July 2020

Regulations and Rulemaking Update

The RBSTP regulations were approved by OAL at the end of May 2020. The finalized regulations are available on the Approved Regulations page on our website.

On June 29, 2020, the Legislature passed Assembly Bill No. 82 that changed the date for mandatory training for on-premises alcohol servers and their managers in the State of California to July 1, 2022. This change was made to alleviate financial strain on the hospitality industry caused by the COVID-19 state of emergency. Therefore, ABC’s implementation timeline and Go Live dates has been pushed out to allow for a smoother transition for mandatory RBS training courses. The updated project timeline is below.

Updated Anticipated RBS Project Timeline

• Summer 2020 – Completion of RBS Server Exam design and development.
• Winter 2020/2021 – Begin accepting RBS Training Provider applications and approval process.
• Spring 2021 – Additional Public Outreach campaign for RBS Training.
• Summer 2021 – Approved RBS Training Providers may begin training.
• Summer 2022 – RBS training from an ABC approved RBS Training Providers is now mandatory for alcohol servers and the managers of alcohol servers in the State of California.

Training Provider Application Process

With the delayed start date for the implementation of the statewide RBS training by ABC authorized training providers, the application acceptance date has been pushed back to Winter 2020/2021. We are in the process of developing a checklist and user guide for training provider applicants, which will aid them in the application process. Those who are currently providing RBS training may continue do so; however, please note, that there are no RBS training programs approved by the Department at this time.

Due to the change of the RBS implementation date, we are still developing our adjusted timeline with regard to beta testing of the training provider application. We have identified Beta Testers and may be assigning roles and tasks throughout the next year as the need and timeline permit. We appreciate everyone who has expressed an interest in being part of the beta testing process for RBSTP.

Frequently Asked Questions

As we move closer to the implementation date, ABC has been getting lots of questions about who is required to be trained and certified under AB 1221. In addition, there are many questions about how the courses currently available are different from the approved RBS training courses that will be required in order to serve alcohol in the State of California. ABC is striving to answer all questions, and have posted a list of frequently asked questions and their answers on the RBS Frequently Asked Questions page on our website. If you have any additional questions about the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program, please do not hesitate to email us at rbstp@abc.ca.gov.

We would like to thank our stakeholders and the industry for their continued patience and cooperation as we implement this mandatory training requirement for alcohol servers and their managers.

Contact

For alcohol server registration assistance or general assistance with RBS contact:

Online Services
Phone: (916) 318-6435
Email: onlineservices@abc.ca.gov

Translation Services
Email: eeo@abc.ca.gov

For training provider assistance or questions about RBS requirements contact:

RBSTP Team
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: rbstp@abc.ca.gov