Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training

About training

Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training is mandatory for people who sell, serve or supply alcohol to the public in NSW.

To do this legally in NSW, you must complete a Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course from a Liquor & Gaming NSW Approved Training Provider (ATP).

If you're new to the liquor or gaming industry, also see our Get started in training page - which tells you which courses you need to do, depending on your job role and circumstance. Note that: 

• For same-day alcohol deliveries, you're required to do separate training, Responsible Supply of Alcohol Training (RSAT).
• Businesses involved in selling, serving or supplying alcohol also usually require a liquor licence.

Who should complete this training

RSA training applies to a range of workers involved in the sale, service or supply of alcohol. This includes:

• service staff, food and beverage attendants
• retail liquor salespersons
• winery and brewery staff
• promotional staff
• RSA marshals
• security staff and crowd controllers
• volunteers.

You need to do a full training course if:

• you're new to the liquor industry, or
• your RSA training was over five years ago.

Have you completed RSA training in NSW in the last five years? You only need to do the RSA Refresher course.

Are you from interstate? Find out if you need to do the RSA or NSW RSA Bridging course on our RSA Bridging course page.

What you'll learn

The purpose of Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training is to: 

• give you the knowledge and skills to meet your responsibilities under the NSW liquor laws
• help you understand and appreciate the importance of your role as a staff member in the NSW liquor industry
• help minimise alcohol-related harms. 

Some of the benefits include helping to:

• reduce alcohol-related crime and violence
• reduce health implications for customers
• encourage a more positive social experience that is less likely to result in customers harming themselves, other customers or staff
• improve the morale and safety of staff, which in turn reduces staff turnover and benefits productivity
• improve the reputation and sustainability of the business you work for and reduce compliance and legal costs.

Course structure

The course includes:

• the national unit Provide responsible service of alcohol (SITHFAB021)
• NSW-specific topics:
  • NSW liquor laws and responsible alcohol service
  • Managing intoxication: helping customers drink responsibly, assessing intoxication, and refusing service
  • Preventing underage drinking: ID checks and preventing secondary supply
  • Harm minimisation strategies
  • Compliance and enforcement.

Course materials

The NSW RSA Course Handbook includes the most recent changes to liquor laws.

View all related resources and videos:

Training resources

How to apply

To obtain an RSA endorsement on a NSW competency card, you need to complete an RSA course through an Approved Training Provider (ATP). 

Liquor & Gaming NSW Approved Training Providers are the only organisations in NSW that can deliver the training.

RSA courses may be offered in a classroom or online.

Find an Approved Training Provider

Cost

The price charged for an RSA training course varies between approved training providers. 

The amount you pay for your course includes the cost of your NSW competency card.

What you get at the end

When you've completed the course, you will be able to do your job legally and responsibly - when you're serving, selling or supplying alcohol. You will be provided with an interim certificate, and later competency card, to prove your qualification. You will need to keep this up to date, and do refresher training where required. See the following information about the competency card.

Interim Certificate and NSW competency card

• Interim certificate: When you successfully complete an RSA course, you'll get an interim certificate. This is valid for 90 days and allows you to work immediately. Liquor & Gaming NSW Approved Training Providers (ATPs) are the only organisations in NSW that can issue interim certificates.
• Competency card: As soon as possible you will need to apply for a competency card to prove your qualification.
  • To obtain a NSW RSA competency card, present your interim certificate to a Service NSW centre and complete a 100-point identification check.
  • You will then be issued with a competency card holder number.
  • Once you have your competency card holder number, you can get a digital competency card via the Service NSW app. Visit Service NSW to learn more.
  • Your card will be sent to your nominated postal address. Please allow up to one month for its delivery.
  • See Competency card page for more details, and for information on managing and renewing your card.