What is a competency card?
A NSW competency card is a physical photo card valid for 5 years.
It displays proof that you’ve successfully completed the mandatory training for your role in liquor and/or gaming work. It's similar to a licence.
It's also available in a digital format that you can download on your smartphone or tablet.
You must always have your physical or digital competency card available when working in jobs that require it.
Show your competency card to a police officer or inspector when asked. This will help you to avoid fines.
What is 'endorsement' and 'competency'?
Each cardholder has a single competency card. But a competency card can record multiple endorsements.
- What is an 'endorsement'? This is the training proof for a given competency that is reflected on the competency card.
- What is the 'competency'? This is the skill you have gained, such as Responsible Service of Alcohol.
How to apply for, and get your card
Check if your role requires a competency card
You must have a competency card if you:
- sell, serve, or supply alcohol
- are a licensee of a business
- work with gaming machines, including hotel licensees, club secretaries, and approved managers.
- are a Responsible Gambling Officer
- are a director of a company that owns one or more hotels where the director has an operational role in the business
- are a club director (unless you have completed a Responsible Gambling Board Oversight course approved by L&GNSW)
- work as a crowd controller, bouncer, or RSA marshal.
Do the training required for your role
The competency card provides proof that you’ve successfully completed the appropriate mandatory training for your role in the workplace.
Before you apply for a competency card, you'll need to do the training.
See Get started in training to find out which courses you need to do for your job role.
To get your first competency card you must pass one or both of these courses provided by a Liquor & Gaming NSW approved training provider:
See Get started in training for other training courses you may need to do for your role, including: Licensee Training (LT) or Responsible Gambling Board Oversight (RGBO) (which doesn't generate an endorsement on a competency card).
Get an interim certificate
When you complete the course, your provider will give you an interim certificate.
This allows you to work for 90 days while you order and receive your photo competency card.
Apply for the competency card as soon as possible, as it may take time to process and receive the card.
Gather documents and submit to Service NSW
To apply for a competency card go into Service NSW with the following documents:
- Your interim certificate
- 100 points of identification (originals only) as listed on the back of the interim certificate.
Ensure your personal details on the interim certificate match your identification. You can discuss any discrepancies with Service NSW.
At Service NSW, your photo will be taken, and your card details will be processed.
Download your digital card
The digital competency card is available shortly after your photo is taken at Service NSW (approximately one hour).
This is a free and secure digital card for RSA and RCG competency card holders.
- Download it to your smartphone via the Service NSW app available on iTunes® or at the Google Play™ store.
- Once you have the app, you’ll need your CCH number to add your competencies. Your CCH number is displayed on your photo card and the transaction receipt from your visit to Service NSW.
Benefits of the digital card include:
- easy to carry, display, update, and renew using a smartphone or tablet.
- you don't need to carry the photo card if you have a working digital card with you
- it's free, quick to download, and legally valid
- compliance officers can conduct real-time inspections using a compatible checker and easily access your inspection history.
Visit Service NSW to learn more about the digital NSW competency card.
Physical card
You should receive your NSW photo competency card in approximately four to five weeks.
If you don’t receive your card within five weeks, contact Liquor & Gaming NSW for assistance. You'll need to provide your full name, date of birth and email address for proof of identity purposes
Using and showing your card
Keep your card handy
- Always have either your physical or digital competency card available when working in jobs that require it.
- Show your competency card to a police officer or inspector when asked. This will help you to avoid fines.
- Report your competency card lost or stolen to the police and then to Liquor & Gaming NSW.
Fines for working without a card
See Fines for working without a NSW competency card
Updating your card
Use the Competency card self-service portal or Service NSW Mobile App to:
- Update your contact details. This is essential for receiving important notifications and updates. (If you can't access the portal or app, update your contact details via the Service NSW online form)
- Update your name for changes in marital status or legal name.
- Order a replacement for lost, stolen or damaged cards (See Lost, stolen or damaged cards below)
- Renew your competency card (See Renewing your competency card below).
To access the Competency card self-service portalyou need:
- the CCH number displayed on your competency card
- access to either the phone number or email address registered to your competency card. If you don't know your details, please contact us for assistance.
Also see Fees for issuing and replacing competency cards
Lost, stolen or damaged cards
- Order a replacement for lost, stolen, or damaged cards in the self-service portal above.
- If lost or stolen, also report it to the police and Liquor & Gaming NSW.
Also see
Renew your competency card before 5 years
Your competency card will expire after five years.
Your competency card's expiry date appears on both digital and physical NSW cards.
Get ready to renew your card ahead of this expiry date.
It's important to be aware that:
- If you hold more than one endorsement, all will expire on the same date, five years from the earliest endorsement received
- Liquor & Gaming NSW cannot extend a competency card expiry date. You need to complete the refresher training within the required timeframe. See What if my competency card has expired further down this page for details of this time.
- You may be fined if your card is expired. See What if my card has expired? below. Also see Fines for working without a valid NSW competency card
Read through these steps for renewing your card.
Get ready to renew 90 days before your card expires
If your contact details are up to date, you’ll start receiving L&GNSW reminders via email and SMS to renew your endorsements approximately 90 days prior to your competency card expiry date.
See 'Updating your card' above to make sure your contact details are always up to date.
Do the refresher course
To renew your competency card, you will need to complete an online Liquor & Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) refresher course:
- L&GNSW is the only provider of refresher training.
- It must be 'refresher' training. Repeating an initial training course will notrenew endorsements on your NSW competency card.
- It must be complete within the required timeframe:
- within the 90-60-30-day Liquor & Gaming NSW reminder periods, or
- there is a 28-day grace period after expiry when you can do the training - But note that during this grace period, your competency card won't be valid for work until the refresher course is complete. See 'What if my card has expired' below.
To access the refresher course
- Ahead of your card's expiry, you'll receive an email or SMS notification from Liquor & Gaming NSW (see previous step)
- In the email or SMS, you can click the course link to access and launch the relevant online refresher course we provide. (Important: Always check the link, notification or email is coming direct from Liquor & Gaming NSW).
To read more about the refresher course(s)
See
Complete the renewal process to receive your new card
- Complete and successfully pass the relevant refresher course(s) and assessment(s). See previous step.
- Pay the competency card renewal fee. See Fees for issuing and replacing competency cards
- You will receive a renewal interim certificate by email.
- Your renewed endorsements will be displayed
- Your new competency card will be issued.
What if my card has expired?
You cannot sell, serve, or supply alcohol or work with gaming machines if your NSW competency card has expired.
Find out what to do, depending on the expiry date, or if you're a former licensee.
If your card has expired, Liquor & Gaming NSW provides a grace period of 28 days (since the expiry) to complete the relevant refresher training to renew your endorsements.
But you must cease to work in any role that requires a current NSW competency card during this grace period.
Once your Refresher training has been successfully completed:
- your endorsements are renewed
- your NSW competency card will be current, and
- you can re-commence work.
You will be required to complete the initial training course relevant to each endorsement through a L&GNSW Approved Training Provider (ATP).
From 1 July 2024, if you are a former licensee with a competency card expiry date within the last 3 years, you can renew your RSA and Licensee endorsement by completing Licensee Training only.
- Discuss your re-entry into the industry with your Approved Training Provider (ATP) when applying to enroll in Licensee Training to ensure the correct steps are followed to re-instate your RSA endorsement.
Contact us
T: 1300 024 720 | Monday to Friday | 9am - 4pm
E:competency.card@liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au