
- RSA in Melbourne
- Bartending course
- Responsible Service of Gambling, Melbourne
Before enrolling anywhere, confirm the provider against the regulator's own published list for the state you will work in, not against the provider's own claim. We do not ask you to take our word for our own approvals either.
About us
We are Complete Hospitality Training, RTO 3722, CRICOS 04242E. Level 3, 28 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, and 410 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010. Contact melbourne@cht.edu.au or +61 3 9654 1554.
We link to the relevant course and regulatory sources in this guide. Check those sources for current requirements, and confirm course availability, delivery, fees and entry requirements with us before enrolling.
Source records and further guidance
We link the unit records and regulator guidance relevant to this page below. Check the current source before making an enrolment, licensing or employment decision.
- SITHFAB021 Provide responsible service of alcohol
- SITHGAM022 Provide responsible gambling services
- SITSS00070 Hospitality Compliance Skill Set
- SITSS00071 Responsible service of alcohol
- SITXFSA005 Use hygienic practices for food safety
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (Victoria)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (New South Wales)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (Queensland)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (Western Australia)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (South Australia)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (Tasmania)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (Northern Territory)
- Responsible Service of Alcohol training requirements (Australian Capital Territory)
- Responsible Service of Gaming (RSG) training requirements (Victoria)
- National Code of Practice for Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018 — Standards 1 to 11
- Unique Student Identifier (USI) requirements for RTOs
I only pour the occasional glass of wine. Do I need it?
If you serve or supply alcohol in a licensed venue, yes. The trigger is the act, not the frequency and not the job title.
Does the venue's licence cover me?
No. The licence belongs to the business. The RSA requirement attaches to the individual serving — though in Victoria the licensee separately has to be able to prove, under ss 108AB and 108AC, that every person serving has completed an approved program and refreshed it within three years.
Is one course enough for the whole country?
An RSA Statement of Attainment is a national training record, but permission to serve alcohol depends on the destination’s rules. NSW permits eligible temporary interstate workers; permanent movers and security or RSA marshal roles must meet NSW training and competency-card requirements, using bridging where eligible. Victoria offers bridging to eligible interstate holders. SA applies approved-provider rules to training from 1 November 2020, with earlier training not required to be repeated solely for that change. QLD and WA require suitable national RSA evidence. Tasmania distinguishes staff from licence holders; the ACT and NT have local currency and refresher requirements. Check the regulator before your first shift. See RSA recognition by jurisdiction (/rsa/), NSW’s rules (https://www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/liquor-and-gaming/training/rsa-bridging) and SA’s rules (https://www.cbs.sa.gov.au/sections/LGL/RSA-approved-providers).
I am an RSA marshal in NSW. Is that different?
Yes, in one important way. RSA marshal duties and security work at NSW licensed premises require the NSW competency card regardless of where you live, so the temporary-worker concession that covers other interstate staff does not apply to you.
I am becoming a licensee in NSW and I hold an interstate RSA.
You do Licensee Training rather than the bridging course. The same applies to an interstate holder becoming an approved manager or club secretary.
I have a Victorian RSA and I am working in Sydney next month.
If you are moving permanently you need the NSW bridging course and then a competency card, and your Victorian certificate or refresher must be under three years old to qualify for the bridging pathway. If you are working there temporarily and living elsewhere, your interstate certification is enough, unless you are doing security or RSA marshal duties.
I hold an interstate RSA and I am moving to Melbourne.
In Victoria, an interstate RSA certificate generally cannot be used on its own. Eligible holders can apply for the free RSA Refresher bridging course to obtain a Victorian certificate. LCV requires approved original RSA training completed within the last three years and, for an online course, residence interstate or overseas at the time. Allow about ten working days for the application. LCV lists a specific exemption for interstate liquor producers at qualifying temporary or major events. Check the Victorian eligibility and event rules (https://www.vic.gov.au/rsa-training) before relying on a certificate.
I am applying for a liquor licence, not a job. Do I need RSA?
In Victoria, generally yes. RSA is required when applying for a permanent licence or a licence transfer, except for a BYO permit or a pre-retail licence, and s 26B requires an applicant for a general, on-premises, late night or packaged liquor licence to have completed an approved program in the 3 years before applying. Check whether a licence condition also imposes Advanced RSA training.
Do I need RSA to work in a bottle shop?
Packaged liquor staff are generally caught. Victoria expressly lists the packaged liquor licence, and NSW expressly lists retail liquor salespersons.
Is RSA the same as RSG?
Victorian RSG is free approved training: online modules through RSG Online and venue-arranged sessions with venue support workers. National SITHGAM training does not replace it. See the official training requirements (https://www.justice.vic.gov.au/safer-communities/gambling/responsible-service-of-gaming-training) and our RSG guide (/courses/responsible-service-of-gambling-rsg-melbourne/).
Do I need a gaming licence as well?
Probably not. The VGCCC gaming industry employee licence is required only for work involving the logic area of a gaming machine, custody of logic-area keys, access to a Jackpot or Slot Machine Interface Board, or supervising someone who does those things. Opening a machine to empty the cash hopper does not require it.
I am a volunteer at a community event. Am I exempt?
It depends on the state. NSW and South Australia expressly catch volunteers. Queensland exempts supervised volunteers at community organisations and events where the supervisor holds current training. Check your own state.
I am a licensee, not a server. Do I still need RSA?
Usually something heavier. In Queensland a current RMLV certificate replaces RSA. In WA an unrestricted approved manager needs the Course in Management of Licensed Premises with RSA as a prerequisite. In Tasmania a licence holder needs a Commissioner-approved course with Tasmanian content and practical assessment. In NSW an interstate holder becoming a licensee does Licensee Training. In Victoria s 108AA requires the licensee to complete an approved program within three years of last completing one.
How long does my certificate stay valid?
No expiry in Queensland or WA, three years in Victoria, the NT and the ACT, five years for the NSW card. In Victoria the three-year refresher applies to anyone holding a certificate, not only to licensees. See how long does an RSA last (/news/how-long-does-an-rsa-last/).
Is there a minimum age?
Not under the Queensland Liquor Act 1992. Other jurisdictions treat the question differently: Western Australia penalises the licensee rather than setting a course entry age, and in Victoria an under-18 may complete the training but must be 18 to serve. Ask your own regulator rather than assuming a national 18-plus rule.
Can I do it online?
Victorian training can be delivered in person or online, but LCV approves a provider for a delivery mode and publishes separate in-person and online provider lists — so check the provider appears on the list for the mode you want. NSW expressly lists online delivery for the bridging course. Check the mode against the regulator for the state you will work in. See RSA online (/courses/rsa-online/) and can I renew my RSA online in Victoria (/news/can-i-renew-my-rsa-online-in-victoria/).
What does the course actually assess?
Among other things: identifying customers to whom service must be refused, including minors and people buying on behalf of minors; obtaining acceptable proof of age; refusing service professionally and stating the reason; at least three early indicators of intoxication; identifying erratic drinking patterns as an early sign, which the unit specifies as mixing drink types, drinking in quick succession, ordering more than one drink for own consumption, repeatedly returning for samples, and ordering triple shots or extra-large drinks; offering the named means of assistance; sourcing and explaining two of your venue's own policies; and asking two intoxicated customers to leave, one compliant and one refusing. See managing intoxicated patrons (/news/responsible-service-managing-intoxicated-patrons/).
How much does it cost?
Fees change, and a figure printed on a page ages badly. Confirm the current fee directly with us. What an RSA course costs (/news/how-much-does-an-rsa-course-cost/) explains what drives the difference between providers.
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