Responsible Beverage Service Training is Now Available in Four Languages

Sacramento – The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) has announced the approval of new Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training providers who can provide training in Korean, Chinese (Traditional), and Chinese (Simplified). The new training providers give access to alcohol servers and managers who speak Korean and Chinese and can help them become RBS certified. RBS training is also available in English and Spanish. ABC has approved over 50 RBS training providers and continues to review other training provider applications.

ABC is encouraging any prospective RBS training providers to submit their applications to ABC on the RBS Portal. ABC reviews the trainer applications to determine if they meet the mandatory training standards for certification to train servers to serve alcohol safely, responsibly, and meet the mandatory training requirements under Assembly Bill 1221, the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program Act of 2017.

Additionally, ABC is now offering RBS exams in eight languages including English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Hindi, and Punjabi.

The RBS law requires alcohol servers and their managers at over 56,000 ABC licensed businesses to register with ABC, be trained by an ABC approved RBS training provider, and pass an ABC exam with a score of 70% or higher by August 31, 2022, or 60 days after their first day of employment. Over 213,000 alcoholic beverage servers and managers have registered with ABC, and over 133,000 have passed the ABC exam.

Alcohol servers are defined as anyone employed at an ABC on-premises licensed establishment who is responsible for checking identifications, taking customer orders, and pouring or delivering alcoholic beverages. An ABC on-premises licensed establishment is any business in California that serves alcohol for consumption on site such as a bar, restaurant, winery, brewery, or distillery with on-sale privileges.

While alcohol servers and their managers must take the steps necessary to become certified, ABC reminds the public that it is ultimately the responsibility of licensees to ensure their servers and managers of servers are compliant with the certification requirement. Although the law does provide for potential administrative action against a license, there are no criminal penalties against either businesses or their employees for noncompliance.

RBS Training and Certification is a Three-Step process:

1. Register with ABC as a Server on the RBS Portal
2. Take RBS training from an approved RBS Training Provider
3. Return to the RBS Portal to take ABC’s alcohol server certification exam.

The portal allows servers and managers to complete these steps. They can register as a server, search for training providers, and complete the exam all in one place.

“Responsible Beverage Service Training will help prevent underage drinking and alcohol-related traffic collisions throughout the state and can help make communities safer for all Californians,” said ABC Director Eric Hirata. “ABC’s goal is to gain statewide compliance with the new law. The Department will take an educational approach towards businesses who have not met the requirement.”

ABC protects communities through education and by administering prevention and enforcement programs designed to increase compliance with California’s alcoholic beverage laws.

ABC is a Department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

Contact

Additional information may be obtained by contacting:

Public Information Office
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: pio@abc.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 419-2525

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