Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificate
RSA-Victoria…
Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Victoria is an essential certificate for hospitality workers throughout the state. It is imperative that all those working in licensed premises have the skills and knowledge to help create an enjoyable and safe environment for their patrons.
Where Can I Get My RSA-Victoria Certificate?
There are numerous training providers throughout Victoria that offer the RSA Victoria Certificate.
We recommend you checkout a particular Melbourne training provider who offer great training and they are the cheapest training provider in Melbourne. They can also help you get a job as they have job placement services and heaps of other great hospitality training as well. Click Here Now to check out the training provider we recommend.
If you are in Sunshine, Geelong or Ballarat then we recommend you checkout another training provider who offer great face to face training. Click here to check out now.
What is involved in an RSA Course?
All Licensees and staff involved in the supply of alcohol for a general license, packaged liquor, on-premises or a late night license must obtain their RSA certificate. The RSA certificate aims to provide staff with the ability to deal with the following:
- Handling difficult or intoxicated patrons
- Problems associated with excessive consumption of alcohol
- Making sure all staff are responsible for RSA
- General facts about alcohol
- Providing a safe environment for patrons
- Improving the atmosphere of the premises
- Alcohol and the law.
What Will An RSA
Course Cost to Complete?
The cost of an RSA certificate can vary quite a lot between training providers. The price won’t necessarily determine the quality of training you are likely to receive but be aware of companies that appear to be extremely cheap as they may not be approved by the necessary authorities. I would expect that you would pay anywhere between $50-$80, it just depends on how much research you do so I encourage you to have a look at all of your options to make sure you get the best deal. As mentioned previously we strongly recommend the training provider mentioned above. They offer the RSA course for $45 which is the cheapest in Victoria and they can also help set you up with a job. If you do find another training provider that you are unsure about then please submit a comment on this page with the name of the training provider you have chosen and a staff member will try and find out the information for you.
Do You Have To Get An RSA Certificate?
If you want to work in the hospitality industry – then yes, you sure do! It is compulsory to have an RSA certificate if you work in a venue that has an on-premises, general, late night or packaged liquor license in Victoria. It is also compulsory in situations where there is condition or requirement on the liquor license that requires the venue to employ RSA qualified staff.
Please Note: It is not accepted to complete your initial RSA-Victoria certificate
online, nor is a Nationally Recognized Certificate accepted. You can however, complete a refresher course online.
What If I am Under The Age Of 18?
A person under the age of 18 can obtain their RSA-Victoria certificate, however they must wait until they are over the age of 18 to use it.
Can I complete My Victorian
RSA Online?
Nope. You can’t. Unfortunately the Victorian government has not yet approved online training for anyone in Victoria so if you plan on working in Australia then make sure you complete the RSA Victoria through face to face training through the training provider mentioned above.
What if I have completed an interstate RSA, can I work in Victoria?
Okay. So the rules about interstate RSA courses in Victoria is this; if you have completed your RSA interstate within the past 3 years and you completed the course through a face to face training provider – then you just have to complete the free RSA refresher course to have your interstate RSA made valid in Victoria. If you have completed your RSA online in another state then unfortunately you have to complete the course all over again through a Victorian training provider.
RSA Victoria Online Refresher Course
The online refresher course provides individuals who have already completed their RSA course the opportunity to update their knowledge on responsible serving practices. For more information on the refresher course, please visit our refresher course page.
This information has been compiled from numerous online sources and in conjunction with information provided by the Department of Justice, Victoria.
Hi Jaimee
I am currently living in Melbourne after coming over from England and I am looking to work in a bar alongside other work. A restaurant who offered me a job told me about the RSA certificate that I must get before I can be hired. After reading through the information on this website I found out that there is a certificate for each state. I plan on moving on up to Queensland in a couple of months. If I got the RSA Victoria would I then have to take anouther course in Queensland to be qualified up there??
I look forward to hearing from you very soon
Vicky
Hi Vicky,
Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately a Victorian RSA certificate is not accepted in Queensland which means that you will need to complete another course. However the good news is that if you have an interstate (Victorian in your case) certification you can actually do a ‘bridging course’ in Qld which I believe is a lot easier and less expensive (I think its about $35-$45). There are heaps of training providers that offer this course, so just do a little bit of research to find your cheapest option and just make sure they are an accredited OLGR trainer. I hope this information has helped, if you have any more questions then please do not hesitate to ask.
Goodluck.
Jaimee
hey Jamie
was just wondering if you still have 3 months grace to get your vic rsa or do u have to get it before you start work thanks for your time m
mel
Hi Mel,
Thanks a lot for your comment. From my understanding the law has changed slightly and you now only have one months grace period in order to get your RSA certificate in Victoria.
If you checkout this link http://responsiblealcohol.vic.gov.au/wps/portal/rav/laws/obligations/responsible_service_of_alcohol it says that from January 1 2011 staff have one month to complete it!
Hope this information has helped. If it has then please ‘like’ our Facebook page 🙂 It would really help us out! Goodluck with the certificate and working in hospitality.. it can be so much fun!
Hi Jamie,
Ive been searching online and some sites say you can complete their online national certificate and as long as you complete the victorian online refreshened course it will be valid? is this true? aot.edu.au
Your advice is much appreciated as I would prefer to do an online course if it is valid but don’t want to waste money and time.
Thanks
*Updated Comment* Nov 26th – I have recently found information on a government website which states that an RSA Refresher is only valid if ‘the original certificate was attained through face-to-face training” this means that any training provider suggesting you complete the online certificate from another state and then complete the RSA Refresher is providing you with misleading information and according to ‘responsible alcohol victoria‘ it will not be valid – so steer clear of them.
Hi David,
This is a real tough one. Technically you are not allowed to do your Victorian RSA online. The government authorities have made it clear that they don’t accept online certificates, however there appears to be a loop hole which some training providers are taking advantage of. If you genuinely complete an interstate RSA certificate (national certificate) then the Victorian government has said that if you move to Victoria then you do not have to redo the course, you just have to complete the refresher course in Victoria to make the course valid. Therefore, it should be accepted if you do an interstate certificate online and then an online rsa refresher. I am not recommending that you do or do not complete it online as I don’t believe this is the way it is meant to be done, however some training providers are offering this option. Therefore it’s really up to you. I really hope this has helped explain to you why they are making you this offer, if you’re concerned then I would call the online provider or keep it safe and complete the face to face course at a Victorian Training Provider.
Jaimee
Really sucks that it can’t just be one national credential.
Haha yes John it sure does. Don’t know why they have to make it so complicated!!
How long does your RSA certificate last for until you need to renew/refresh it?
Hi Sarah,
If you completed your RSA Victoria certificate then you have to renew it every three years by completing the RSA Online Refresher course. It’s no where near as in depth as the original course but it just aims to keep your knowledge up to date.
Hope this helps.
Hi i am currently 17 and wish to complete my RSA. I know you say it is possible to complete the course under 18 however i have done some looking around and some places dont allow people under 18 to do the course…does the link that you provide for the place in north melbourne definately cater for under 18’s?
Hi Corey,
Thanks very much for your question. I am almost positive they will allow you to do when you are 17 but I have emailed them directly to get confirmation for you. As soon as they respond I will update you.
Thanks
Jaimee
Hi Corey,
I have confirmed with a training provider that you are able to complete the RSA course if you are 17. Therefore if you want to complete your RSA course in Caulfield then you can. I hope this has helped and if you have any other questions then please don’t hesitate to send them through.
Thanks
Jaimee
I did my Victorian RSA back in 2005, I just recently did a refresher course, and had done nothing since then. It allowed me to do my refresher course, does this make my RSA still valid?
As I was told by an employer at a recent interview when I thought I had to redo it he said it doesn’t expire but I should do a refresher,
However I just wanted to double check,
Thanks Casey
Hi Casey,
Thanks for sending through your message.
When you completed your RSA Refresher, did it ask you for your original certificate number that you completed in 2005? If it did, then you should be covered.
Your employer was right, the RSA doesn’t expire, however they request that you do the RSA Refresher every three years for it to remain valid.
The actual rules aren’t very clear on this to be honest however I think if you have your original certificate and your Refresher certificate together I highly doubt you would get in trouble from liquor licensing. If you want to confirm 100% I would recommend you get in contact with the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation on 1300 182 457. This is their enquiry number from their website, so they will be the people who can give you a definite answer.
I hope this helps!
Jaimee
Hi Jaimee,
I am organising a trivia night as a fundraising event and I have applied for a temporary liquor licence. Will the people selling/serving alcohol on the night need to have their RSA?
Thanks.
i wish to know if it is possible to obtain my RSA number which I have lost?
I did my RSA course originally at Minyip Bowls club Victoria and then a RSA refresher course through the Minyip Golf Club. I am not sure if my RSA certificate is still current but I think it was only 2+years ago, I am now with the Heathcote bowling club as secretary and wish to once again refresh my certificate, but need the number. can you help
John M
Hi Dimity,
Thanks for leaving your message. I do believe that everyone serving alcohol must have their RSA Victoria Certificate, however you may want to check with liquor licensing Victoria as I’m not 100% sure on the rules of private functions or one off occasions. Sorry I couldn’t give you a more definitive answer, but I hope the link has helped.
Thanks
I completed my last refresher course on
2/08/2010, and would like to refresh once again, but as explained do not have my RSA number,
Hi John,
Sorry we missed your comment. Unfortunately we don’t have access to this kind of information, do you have any idea which training provider completed the training at Minyip Golf club? If you can track down the original provider they would be your best bet. Alternatively I believe you can contact liquor licensing victoria as they should have most certificates on file. Sorry we couldn’t be more help, but thanks for visiting our site and if you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to send them through and we’ll get back to you asap.
Thanks
John, one other quick question, do you have any of the details of completing your RSA Refresher last time? Perhaps a reference number may have been sent when you completed the course last time, which could help you renew it this time?
Hi, we have recently purchased a small country hotel which has an attached bottleshop. I have a son who is nearly 16 and have googled to find out what sort of work he can actually do in the hotel. I know he is able to work in bistro/kitchen, do dishes etc but was curious to know whether he could work in bottleshop. I have found some information on the AHA which states he is not able to serve alcohol in open containers however he can deliver packaged liquor to a person over 18 for consumption off the licensed premises. So would I be right in saying he can serve in bottleshop but not in the bar. Also would he need to do RSA to be able to do this,
thanks Tamara
Hi Tamara,
Unfortunately I don’t have an exact answer for you and I’ve struggled to find the answer online. He will definitely need to complete an RSA Course to be able to work in a licensed premises – this is a legal requirement for anything serving, selling or supplying liquor whether it’s in open containers or in packaged liquor. However I am not sure of whether someone who is 16 years of age is able to work in a bottleshop – I would recommend you contact AHA or liquor licensing directly to get an answer from them, they’d be the best people to ask. Sorry we couldn’t be more help but if you go straight to the source that would be your best bet.
Thanks for stopping by our site and if you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to send them through.
Is it possible to obtain a copy of RSA Cert issued if the original has been lost ?
Hi Greg, Thanks for stopping by our site.
Yes you certainly can – you will just need to contact the company who you originally did they training with. They will need to re issue you the certificate. Hope this helps!
Hi Jaimee
I am 16 and lookingg for a job, i asked a local cafe that serves alcohol and he said that if i got an rsa then i would be able to work there is this true and is there any point in me doing an rsa course.
Thanks, Fiacre
Hi Jaimee,
Can you suggest a good training provider for RSA Vic certificate course? Is Edway Training good? Thank you.
Joe
Hi Jaimee, I’m from London and I’m moving to Melbourne next week and trying to get an RSA Melbourne Certificate before I arrive. I’ve searched around for anywhere that can provide this training online, but it seems I can only do the training once I’m there. Is this correct or am I not finding the right sites? Thank you for your time! Smiley
Hi Jaimee,
I would like to have the Victoria’s RSA certificate. I’ve seen that some training providers are not all that reliable. Is this one ok? Edway?
Or maybe do you have one to advise me?
I thank you in advance for your answer.
Hey Jaimee,
I am booked in to do a face to face RSA course in NSW tomorrow but I plan to move to Victoria next year. I understand from reading other letters to you that to work in Victoria in this field I will have to do a refresher course. Is this correct or will I have to re do the whole course? Sorry just not quite sure.
Thanks, Kate
Hi,
I’m from the UK and have spent the last 6months working in in bars in QLD. I completed my RSA QLD and RSA Australia to do this.
I have now moved to Melbourne and am keen to get hospitality work down here too. Is there a bridging course I can do from QLD to VIC or do I need to complete the full RSA VIC?
Many thanks,
Keara.
Hi Jaimee
I have had lots of international students asking if they can use their Victorian RSA in other states and Territories of Australia. If you know could you please list the requirements of each state and Territory?
Hi Joe,
Thanks for stopping by. We recommend the training provider mentioned above in Melbourne. They offer a great course and they are also linked with a job agency so they can help you get a job as well! They can also offer you more government funded training in hospitality if you qualify and want to do it – and that’s why we highly recommend them. Hope this helps!
Hi Smiley,
You certainly are correct. Unfortunately the Victorian Government have not approved online training in Melbourne – so you will have to wait until you get here. Hopefully they’ll change this soon as every other state accepts completing the RSA Online and it makes it so much easier for people who are coming from overseas who want to complete it online before they arrive. When you do get here – we recommend you checkout the training company mentioned above. They offer the cheapest course in Melbourne and can also help you get a job. Good Luck – and hope you love Melbourne as much as we do!
Hi Pierre,
Thank you for stopping by our site. I am sure Edway is a reliable training provider, however we recommend you checkout the training company that we mentioned above – because they provide the cheapest training in Melbourne and they can also help you get a job as they are linked to a job agency. They also hold their course at a great location at a university so they get our top recommendation.
Good Luck!
Hi Kate,
If you are doing your NSW RSA Course through face to face training (not doing the course online) then all you have to do is the free RSA refresher course online. The Victorian government allow anyone with a current interstate RSA to complete the Free refresher course – as long as the initial course they did was completed through face to face training so no need to re do the whole course if the one you completed the other day was face to face! 🙂 Hope this helps!
Hi Keara,
Thanks so much for stopping by. Did you complete your RSA Qld or RSA Australia through face to face training? Or did you complete the course online. If you completed the course face to face then you just have to complete the Free RSA Refresher course to get your interstate certificate recognised. However if you completed the course online – then unfortunately you will have to re do the course as the Victorian Government do not recognise online training.
Hope this helps!
Jaimee
Hi Fiacre,
If you want to serve alcohol then you have to do an RSA Course – it is a requirement by law.
Regarding your age – the law actually changes so I’m not 100% sure whether you are allowed to work in a licensed venue when you are under 18 – so you might need to ask around to check on this, but doing the RSA Course is a definite.
Hope this helps 🙂
Hi there,
I did my RSA course 3 years and 2 months ago in NSW. It was a full day face to face course and included a nationally recognised certificate.
I recently moved to Victoria and read about the refresher course which is free. As it has been 2 months over the 3 years do I have to do the whole course again?
Thank you Jaimee!
Not a problem at all Keara – More than happy to help!
Hi Frank,
To be honest – I don’t know the definite answer to this question. I would hope that it wouldn’t be a problem to still complete the refresher course, however – this is what it states on the Liquor Licensing Government Website – (I’ve paraphrased)
You can complete an RSA Refresher (bridging course from another state) if the following criteria has been met;
Your interstate RSA course has been approved by that state or territory liquor licensing authority; and
Your certificate is not older than 3 years; and
Your original course was completed through face-to-face training.
Therefore – what I would recommend you do is visit the liquor licensing website (the link to the government site is on our RSA Refresher page) – fill in your details with all of your information and certificate details, submit the form and then see if it is approved or not – before you complete the certificate again in Victoria.
Hope this information helps Frank – and I hope you don’t have to complete the RSA course all over again.