Alcohol Server

100% Online California Seller-Server Training

The California Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training course is designed for anyone involved in the direct sale of alcoholic beverages, such as bartenders, managers and more. This 100% online training program is approved by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).

Students will learn about responsible beverage service, the effects of alcohol on the body, related regulations and consequences, the prevention of illegal sales and best practices in managerial alcohol policies.

To earn an RBS certification, students must register on the California RBS portal and pass the RBS Alcohol Server Certification Exam within 30 days of completing the training. After completing the training, individuals will receive a certificate of completion.

Who Needs California RBS Training?

Whether you're a bartender, server, cashier, doorman or bouncer at a licensed venue, completing this training and passing the certification exam is mandatory. It doesn't matter if you work full-time or just a few hours — these requirements ensure that alcohol is handled responsibly.

Alcohol servers include anyone who:

  • Checks ID
  • Takes drink orders
  • Pours drinks
  • Delivers alcohol

Alcohol managers include anyone who:

  • Oversees alcohol services
  • Hires or trains alcohol servers

This course meets the standards set by Assembly Bill 1221 for on-premises alcohol servers and managers. New employees must complete this mandatory training and pass the certification exam within their first 60 days.

Testing Requirements

To complete the course, students must pass five module quizzes to assess employee learning. Students are granted unlimited attempts to achieve a passing score of at least 70%.

Course completion will be reported to ABC within 24 hours of passing the fifth module quiz. Then, ABC will email you a link to the state certification exam. You have up to 30 days to pass the exam through the RBS portal.

You have three attempts to pass the state exam with a score of 70% or higher. If you fail, you must retake the course to get a new exam link. The assessment is administered in English and Spanish.

Learning Objectives

Following course completion, alcohol sellers, servers and managers will have the knowledge and skills to:

  • Identify the problems and facts attributed to alcoholic beverages
  • Prevent sales of alcoholic beverages to minors
  • Prevent sales of alcoholic beverages to intoxicated persons
  • Prevent violations of alcohol laws and rules

Course Outline

The program contains five training modules that teach alcohol sellers, servers and managers how to safely and legally serve alcoholic beverages. Learn more about each module below.

Module 1: Alcohol and Its Effects on the Body

Topics covered in Module 1 include:

  • Intoxication
  • Alcohol-impaired driving
  • The physiology of alcohol

Learning objectives include:

  • Describe the path of alcohol through the human body and its effects
  • Relate different Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) levels to their symptoms
  • List the signs of intoxication and factors that may create magnified effects
  • Explain the consequences of alcohol-impaired driving

Module 2: Alcohol and Society

Topics covered in Module 2 include:

  • The impact of alcohol on society
  • Alcohol-related costs to society
  • The responsibilities of an alcohol server

Learning objectives include:

  • State the benefits of alcohol sales for society
  • State the disadvantages of alcohol sales for society
  • Relate overuse of alcohol to crimes, health emergencies and overall quality of life
  • Apply your knowledge of the effects of alcohol on society to your responsibility as an alcohol server

Module 3: Regulations and Penalties

Topics covered in Module 3 include:

  • Regulations for alcohol servers
  • Laws for serving alcohol for consumption
  • Liability with alcohol service
  • Enforcement

Learning objectives include:

  • Summarize related alcohol sales regulations
  • Restate the different forms of liability and penalties for alcohol server licensees and employers
  • Explain the roles and rights of the department and law enforcement

Module 4: Preventing Illegal Alcohol Sales

Topics covered in Module 4 include:

  • Checking identification (ID)
  • Intoxicated customers and minors
  • Intoxication by other substances

Learning objectives include:

  • Discuss when and how to check for ID
  • Compare a legally acceptable ID with the characteristics of an unacceptable ID
  • Explain how to refuse service to intoxicated customers
  • List the signs of intoxication for other substances

Module 5: The Role of Managerial Oversight

Topics covered in Module 5 include:

  • Licensee responsibilities
  • Managerial policy development guidelines
  • Enforcing guidelines
  • Hiring alcohol servers
  • Responsible beverage servers

Learning objectives include:

  • Restate the consequences of administrative violations
  • Relate the establishment of managerial alcohol policies to responsible beverage service
  • Apply your knowledge of responsible beverage service to managerial policy development
  • Demonstrate hospitality and observation skills while serving alcohol

California RBS Certification FAQs

Is eFoodcard an approved RBS provider?

Yes, our 100% online California RBS course is approved by the California ABC. You can find our approval on the ABC website listed under American Safety Council.

What are the steps to earning a California RBS certification?

  1. Register as a server with ABC. You can register for training through the RBS portal — this is also where you complete your final exam.
  2. Complete an RBS certification program. Training must be completed through an approved provider such as eFoodcard.
  3. Take the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam through the RBS portal. You get three chances to succeed — fail, and you'll need to retake the course.

When do I need to retake the course?

Your certificate will be valid for three years. To keep a valid certification, you must retake the course and pass the exam again before your current certificate expires.

What's the minimum age to serve alcohol in California?

In California, only those 18 and older can administer alcohol, ensuring a mature and responsible service experience. However, there are restrictions for underage alcohol servers.

In general, minors who serve alcohol must:

  • Serve alcohol in designated food consumption areas, such as restaurants and concession stands that sell food products, soft drinks and alcohol
  • Not act as bartenders or cocktail waitresses
  • Not serve alcohol while working behind a fixed counter where only soft drinks, alcohol and other beverages are dispensed

How long do students have to complete the training?

Effective July 1, 2022, CA Assembly Bill 1221 and Assembly Bill 82 require state-approved training for on-premises alcoholic beverage servers and their managers. Employees must complete training within 60 days of employment, including employees hired prior to July 1, 2022. The regulations have been incorporated into the California Code of Regulations, Title 4, Article 25, Sections 160-173.

What is the difference between RBS and LEAD?

RBS is a mandatary program that educates current and future alcohol servers to responsibly sell alcohol at licensed locations such as clubs, hotels, bars and restaurants, stadiums and more.

Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs (LEAD) is a free and voluntary ABC skills development program that educates employees to sell alcohol at locations such as gas stations, liquor and convenience stores. Students learn how to prevent illegal sales and drug activity on and around their employer's premises.