Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)

Face-to-face RSA training is mandatory for licensees and staff selling, offering or serving liquor for general, on-premises, late night and packaged liquor licences.

Licensees and staff are subject to mandatory RSA requirements and have one month from the date they first sell, offer for sale or serve liquor on the licensed premises to complete an RSA program.

They will then need to complete the approved RSA online refresher course every three years.

The RSA program covers a range of topics including:

• problems associated with excessive consumption
• alcohol and the law
• the question of who is responsible for RSA
• facts about alcohol
• improving the atmosphere of your premises
• handling difficult customers.

Advanced RSA training course

Please check out our Advanced RSA page for more information about the Advanced RSA training course.

Licensee requirements

The obligation for a licensee to maintain a RSA register is no longer mandatory. Licensees can continue to voluntarily use the registers if they wish. 

A licensee must still provide relevant RSA training information to VCGLR inspectors upon request. Information that may be requested includes:

• the name of the responsible person at the licensed premises
• the name of each person who is engaged in the sale and service of liquor and the date on which each person first sold or served liquor on the premises.

If a licensee holds any other licence containing a specific condition requiring it to keep an RSA register, the licensee is only required to hold a copy of the most recent RSA certificate or evidence of an approved RSA program completion issued to any staff member involved in the sale and service of liquor.

Training providers

Individuals wishing to find a local registered training provider that can deliver the face-to-face RSA program should download the RSA training providers (XLS, 160 KB) and contact a local training organisation.

More information

Please check out our RSA frequently asked questions page for information about RSA requirements and interstate certificates.