What is an RSA Certificate?
A Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate is a mandatory qualification for anyone involved in selling, serving, or supplying alcohol in Australia. The training ensures individuals understand how to minimise alcohol-related harm, comply with legal requirements, and maintain safe environments in licensed premises such as bars, restaurants, clubs, and events.
This course covers:
• Legal responsibilities relating to alcohol service
• Identifying signs of intoxication
• Refusing service when necessary
• Managing difficult and intoxicated customers
• Creating safer venues and reducing alcohol-related incidents
Successful completion provides a Statement of Attainment for SITHFAB021 Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol, allowing you to work in licensed venues across NSW.
Who Needs an RSA Certificate?
You must hold a current RSA certificate if you work in roles involving the sale, service, or supply of alcohol, including:
• Hospitality: bartenders, waitstaff, baristas in licensed venues
• Retail: bottle shop and liquor store staff
• Events: staff or volunteers serving alcohol at festivals, concerts, functions
• Security: guards or crowd controllers in venues where alcohol is consumed
• Supervisors & Managers: bar managers, duty managers, venue managers, gaming managers, operations managers
Even where not mandatory, an RSA qualification significantly improves employability in hospitality and customer service roles.
Yes. This RSA course is suitable for international students and other visa holders.
International students on a subclass 500 Student Visa are permitted to undertake a range of Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, including the RSA unit SITHFAB021 – Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol, as long as it aligns with their visa conditions.
Completing an RSA is often beneficial for part-time or casual work in hospitality while studying in Australia.
Complete Your RSA in Just One Day
Enrol in our face-to-face one-day course to receive your certificate and interim RSA within 24 hours (timeframes may vary on weekends).
Benefits of Face-to-Face Training
At Sydney Metro College, we deliver high-quality, engaging RSA training led by experienced industry professionals.
Here’s why students prefer our in-person course:
✔ Streamlined Certification
Complete your training, assessment, and verification all in one day. Receive your Statement of Attainment and Interim RSA certificate within 24 hours—no video submissions or lengthy online assessment processes.
✔ Expert Interaction
Engage directly with qualified trainers who provide immediate support, clarification, and personalised feedback to strengthen your learning.
✔ Hands-On, Practical Learning
Participate in interactive activities, real-life scenarios, and role-plays to confidently practise essential RSA skills.
✔ Classroom Networking
Meet peers and industry professionals, share experiences, and expand your connections within the hospitality sector.
Course Prerequisites
To enrol in the RSA (SITHFAB021 – Provide responsible service of alcohol) course, students must meet the following requirements:
• Valid Photo ID: Students must present acceptable photo identification on the day of training.
• No Existing RSA Competency: Students must not hold a current or recently expired RSA qualification, nor an Interim Certificate issued within the last five (5) years.
• Students who already hold competency cannot be issued a new Interim Certificate.
• Refunds are not available if pre-existing competency is identified on the training day.
• Minimum Age: Students must be at least 16 years old to attend training; however, RSA certification cannot be used in the workplace until the student is 18 years old.
• LLND Skills: Students must complete the Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital (LLND) Skills Assessment and achieve a minimum score of 70% to continue with the RSA course.
• USI Requirement: Students must provide a valid Unique Student Identifier (USI).
Apply or locate your USI at: https://www.usi.gov.au/
These prerequisites ensure students have the required foundation skills and meet legislative and regulatory requirements before commencing training.
Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Digital (LLND) Skills Requirements
All RSA training is delivered in English. Students must have:
• The ability to read, write and speak English at a level suitable for understanding course materials and completing assessments
• Basic numeracy skills
• The ability to receive and interpret email communication
• For any online components: confidence in using a computer, navigating web pages, and using basic digital tools
Unsure if your skills are suitable?
Upon enrolment, you will complete an LLND assessment designed to identify your current skill level.
• A minimum score of 70% is required to proceed.
• If you do not achieve the minimum score, our team will contact you to discuss available support options consistent with the RTO Standards 2025 – Learner Support Requirements.
To meet Liquor & Gaming NSW and training package requirements:
• Students must provide valid photo ID on the day of training.
• The RSA course must be delivered over a minimum of 7 hours (exclusive of breaks).
• Students must complete all required training hours—partial attendance cannot be certified.
• Assessment will occur throughout the day and includes:
• Multiple-choice questions
• Short-answer questions
• A verbal assessment (roleplay) conducted in English
• Lunch breaks are provided but not included in the 7-hour training time.
• Students are given multiple opportunities to demonstrate competency, ensuring fairness and equity in line with the RTO Standards 2025.
Assessment Components
• Theoretical Training: Multiple-choice and short-answer questions
• Practical Training: Verbal role-play activities
• Knowledge & Skills Assessment: Final assessment of both theoretical understanding and practical ability
The course uses plain English, images, videos and interactive content to support learner comprehension.
All assessments must be completed independently, in English, and without assistance to meet assessment conditions.
If you require support due to LLND needs, please contact Student Services before your training day:
📧 [email protected]
Once a student is deemed competent, a Statement of Attainment (SOA) will be issued within 24 hours of completing the training. (Please note: issuance may take longer on weekends.)
Students who successfully complete the course will receive a Statement of Attainment for:
• SITHFAB021 – Provide responsible service of alcohol
In addition to the SOA, students will also receive an Interim RSA Certificate issued by Liquor & Gaming NSW within 24 hours (weekend processing times may vary).
The Interim Certificate:
• Allows students to begin working immediately
• Is valid for 90 days
• Must be replaced by an official RSA Competency Card to continue working thereafter
• Is valid only in NSW
Obtaining Your RSA Competency Card
To obtain the official RSA Competency Card, students must take their Interim Certificate to a participating Service NSW Centre:
🔗 https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/service-centre
Lost, Stolen or Replacement Cards
For replacement RSA cards, contact Liquor & Gaming NSW directly at:
📞 1300 024 720
Renewals and Expiry
Liquor & Gaming NSW will notify students when their RSA card is approaching its expiry date. Refresher training is required every five (5) years under NSW legislation.
Students can renew their competency by completing the online RSA refresher training within the final 90 days before the card expires.
More information:
🔗 https://www.liquorandgaming.nsw.gov.au
We are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. To help us meet your individual learning needs, please let us know if you require additional support in any area. You can contact our Student Support Team at:
📧 [email protected]
We promote a culture that values diversity, inclusion, wellbeing and respect. Some training materials may include sensitive or challenging topics, and we provide trigger warnings where appropriate. We encourage students to review these notices and speak with us if they feel impacted or require additional assistance.
In line with the RTO Standards 2025, if we identify that we are unable to provide the specific support you require, we will refer you to an appropriate external service provider. This ensures you have access to the right support to continue your learning safely and effectively.

Still have further questions or need clarification, please contact our administrations team