Responsible service of alcohol (RSA) training and certification

It is mandatory for certain people involved in Queensland's liquor industry to have a current responsible service of alcohol (RSA) certificate.

RSA certification and course delivery

The required certification in Queensland is a Statement of Attainment, issued on completion of the national training package competency Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol. As a competency within a national training package, the Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol course, may only be delivered by a registered training organisation (RTO).

Note: If you hold a current OLGR-issued responsible management of licensed venues (RMLV) licensees' course certificate, you are not required to also hold certification in RSA. An RMLV certificate expires 3 years after the date of issue.

Becoming RSA certified for the first time

If you need to obtain an RSA Statement of Attainment for the first time, please contact your nearest RTO to become certified in Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol. Once obtained, this certification does not expire.

Lost RSA certificates

If you cannot find your RSA certificate and need to have it re-issued, contact the registered training organisation (RTO) that originally issued your Statement of Attainment in Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol. Search for your RTO contact details on Training.gov.au.

If you cannot remember which RTO you certified through, you will need to re-certify. You can search for a training provider local to you at Training.gov.au.

Note: As this is a national qualification OLGR cannot issue copies of RSA certificates.

Using an interstate RSA certificate in Queensland

If you hold an RSA certificate from another Australian state or territory and that qualification is a Statement of Attainment in Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol, you can use this attainment in Queensland.

The Statement of Attainment in Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol meets the requirements of the Australian Quality Training Framework and is a nationally-recognised unit. If you do not hold this specific attainment, you will need to certify through an RTO.

Holding an existing OLGR-issued RSA certification

If you (or your staff) completed RSA training prior to 30 June 2013, your OLGR-approved RSA certificate will expire 3 years from the date of issue.

However, as the former OLGR-sanctioned RSA course included the national training package competency, you may have also been issued the Statement of Attainment in Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol at the same time. Please check your records, then see below.

I have a Statement of Attainment

A Statement of Attainment does not expire once obtained, even though the code identifying this course (currently, SITHFAB021) regularly changes. This means that if you hold a Statement of Attainment for Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol from anytime in the past, it remains current irrespective of the course code.

I don't have a Statement of Attainment

If you did not receive a Statement of Attainment in Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol at that time, prior to your OLGR certificate expiring you must complete the national training package competency, Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol.

Please contact your nearest RTO in order to remain RSA certified.

RSA training for staff

Licensees are responsible for ensuring that all staff that serve or supply alcohol have the appropriate certification. Penalties apply for licensees who fail to comply.

The following people must complete RSA training within 30 days of starting employment and maintain a current RSA training course certificate during their employment:

• the licensee (if an individual), unless trained in RMLV
• any staff member of the licensed premises who is involved in the service or supply of liquor at the premises. This includes bartenders, glass collectors, floor staff and room service staff. It does not include people that are trained in RMLV, such as approved managers.

RSA training for community-based licensed premises

Volunteers serving or supplying alcohol are not required to hold a current RSA training certificate if performing duties under one of the following licence categories:

• community club licence
• community other licence
• community liquor permit
• restricted liquor permit.

In this instance, however, the licensee or permit holder must ensure a person with current RSA training is available to supervise the volunteers.

RSA training register

Licensees are not required to keep an RSA training register; however, they are still required to:

• keep copies of current training course certificates or statements of attainment for staff
• make copies available at the premises for inspection by:
  • an Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) compliance officer
  • members of the Queensland Police Service.