Licensee training and obligations

Training you need to do when applying for or holding a liquor licence, including staff training needs.

Licensee training needs

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Training needed when you apply

If you are applying for any licence type, except a pre-retail licence or BYO permit, you must complete:

new entrant training
Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training. When you apply, you must upload evidence that you have completed or booked this training.

This can be either your Certificate of Completion or enrolment confirmation.

We cannot make a decision on your application until you have completed the training.

Training based on applicant type

Your training requirements depend on who is applying.

Individual: You must do new entrant and RSA training.

Partnership: All partners must do new entrant and RSA training.

Company or co-operative:

At least one director or the responsible person in charge (who may also be a director) must do new entrant training.
The responsible person in charge (who may also be a director) must do RSA training. Incorporated association
An executive committee member or the responsible person in charge (who may also be an executive committee member) must do new entrant training.
The responsible person in charge (who may also be an executive committee member) must do RSA training. TAFE, university or municipal council: In most cases, the responsible person in charge must do new entrant and RSA training.

Who else needs to do training

Nominees

If you have nominated a person to be a nominee on your licence, they must do new entrant or RSA training.

Directors

If you have directors, you must always have at least one who has done new entrant training. If you remove the only director with new entrant training, and want to add a director, the incoming director must complete new entrant or RSA training.

Person or entity subletting part of a licensed venue

The person or entity subletting part of a licensed venue must do RSA and/or new entrant training following the same rules that apply to your applicant type.

For example, if the subletting entity is a partnership, all partners must do new entrant or RSA training.

Ongoing licensee training

If you hold one of these licence types, as the licensee you must complete an RSA Refresher course every 3 years:

general
on-premises
late night
packaged liquor.

Advanced RSA training

Licensees and the responsible person in charge of a late night (general) or a late night (on-premises) licence must complete the Advanced RSA training course within 6 months of:

us granting the late night licence
recording a demerit point in the demerit point register. If you have a general licence or on-premises licence, you also need to do Advanced RSA training within 6 months of the demerit point being recorded in the demerit register.

William Angliss Institute provides the Advanced RSA training course online and in person.

When you have completed the training, let us know by emailing your Advanced RSA Certificate to contact@liquor.vic.gov.au.

Exemption from RSA training requirements

You can apply for either:

an extension of time to comply with RSA training requirements (except Advanced RSA training)
permanent exemption from RSA training requirements, granted in rare situations. You must be the licensee with one of these licence types:
general
on-premises
late night
packaged liquor. There is no fee to apply.

How to apply

Download the information kit, which includes the application form:

Exemption from the Responsible Service of Alcohol Training Requirements form PDF 180.11 KB (opens in a new window)

Complete and sign the form.
Email the form to contact@liquor.vic.gov.au.

Staff training needs

Your staff may be legally required to complete certain types of training, usually Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training.

Find out what training they must do before they can supply alcohol at your licensed venue or location.

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RSA training for workers

Your staff need a current RSA Certificate of Completion (RSA certificate) to work in your licensed venue or location if you have one of these licence types:

general
on-premises
late night
packaged liquor. This applies if their job involves any of these tasks:
taking orders or payment for alcohol
pouring alcoholic drinks, serving or delivering them to a customer
stocking alcohol in view of the public
removing glasses containing alcohol. The RSA certificate must be for a course that we have approved.

Staff must keep their certificate current by doing an RSA Refresher course every 3 years.

Read about RSA training including:

approved course providers
what staff learn
RSA refresher course
interstate RSA training and certificates
lost certificates.

Responsible person in charge

Your responsible person in charge must do the RSA Refresher course every 3 years if you applied for your licence as either a:

company
incorporated association
co-operative
TAFE or university
municipal council.

Keeping staff RSA certificates

If your staff are required to have RSA training you:

must keep a copy of their current RSA Certificate of Completion at your licensed venue or location
can keep photocopies or digital certificates
must be able to make the certificates immediately available if liquor inspectors or Victoria Police ask to see them
do not need to keep copies of the RSA Statement of Attainment, which course providers issue when a student completes the course. To be valid and current, the certificate must be:
no more than 3 years old
for an RSA course that we have approved (explore the list of approved course providers).

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Licensee training and obligations

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Licensee training needs

Training based on applicant type

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