Alcohol Server Training - California RBS Instructions -

What is RBS?

Responsible Beverage Service

Beginning in July 2022, any ABC licensee who has an “ABC On-Premises License” will need to have their staff (alcohol servers and managers of alcohol servers) trained and certified in RBS within sixty (60) days of the date of initial employment. This includes but is not limited to restaurants, bars, fast casual dining, tasting rooms (including off-sale locations), hotels, and stadiums.
Any employees who are TEAM certified now without incorporating the modifications that make TEAM’s program RBS approved or taking the RBS certification test would need to be re-certified before September 1, 2022.
Servers employed after July 1, 2022 need to be RBS certified within 60 days of initial hire.
RBS certification means that the alcohol server has successfully completed training by an ABC approved training provider and passed the alcohol server certification exam (hosted by ABC). Once the server has successfully completed the training and exam, their certification is valid for 3 years. The alcohol server certification must be renewed prior to its expiration to remain valid.

Is TEAM RBS certified?

Yes! TEAM Training became RBS certified for in-person training as of May 2021. The online course is being reviewed for approval currently.

Key Changes to TEAM Training with RBS:

Before attending a TEAM training session, servers must register with the RBS portal, pay $3, obtain a Server ID number and share it with their trainer.
Before hosting a TEAM training session, trainers must notify TEAM of the date and expected number of attendees for the session.
Trainers use the revised TEAM training presentation for in-person training sessions.
Trainers share the digital Reference Guide with servers after the training session.
Immediately after the TEAM training session, trainers must share with TEAM the names and Server ID numbers of all who attended.
TEAM will update the server records for all those who attended the session within 24 hours of receiving the session details from the trainer.
Only after TEAM updates the server records in the RBS portal will the servers have access to the RBS certification test through the RBS portal.
Servers must pass the RBS certification exam within 30 days of having access. There are 50 questions. 70% is a passing grade. Servers have 3 attempts to pass the exam. The exam is open book and open note.
RBS does not provide a certification card. Servers may access their status through the RBS portal. TEAM will also have access to confirm if servers have passed the exam through the RBS portal.

How much does RBS training cost?

There is no additional cost for trainers to utilize the revised TEAM Training program that is RBS approved. Trainers only need to purchase TEAM participant manuals, 1 for every employee.

Under the new RBS guidelines, servers will need to pay $3 directly to RBS before being eligible to take the exam. This payment must be made AFTER the server registers for an account through the RBS portal. And the payment must be made BEFORE the server participates in a TEAM training session. Click here for more details on the RBS server information.

RBS Certification Exam

Alcohol servers in CA do NOT take the TEAM Certification Test.

Alcohol servers in CA must pass the 50-question RBS certification exam. The exam is only available from the RBS portal. Servers can only access the exam AFTER they have completed an approved training session.

The exam is open book and open note. Servers have 30 days and 3 attempts to pass the exam. A passing grade is 70% (35 out of 50).

Currently, servers will NOT receive a certification card from RBS. They must login to the RBS portal to view their certification status.

As an approved provider, TEAM will have access to the server certification results through the RBS portal.

I'm a TEAM trainer in CA, what do I need to know?

Trainers must complete the steps below to ensure servers become RBS certified.

1. Purchase TEAM Participant manuals in advance of in-person employee training sessions.

2. Share with your employees the Steps Servers Must Follow to be RBS Certified.

3. Alert TEAM when you schedule an in-person training session. Share the date and expected count of participants to info@teamcoalition.org.

4. Use the Revised PowerPoint presentation for your in-person employee training session.

5. Provide a digital copy of the TEAM Reference Guide to your participants. They may use this guide along with their TEAM Participant manual when they take the RBS certification exam.

6. Immediately after your in-person training session, share with TEAM the last names and Server IDs for all who attended to info@teamcoalition.org.

How does a server register for an RBS certification?

Register RBS account – https://abcbiz.abc.ca.gov/

Apply to be an alcohol server

First name, last name, 15-character password
Unique Email must be verified
DOB and Zip Code
Required to share with RBS the last 4 digits or characters of one of the following
- SSN
- Drivers License
- State issued ID number
- Individual Taxpayer ID
- Employment ID number

Do servers have to pay RBS to receive a certification?

Servers must pay RBS $3 after registering through the RBS portal. Visa or Mastercard payments only.

After servers pay RBS, they receive a 9-digit Server ID number. That number MUST be shared with the trainer BEFORE a server attends a TEAM Training session.

TEAM Trainers must share with TEAM Coalition the list of all training session attendees (including the Server ID numbers) immediately after each training session. As the training program provider, TEAM must update the record for servers so that they can access the RBS certification exam.