Beginning July 1, 2022, the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control is requiring that bartenders must be licensed in order to serve alcohol.
According to CA Assembly Bill 1221, bartenders, servers, and managers will be required to have valid Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training from an ABC accredited license provider and pass an exam within 60 days from their hire date.
Once you have passed the exam, the license is good for 3 (three) years.
Approved RBS Trainers
The state of California has approved more than 30 training providers. These trainers include both online and in-person trainers. You can see a full list of approved training providers at the ABC RBS Portal here.
Although you are free to choose any of the providers to become licensed, we suggest taking training from a company which has a long-standing relationship with the state of California and is affordable.
Here at Bartending License Help, we suggest taking the training from Serving Alcohol due to the cost ($9.95) and their over 35 year history of providing training to bartenders.
To get licensed from the Serving Alcohol Program click here. (Our recommendation)
Other Costs
Beyond the cost of being licensed from an approved RBS Trainer, the state of California charges $3.00 to be registered with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and to take the exam. You will have three attempts to pass (70% or better). If you don’t pass in three attempts, you will have to pay another $3.00.
For further questions, you can check out FAQs here.
Minimum Age To Serve Alcoholic Beverages In California:
- 18 years old to be a server in a restaurant
- 21 years old to work at a bar
Other Requirements That May Be Helpful:
- Driver’s License
- Good Communication Skills
- Proper non-slip bartending shoes.
- Knowledge of basic drink recipes
For more information, please contact your local City Clerk’s office.