Frequently Asked Questions

In order to obtain a LEAD Certificate, you must either complete the online LEAD course or attend an in-person LEAD class and pass the exam. The certificate for the online course is made available immediately following the completion of the course. The certificate for an in-person class is provided via email approximately 1 to 3 business days following the class.

We no longer accept reservations by telephone. To make a reservation, visit Register for In-Person LEAD Training. This is an online registration system and is separate from the Online LEAD Training Center. Each person must register individually for a class. Once you have chosen a date and location from our existing class schedule, the system will show how many seats are available for that class. If it is not full, you can complete the registration process and you will be emailed a confirmation notice, which you should bring with you to the class.

Each participant should bring paper, a pen, and a copy of their email confirmation showing they are registered to take the class. It is also recommended that each participant bring a copy of their (or their employers) ABC license. The license is used for educational purposes during the training. You can still attend even if you don’t have a copy of an ABC license.

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.

This course is divided into 10 modules, with an assessment at the end of certain ones. The assessments become available after the student has viewed the entire content portion of the module. Successful completion of all assessments is required to obtain a LEAD Certificate.

You should contact the local agency that has mandated the training for information about which training programs will satisfy their training requirement and how often the training is required.

This course is divided into 10 modules, with an assessment at the end of certain ones. The assessments become available after the student has viewed the entire content portion of the module. Successful completion of all assessments is required to obtain a LEAD Certificate.

No, your position in the course is saved as you progress through the training. You will continue from where you last left off when you log in again.

The LEAD Certificate does not expire and does not need to be renewed. You will have an opportunity to print your certificate at the conclusion of the course.

If you are required to complete the training, you should contact the local agency that has mandated the training for information about which training programs will satisfy their training requirement and how often the training is required.

Students will be able to access their LEAD Certificate within the Online LEAD Training Center immediately following the successful completion of the course. Students will also receive an email.

Please see the Online LEAD Program User GuideOpens in new window for instructions on how to access your certificate.

Unfortunately, the online LEAD course is currently not offered in alternative languages.

If you are having difficulties signing in or using the system, please review the Online LEAD Program User Guide. If the issue is not addressed in this guide, you can contact leadinfo@abc.ca.gov.

If you do not pass an exam with at least an 80%, the system will lock you out after 2 failed attempts. You will then have to email leadinfo@abc.ca.gov for a reset.