Responsible Service of Alcohol Course: What To Expect
The Responsible Service of Alcohol course, also known as the RSA course, teaches you how to comply with Australian liquor laws, recognise signs of intoxication and serve alcohol responsibly.
Delivered online by Food Safety First, the training includes 16 interactive lessons and short assessments that you can complete at your own pace. Once you finish, you’ll gain the knowledge and skills needed to serve alcohol legally and safely - and receive the RSA certification required to work in licensed venues.
Who needs to take the RSA course?
Most roles that involve the sale, service or supply of alcohol require RSA training, including:
- Bar and pub staff
- Restaurant and café workers
- Retail liquor and bottle shop staff
- Managers or supervisors in licensed venues
- Event staff and volunteers at events where alcohol is sold
If alcohol is served under a liquor licence, RSA training is typically mandatory.
What does the RSA course cover?
Food Safety First has designed the RSA course to prepare you for real workplace situations.
You’ll learn how to:
- Understand liquor laws and legal responsibilities
- Identify and manage intoxication
- Prevent service to minors
- Apply safe service strategies
- Refuse service when necessary
- Follow venue policies and incident reporting procedures
What lessons are included in the RSA course?
The table below outlines the structure of the Food Safety First RSA course, which includes 16 interactive lessons.
| Lesson | What You’ll Learn |
| 1. Social Impacts of Alcohol & RSA Responsibilities | How alcohol affects communities and your role as a responsible server. |
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2. Impacts of Alcohol on the Body
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Physical and behavioural changes caused by alcohol.
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3. BAC
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What Blood Alcohol Concentration means and what affects it.
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4. Standard Drink Measurements
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How to measure a standard drink and why it matters for safe service.
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5. Signs of Intoxication
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Early and advanced signs that a customer may be intoxicated.
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6. Duty of Care & Harm Minimisation
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Your legal and ethical responsibilities to reduce alcohol-related harm.
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7. Myths About Sobering Up
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Common misconceptions about sobering up and why they’re unsafe.
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8. Alcohol Laws in Australia
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Key legislation and your obligations under liquor laws.
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9. Enforcement of Alcohol Laws
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How alcohol laws are enforced and penalties for non-compliance.
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10. Acceptable IDs
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Which forms of ID are legally accepted in licensed venues.
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11. Minors & Proof of Age
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How to identify minors and prevent underage service.
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12. Verifying IDs
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How to check ID correctly and spot false or altered documents.
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13. When to Stop Service
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Indicators that service must be refused for safety or legal reasons.
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14. How to Stop Service
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Practical techniques for refusing service respectfully and safely.
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15. Getting Customers Home Safely
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Strategies to support safe transport options for intoxicated patrons.
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16. Organisational Policies & Procedures
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Venue expectations, documentation and incident-reporting requirements.
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These lessons are designed to ensure you’re fully prepared for real-world responsibilities the moment you enter a licensed environment.
How is the RSA course assessed?
RSA assessment activities ensure you can apply knowledge correctly, not just recall it. There are four assessment types to complete in order to obtain your Statement of Attainment:
1. Lesson Quizzes
At the end of each lesson, you’ll complete a short multiple-choice quiz. You can only move on once you achieve a score of 100%. You have five attempts to achieve the target score for each quiz.
2. Case Studies
The course includes two case studies designed to assess your ability to apply what you’ve learned to practical, real-world situations. You’ll read through each scenario and respond to a set of multiple-choice questions that test how you would handle the situation appropriately.
3. Reading Activity
There’s also a reading activity focused on understanding internal policy documents. All you need to do is review the document provided and complete the accompanying multiple-choice quiz.
4. Video Assessment or Observer Report
The Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) requirements state that you must demonstrate your ability to perform specific tasks correctly through an Observer Report or video assessment*. A qualified assessor will review the Observer Report or video assessment and provide your results.
If you have recent industry experience and have been serving alcohol within the past 12 months, you can nominate an Observer to confirm your skills. Your chosen Observer will need to complete the form provided. The Observer Report option is typically the quickest and simplest option for experienced staff who just need to renew their RSA certification.
If you’re new to the industry, or are located in Victoria, you’ll need to complete a video assessment where you respond to a series of scenarios provided in pre-recorded videos. You can complete this on any device with a webcam and microphone, at a time and place that suits you. It’s recommended that you finish all course lessons and quizzes before attempting the video assessment so you’re fully prepared.
*In Victoria, the video assessment is compulsory and is the only practical assessment method accepted.
RSA certification - Obtain your Statement of Attainment
Once you pass, you will be awarded a Statement of Attainment, which can be used as proof of certification. This document is sent to you via email. It’s recommended that you download and print it so that it can be shared with your employer and kept on file in case of inspection.
If you are located in Victoria, you must complete a final exam, in addition to the other course assessment tasks, to receive a Liquor Control Victoria (LCV) Certificate of Completion. The online exam consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, and you must achieve a score of 100% to pass. Multiple attempts are available.
Start the certification process today by enrolling in an RSA course with Food Safety First. It’s your fast, flexible route to legal compliance.