How to get your RSA in Australia (and when you need an RCG too)
6 min read
The information below is provided as a general guide-only. We make no representations about its accuracy, completeness or suitability for your particular circumstances. We recommend checking the information for yourself and where appropriate, obtaining independent professional advice before making any decision or taking any action based on the below.
If you want bar work, a job in a bottle shop, or shifts at a pub or licensed restaurant, the first thing most local businesses will ask is "have you got your RSA?". A Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate is a short course, it is cheap compared with the work it unlocks, and it is the single most common ticket on job ads from independent businesses. Here is how it works.
Which jobs need an RSA
- Always: bartender, bar attendant, glassie in a licensed venue, bottle shop attendant, drive-through liquor, function and events staff who pour drinks.
- Usually: waiters at licensed restaurants and cafes, hotel and motel reception where the venue has a bar, RSA marshals at events.
- Not needed: kitchen hands, cooks, cleaners, retail and supermarket roles, and cafes without a liquor licence.
On My Local Jobs an ad lists any required credential under "You'll need", and if you have added your RSA to your work passport it shows as matched on every application.
How to get it, state by state
RSA rules are set by each state and territory, not nationally. The course content is similar everywhere, but who can deliver it, whether it can be done online, and how long it stays valid all differ. Use the regulator's site for the state you will work in, not a training provider's ad:
- NSW: Liquor & Gaming NSW lists approved providers and issues a competency card.
- VIC: Victorian Government RSA training covers the initial course and the refresher requirement.
- QLD: Business Queensland for RSA and RSG (the Queensland equivalent of RCG).
- WA: Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
- SA: Consumer and Business Services.
- TAS, NT and ACT: check the state or territory liquor regulator; each publishes its own list of approved providers.
Online or in person?
Some states accept fully online RSA courses, some require a face-to-face component, and some accept online theory with an assessment over video. The cheapest online course you find on a search engine may not be valid where you live. Check the regulator's approved provider list first, then shop on price.
How long it lasts
Validity ranges from a few years to indefinite depending on the state, and several states require a refresher or renewal. Put the expiry date in your calendar when you get the certificate, and add it to your work passport so employers can see it is current.
RCG and RSG: the gaming add-on
If a pub or club has gaming machines, staff who work in or around the gaming room usually need a Responsible Conduct of Gambling certificate (RCG in NSW, RSG in Queensland, similar names elsewhere). Venues often prefer applicants with both, because it lets them roster you anywhere. If you are getting an RSA for pub work, ask whether the venue wants the gaming ticket too before you book.
Getting the job once you have the ticket
Bars and bottle shops hire fast and hire close. Add your RSA to your profile, set the days and evenings you can work, and search bar and bottle shop jobs near you. Applying takes about two minutes and there is no resume to write.
Common questions
Do I need an RSA to work in a cafe?
Only if the cafe serves alcohol and you will be serving it. A cafe with no liquor licence does not need staff to hold an RSA. Bars, pubs, restaurants with a licence, bottle shops and most function venues do.
Can I do my RSA online?
It depends on the state. Some states accept fully online courses from approved providers, others require face-to-face or a mix of online theory and an in-person or video assessment. Check the liquor regulator for the state you will work in before paying for a course.
Does an RSA from one state work in another?
Usually not automatically. Most states only recognise their own course, or recognise interstate certificates under specific conditions. If you move, assume you need to check with the new state's regulator.
What is the difference between an RSA and an RCG?
An RSA covers serving alcohol. An RCG (Responsible Conduct of Gambling, called RSG in some states) covers working around gaming machines. Pubs and clubs with pokies often ask for both.