Bartending License Requirements for Rhode Island

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In Rhode Island, anyone who sells or serves alcoholic beverages must receive alcohol server training from a server training program approved by Rhode Island’s Department of Business Regulation.

According to R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-7-6.1:

All persons who sell or serve alcoholic beverages; anyone serving in a supervisory capacity over those who sell or serve alcoholic beverages; anyone whose job description entails the checking of identification for the purchase of alcoholic beverages; and valet parking staff shall receive alcohol server training regulations

Pretty much, without getting into all the technical details, anyone who works at a licensed liquor establishment – including servers, bartenders, waitstaff, valets, or security guards – need to take a course.

And not just any course, but a state-approved course. To save the headache of searching for such courses online, we provided all of Rhode Island’s state-approved Alcohol Training Programs below.

Overview

License Required?Yes
Years Valid3
DeadlineWithin 60 days of employment
Governing BodyDiv. of Commercial Licensing & Regulation Liquor Enforcement & Compliance

Rhode Island State-approved Alcohol Training Programs:

Bartending Age Rhode Island

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in Rhode Island, you must be at least 18 years of age to bartend.

Furthermore, according to R.I. Gen. Laws § 3-8-2:

No person under the age of eighteen (18) may act as a bartender for the purposes of mixing, preparing, serving, or selling from a bar used for the purpose of dispensing beverages in any licensed establishment operating under a Class B-C-D-F or F1-G-J or K license.

Additional Requirements Around Rhode Island Server Training Programs:

  • All bartenders or those who sell or serve alcoholic beverages in Rhode Island must:
    • complete certified training within sixty (60) days of employment
    • attain a minimum score of seventy-five percent (75%)
    • and, lastly, renew their licenses every three (3) years

For more information, please contact your local City Clerk’s office, or contact the Liquor Enforcement and Compliance Section via email at DBR.LiquorInquiry@dbr.ri.gov

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Analyzed By: Dillon Newman

Dillon is an entrepreneur at heart, having built multiple businesses over the years. He first became interested in bartending and cooking while working at Asian Pearl in highschool. While there, he learned about the convoluted world of bartending and food handling licenses, vowing to make the process easier for every bartender to come.