CALIFORNIA
RBS ALCOHOL SERVER TRAINING
- Approved by California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Alcohol Server Training
- Satisfies Responsible Beverage Service Training Requirements for AB1221
- Online Course Available, Anytime, Anywhere, 7 Days a Week
- Stop and Start Anytime
- 70% Exam Score to Pass
- Certificate of Completion Instantly Emailed Upon Successful Completion
- Course Duration: 1.5 Hours
- Owners and Managers: Keep Track of All Employees in One Area
- Group Registrations: Keep Track of All Employees in One Area
- Languages Available: English and Spanish
RBS Training Program - What is it?
Passage of Assembly Bill 1221 in 2017 created the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program Act. The bill required the Alcoholic Beverage Control to create the Responsible Beverage Service Training Program (RBSTP) to ensure servers and their managers of alcoholic beverages are educated on the dangers of serving alcohol to minors and over-serving alcohol to patrons with the intention of reducing alcohol-related harm to local communities.
The new mandate creates a new training requirement for alcohol servers and managers of alcohol servers at an estimated 56,000 ABC licensees with on-premises alcohol sales privileges. The alcohol servers and managers who work at those locations must register with the ABC, be trained, pass an exam, and be certified by August 31, 2022, or 60 days after their first date of employment.
The passing of Assembly Bill 82, on June 29, 2020, extended the date in which this requirement is enacted to beginning July 1, 2022. This change was made to alleviate the financial strain on the hospitality industry caused by the COVID-19 state of emergency.
Beginning July 1, 2022, any alcohol server and their manager must have a valid RBS certification from an ABC accredited RBS training provider and pass an online ABC administered RBS exam within 60 calendar days from the first date of employment.
Visit the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to learn more about the program.
Group Discounts
| # of Licenses | Each License |
|---|---|
| 1 - 19 | $7.95 |
| 20 - 49 | $6.95 |
| 50 - 99 | $5.95 |
| 100+ | $4.95 |
Steps to Get California Alcohol Server Certified
- Create and Account with California RBS Portal
- Submit an application and the $3.00 application fee
- Register for an RBS training course directly on our site at www.aaafoodhandler.com
- The CA RBS exam must be completed within 30 days of course completion
- 70% exam score or higher to pass
- 3 chances to pass the exam
Our clients
BENEFITS OF TRAINING
PREVENT
Education is the best tool to prevent, minimize, or eliminate foodborne illnesses and food hazards.
AWARENESS
ELIMINATE
Training helps reduce or eliminate food safety hazards before they become major issues.
MINIMIZE
PRODUCTIVITY
Reducing food safety complaints will create a happier workplace and in turn increase productivity.
WORKPLACE SATISFACTION
WHY CHOOSE US
- Satisfaction Guarantee
- Online Interactive Course
- Meets and Exceeds State Guidelines
- Price Match Guarantee
- Owners and Managers: Manage, Track and Record Employee Progress
Completing Your Alcohol Server Training is Quick and Hassle-Free
Numerous servers, bartenders, and managers nationwide have already completed and renewed their alcohol server training with AAA Food Handler — a trusted name in responsible alcohol server training.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
To obtain a California RBS, you must complete an ANAB accredited food safety training course and pass a final exam. The course is available online for convenience.
A California RBS is valid for three years. You must renew it before the expiration date by retaking the course and exam.
As of January 1, 2024, employers must pay for the training, exam, and associated costs of obtaining a food handler card. Employees must also be paid for the time spent in training.
The cost varies, but state law caps the price at $15. Some providers, like AAAFoodHandler.com, offer cards starting at $6.95 with automatic group discounts for volume purchases.
The training takes around 2 hours to complete. It is self-paced, and there are no time restrictions.
Yes! The entire process, from training to testing, can be completed online. Once you pass the exam, you can instantly download and print your certificate.
Anyone involved in food preparation, storage, or service in a food facility must obtain a food handler card. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Cooks & head cooks
- Chefs & head chefs
- Servers
- Bartenders
- Hosts and hostesses who handle food
New Law: Employer Responsibility for Food Handler Training Costs
For years, existing California law required food employees to obtain and pay for their own food handler card training. However, with the passage of Senate Bill 476 (SB 476), the financial responsibility is now shifting to employers.
SB 476 amends Section 113948 of the California Health and Safety Code, which requires workers to obtain a food handler card within 30 days of hire and maintain a valid card throughout their employment. Under the new law, employers must:
- Cover the cost of the food handler training course and examination.
- Ensure training is provided during normal work hours.
- Compensate employees for the time spent completing training.
- Relieve employees of other work duties while they undergo training.
Comprehensive Training Solutions
To ensure compliance with California RBS training requirements under SB 476, AAA Food Handler offers a range of training solutions, including:
- Approved and Accredited in California
- 100% online accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Course Duration: 1.5 Hour
- Owners/Managers: Manage, track, and report Employee Progress
- Certificate of Completion upon successful completion of Final Exam
- Exam Passing Score 70%
- 2 chances to pass the 40 question final exam
- Available in English and Spanish
Exemptions
Certain facilities and employees are exempt from the food handler training requirement, please check with your local health department.
Accredited Training for All of California (excluding Riverside County and San Bernardino County)
Our California food handler program is ANAB accredited and approved by the California Department of Public Health.
Group Discounts and Group Management System
With AAA Food Handler’s group training solutions, employers can efficiently track and oversee all training activities in one place.
By purchasing multiple trainings, you automatically become a Group Administrator, gaining access to powerful management tools that allow you to:
- Purchase in bulk to save time and money.
- Assign and re-send training sessions to employees as needed.
- Monitor student activity to track progress.
- Download certificates to ensure compliance.
- Update employee names and email addresses as necessary.
- Remove unused training slots to keep records organized.
- Bulk enroll students for seamless onboarding.
- Generate reports to track completion rates and compliance.
This all-in-one solution eliminates the hassle of manual tracking, making it easy to keep your team compliant and prepared for food safety regulations.
Seamless LMS Integration
For enterprise-level businesses, our proprietary technology integrates with most Learning Management Systems (LMS), allowing employers to:
- Assign training within their existing system.
- Track progress without separate logins.
- Avoid manual data imports or tracking inefficiencies.
Flexible Payment and Billing Options
Understanding cost concerns in the restaurant industry, we offer competitive pricing and multiple payment options:
- Bulk purchase discounts
- Invoicing and pay-as-you-go options
- Corporate discounts
Compliance Made Easy
Our 100% online food handler training ensures employees can:
- Learn at their own pace using any internet-connected device.
- Prepare for their exam with interactive, engaging course materials.
- Earn an ANAB accredited food handler card, meeting all state or county requirements.
The exam consists of 40 multiple-choice questions. You must score at least 70% to pass. You have two attempts to pass the test.
New food handlers have up to 30 days from their hire date to obtain a food handler card. After this period, working without one is not permitted.
As per California Health & Safety Code §113948, all food employees must complete an ANAB-accredited food handler training within 30 days of being hired. Employees working in counties with pre-existing regulations—such as Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego—must follow their county-specific rules instead.
Starting January 1, 2024, California Senate Bill 476 (SB 476) introduced new protections for food workers. Employers are now required to:
Cover the full cost of food handler training and any associated fees
Pay employees for the time spent completing training and exams
Excuse employees from regular duties during training
Not require applicants to already have a food handler card as a condition of employment
The food handler certificate remains valid for three years. Employees must provide a copy of the certificate to their employer, who must keep it on record and make it available upon request.
