In Kansas, there are no state regulations that require a server or bartender to be licensed in order to sell or serve alcohol.
It is important to keep in mind though that some employers will require bartenders to complete such courses regardless of state or city laws.
If your employer does require it, or you would rather just be on the safe side and give your resume a boost, we suggest this course from Serving Alcohol. For Bartending License Help readers we have negotiated a special deal with Serving Alcohol to help make the licensing process quick and easy. Learn more here.
This post was updated on August 22, 2023.
Minimum Age To Serve Alcoholic Beverages In Kansas
The state of Kansas breaks up the minimum age to handle alcohol between two main categories: servers and bartenders.
Servers is straight forward and refers to anyone who serves a made drink.
Bartenders refers to those who are mixing or dispensing alcoholic beverages or cereal malt beverages.
According to the Kansas Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, servers of alcohol must be at least 18 years old. With that being said, any server who is under the age of 21 must be supervised by someone 21 years or older.
Bartenders in the state of Kansas must be at least 21 years old.
Employee Qualifications for Serving Alcohol in Kansas
Kansas restricts the employment of any person to bartend or serve alcohol who has:
- a conviction for any intoxicating liquor law within the previous two years
- two or more convictions for the furnishing of alcohol to a minor within the past five years
- three or more convictions within the previous five years of any other intoxicating liquor law. This includes convictions such as driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI)
Kansas Wet/Dry Counties
Kansas is one of only a handful of states that still has counties where the sale of alcoholic beverages is limited or even banned. As of March, 2023, 65 of the 105 counties in Kansas are either totally dry or require at least 30% of the businesses revenue to be derived from food sales. Here’s how it breaks down:
- 60 counties require that 30% of the businesses revenue to come from food
- 44 counties are fully “wet” and have no requirements regarding the sale of alcohol
- 1 county is completely dry
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.