California Responsible
Beverage Service Training
California law requires on-premise servers of alcoholic beverages to be trained and certified in responsible beverage service.
Beverage Service Training
Responsible Alcohol Server Certification
In California, servers of alcohol and their managers must be state-certified to legally serve alcohol. With our California Responsible Beverage Service Training, you can be confident your servers and managers understand their obligation to sell alcohol according to the law. This online training program is easy to implement and track — get in compliance with the law today!
About This Module
Included in This Module
Terms and Definitions Related to California Alcohol Service Law
In order to be prepared to pass the ABC alcohol server certification exam, alcohol servers must understand the various terms related to alcohol service.
The Social Impact of Alcohol
In this section of the training, alcohol servers learn that while alcohol is often part of positive social interactions and dining experiences, it also has risks. Serving alcohol responsibly starts with understanding that the overuse of alcohol is dangerous and harmful to California communities. This course emphasizes the responsibilities and legal obligations of all alcohol servers. When servers follow the law, as they learn to do in this program, they are protecting their customers, their communities, their establishments, and themselves.
The Effects of Alcohol on the Body
Excessive alcohol consumption can have severe and fatal consequences. In this section of the training, servers learn how alcohol effects the body. They also learn how a person’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is used to measure impairment and the different factors that contribute to alcohol absorption.
Laws and Regulations Relating to Alcohol Beverage Control and DUI
California has many different laws related to alcoholic beverage control and driving under the influence. To prepare for successful completion of ABC alcohol server certification exam, this section of the course covers many alcohol related laws and liabilities servers must be familiar with.
Preventing Alcohol Sales to Minors
Throughout the state of California, it is illegal to serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. In this section of course, employees learn the specific steps they must follow to verify the age of customers ordering alcohol. This includes examples that help servers recognize legally acceptable IDs, unacceptable IDs, and fake IDs.
Preventing Alcohol Sales to Intoxicated Guests
It is illegal in California to serve alcohol to someone who is intoxicated. Intoxication may look different from one guest to the next, so alcohol servers must learn how to recognize intoxicated guests. In this section of the training, employees watch various examples to learn how to assess a customer’s possible level of intoxication.
Refusing Service to Minors or Intoxicated Guests
Many sellers and servers will be faced with an intoxicated or underage guest who wants to purchase alcohol. In this section of the training, employees learn about their right to refuse service, when to refuse service, and specific techniques to refuse service.
Management Policies to Support Responsible Alcohol Service
California law requires alcohol sales licensees to create and enforce policies that guide employees on serving alcohol legally. This section of the training covers various policy guidelines such as the use of an incident log, hiring practices regarding alcohol servers, and how to effectively interact with law enforcement when necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you approved by the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC)?
Yes. We were approved on March 29, 2021.
What is your provider number?
Ready Training Online's provider number is 5.
How much does the training cost?
Purchase your California Responsible Beverage training from our marketplace for $12.95 per seat. For larger businesses, we provide a solution through trainingGrid®, our learning management system, where you can assign and schedule your employees' training. Pricing can be obtained through our sales team.
Who is a server according to AB-1221?
An alcohol server, as defined under AB-1221, includes anyone who does any of the following:
- Checks customer identification for purposes of alcoholic beverage service or entry to an ABC on-premises licensed establishment;
- Takes customer alcoholic beverage orders;
- Pours alcoholic beverages for customers; or
- Delivers alcoholic beverages to customers.
Do you administer the exam?
No, RTO® does not administer the exam. The exam must be taken through the California RBS website. The exam is 50 questions, and you must receive a score of 70% in order to pass.
How long does certification last?
Certification through the California RBS site is valid for 3 years.
Is your training applicable to all of California?
Yes. Our training meets requirements for the regulations that affect the state of California.
Can you guarantee passing?
We cannot guarantee a passing score; however, our training meets all requirements set by the state, and our downloadable course summary is a valuable reference for the exam.
Will I receive a certificate when I complete the training?
No, we do not offer certificates for completing the training, as you will not be fully certified in the state of California until you successfully pass their exam. You will receive an email from Ready Training online stating that you completed the training portion of the certification process.
Who do I contact for more information about Ready Training Online’s program?
Please call us at 1-800-247-8514.
5 Easy Steps to Certification
Each person taking the training must have a server ID. Follow the steps below to obtain a server ID.
1
Register for a Portal Account
Register for a portal account on the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) website. IMPORTANT: The name you enter in the CA ABC website must be IDENTICAL to the name you enter in your trainingGrid® profile (including spacing and capitalization).
The Exam Fee
From your RBS account, pay the required exam fee to receive a Server ID. Record your ID; you’ll need it to purchase your training from Ready Training Online. Also make note of how you entered your name in the CA RBS system when registering for your Server ID, including spacing and capitalization.
3
Return to this Page
Return to this page to purchase the training. Follow the link in your confirmation email from traininggrid.com to set up a profile. REMINDER: You MUST set up your profile with the same name and server ID registered to your CA RBS portal account.
Take Your Training
Take your training following the instructions in your confirmation email, then use our downloadable course summary (included with purchase) as a reference for the exam.
5
Login to your CARBS Portal
Once you have successfully completed the training, login to your California RBS portal account to access the exam, which will be located on the dashboard.
