Course Details

Unit of competency SITHFAB021

The unit of competency SITHFAB021: Responsible Service of Alcohol is a nationally recognised unit of competency and is part of the Tourism, Hospitality and Events Package under the requirements of the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF).


Course duration:

Please allow approximately 4-5 hours to complete this course and the related assessments (plus 1-2 shifts for the third-party observation report).

The unit of competency will teach you to:

  • Identify customers to whom service should be refused.
  • Prepare and serve alcoholic beverages responsibly.
  • Assist customers to drink within appropriate limits.
  • Assist alcohol affected customers.
  • Identify customers to whom service should be refused.
  • Prepare and serve alcoholic beverages responsibly.
  • Assist customers to drink within appropriate limits.
  • Assist alcohol affected customers.

This Responsible Service of Alcohol training program was developed under the direction of the Queensland Liquor Licensing Division and meets the Division’s requirements in relation to training in the provision of Responsible Service of Alcohol while still meeting the requirements for national accreditation.

This Responsible Service of Alcohol training program was developed under the direction of the Queensland Liquor Licensing Division and meets the Division’s requirements in relation to training in the provision of Responsible Service of Alcohol, while still meeting the requirements for national accreditation.

Responsible Service of Alcohol training is required for all staff serving alcoholic beverages.

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Knowledge and skills from this course:

  • Your ability to apply the requirements of responsible service of alcohol legislation to beverage service situations.
  • Your understanding of the consequences of non-compliance in relation to the legislation on the business and individual staff members.
  • Your ability to apply the knowledge of Responsible Service of Alcohol and harm minimisation to beverage service situations.
  • In Victoria, learners must complete RSA training within 1 month of starting employment in licensed premises.

Assessment for this course:

Once you have completed the course, you will need to complete the final assessment tasks, including the following:

  • The Knowledge Assessment will ask you a series of quiz-style questions to demonstrate your understanding of responsible service of alcohol.
  • The Case Study Assessment will present several short case studies and video clips and ask a series of questions about what you observed, what you would say and what you would do in these situations.
  • The Verbal Assessment will require you to contact one of our assessors via phone to answer a series of questions that assess your oral communication skills.
The Third-Party Observation Report will need to be completed by an appropriate person in a licensed venue (this could be in a bar, nightclub, café that serves alcohol, hotel etc), by the supervisor or line manager or an alternative person who works closely with you in a supervisory role) over a period of 1-2 weeks.


Please note: this MUST be completed in a licensed venue in order to fulfill the requirements of this unit of competency.

You are allowed to work in a licensed venue for a short period of time before you obtain your RSA certificate in order to fulfill this requirement, the timeframes are as follows:

  • In Western Australia, learners must complete RSA training within 28 days of starting employment in licensed premises.
  • In Queensland, learners’ must complete RSA training within 30 days of starting employment in licensed premises.
  • In the Northern Territory, learners’ must complete RSA training within 1 month of starting employment in licensed premises.
  • In South Australia and Tasmania, learners must complete RSA training within 3 months of starting employment in licensed premises.
  • NSW has different requirements for their RSA Course, including the provision of a “Competency Card”, and as a result, the price is more expensive for the NSW RSA course. To get a NSW RSA Certificate online, click here.
  • In Victoria, the SITHFAB021 provides responsible service of alcohol RSA. The course is also compliant with Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation Online RSA course requirements. To get an RSA Victoria Certificate Online, click here.

These competencies are part of the SIT20316 – Certificate II in Hospitality

These competencies are part of the SIT20316 – Certificate II in Hospitality


Is this RSA course valid in my State?
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rsa course online courses are nationally recognised

rsa course online courses are nationally recognised

Is this RSA course valid in my State?
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Some common occupations for workers in the hospitality industry who may serve alcoholic beverages are:

  • Bus Person/Bussy
  • Bottle Shop Attendant
  • Cocktail Bar Attendant
    • Cellar Hand
    • Food and Beverage Attendant
    • Sommelier (wine steward)
    • Room Service Staff
    • Bar Attendant
    • Host / Hostess
    • Glass Collectors

    Bus Person/Bussy
    • Bottle Shop Attendant
    • Cocktail Bar Attendant

    • Cellar Hand
    • Bar Attendant
    • Room Service Staff
    • Sommelier (wine steward)

    • Host / Hostess
    • Glass Collectors
    • Food & Beverage Attendant

  • Bus Person/Bussy
  • Bottle Shop Attendant
  • Cocktail Bar Attendant
  • Cellar Hand
  • Food and Beverage Attendant
  • Sommelier (wine steward)
  • Room Service Staff
  • Bar Attendant
  • Host / Hostess
  • Glass Collectors
  • Bus Person/Bussy
  • Bottle Shop Attendant
  • Cocktail Bar Attendant
    • Cellar Hand
    • Food and Beverage Attendant
    • Sommelier (wine steward)
    • Room Service Staff
    • Bar Attendant
    • Host / Hostess
    • Glass Collectors

    The information provided in the course will help you understand the role of your employers in complying with the legislation and your role and responsibilities when serving drinks containing alcohol to patrons.

    Please note that this course is applicable to participants in all states with the following exceptions.

    New South Wales and Tasmania have specific training requirements;
    People from these states need to undertake the training approved by the relevant regulatory body.

    People working with packaged liquor and intending licensees in
    Victoria need to do the Victorian Liquor Licensing Certificate or can have completed an interstate recognised certificate and follow it up with the free Victorian online refresher course.

    Language, Literacy or Numeracy Skills (LLN)

    Students will need to have sound English language, literacy and numeracy skills in order to complete the course and assessments.

    If a student is unsure whether they have the minimum language, literacy or numeracy skills to complete one of our courses, they can take an LLN pre-training assessment here before they enrol in the course.

    The test will help the student to check whether they can read, write, calculate or speak well enough to do the training and assessment.

    RSA course online Language, Literacy or Numeracy Skills