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RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) — Sydney

Provide responsible service of alcoholSITHFAB021 · Statement of Attainment

For bar, restaurant and bottle-shop staff — the RSA training you need before you can serve or sell alcohol. Online in NSW and Victoria; classroom in Sydney.

Issued by Edway Training (RTO 91401)

Nationally recognised trainingAbout 6–7 hrs

RSA in Sydney runs at Mona Vale, Darlinghurst and Seven Hills, or online anywhere in NSW.

A bartender serving a customer across the bar of a licensed venue

The training you need before you can serve alcohol

Provide responsible service of alcoholSITHFAB021 · Statement of Attainment

Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) is the nationally recognised training — unit SITHFAB021 — required before you can sell, serve or supply alcohol in licensed venues such as pubs, clubs, restaurants, bottle shops, stadiums and festivals.

RSA is state-regulated, so what you receive and how long it lasts depends on where you work. An RSA from one state is not automatically valid in another — if you already hold one, check the state details below before you book.

  • What you'll learn
  • Understand the liquor laws and your responsibilities
  • Serve alcohol responsibly
  • Recognise and refuse service to intoxicated or under-age patrons
  • Use harm-minimisation strategies
  • Understand the effects of alcohol
  • Understand the rules for packaged liquor and licensed events
DurationAbout 6–7 hrsIn class or online — same outcome
PrerequisitesNo experience neededJust valid photo ID and a USI
AssessmentCompleted within the course
CredentialRSAProvide responsible service of alcoholSITHFAB021 · Statement of Attainment
OutcomeNSW RSA competency cardValid 5 years, applied for at Service NSW

Before you book

A quick language check is part of enrolment. You'll need enough English to read, write and understand the course. After booking, you'll complete a short language, literacy, numeracy and digital (LLND) check in your student account. You need to pass it to do the course. Not sure? Try a practice check first. If you don't pass, you get a full refund minus the $30 administration fee.Try a practice check

What you'll need

A USI. A Unique Student Identifier.

Photo ID. A valid photo ID — shown when you arrive for an in-person class, or uploaded in your student account if you study online.

Already hold a NSW RSA? Renew it instead. If your competency card is current, expired less than 28 days ago, or your interim certificate was issued less than 5 years ago, we cannot enrol you in the full course again — doing the full course does not renew your card. Renew online through Service NSW instead: a 45-minute Liquor & Gaming NSW refresher plus the card fee.Renew your card at Service NSW

A bartender serving a customer across the bar of a licensed venue

Your credential, in New South Wales

1

Statement of Attainment

SITHFAB021 · Provide responsible service of alcohol

Your trainer also gives you an interim certificate so you can start work straight away — it stays valid for 90 days while your competency card is processed.

2

NSW RSA competency card

Issued by Liquor & Gaming NSW with your photo — physical and digital. It is valid for 5 years.

The cost of your competency card is included in your course fee.

Why do this course?

Getting your RSA opens up work in bars, bottle shops, restaurants and festivals — the law requires this training for anyone who sells, serves or supplies alcohol.

Required for

  • Bar attendant
  • Bottle shop attendant
  • Waiter in a licensed restaurant
  • Winery or brewery staff
  • Festival and event bar staff

Where your NSW RSA competency card is recognised

Yes — your RSA training is nationally recognised, and your NSW competency card covers licensed venues right across New South Wales.

QLDWATAS*
Accepted as it is
ACTNT
Accepted, refresher every 3 yrs
VIC
Short online bridging course
SA
Own approved providers only

*Tasmania accepts it for bar staff; licensees need a Tasmanian-approved course.

Choose how you train

In person

A class with a qualified trainer at one of our venues. 6–7 hours.

Online, self-paced

Online RSA is self-paced — you can start, stop and come back whenever it suits you. Plan for about 6 hours in total.

No skipping ahead

You can't fast-forward through it. As a NSW approved training provider, Edway is required by NSW liquor law to stop students skipping ahead, so you'll work through each part in order.

Video evidence

Part of the online assessment is filmed. As part of the online assessment you must film and upload video of yourself demonstrating key RSA skills, such as refusing service and responsible communication.

Where you'll train in New South Wales

Edway Training and Training Aid's Mona Vale venue: the Mona Vale Bowling Club sign, car park and bowling greens, with the clubhouse behind.
Mona Vale · SydneyFree on-site parking
Mona Vale Bowling Club, 1598 Pittwater Rd, Mona Vale NSW 2103
Training rooms at Mona Vale Bowling Club, entered through the club's main entrance.
Venue details

Accessibility

Wheelchair-accessible entrance, accessible parking and an accessible restroom are available.

Getting there

Bus stops are located on Pittwater Road near the bowling club. Use the Transport for NSW Trip Planner for the best current service and accessible-travel information.

Transport for NSW Trip Planner →

Parking

Free on-site parking is available. You do not need to register or reserve a space.

Finding the entrance

Enter through the bowling club's main entrance.

Edway Training and Training Aid's Darlinghurst centre: a white two-storey building with street trees in front and the shared shopfront at ground level.
Darlinghurst · Sydney
Ground Floor, 155–159 William St, Darlinghurst NSW 2010
A street-level shopfront on William Street, near Kings Cross Station. There is one entrance, with a step at the door.
Venue details

Accessibility

The entrance has one step through a standard-width door. There is no alternative entrance.

Getting there

The venue is close to Kings Cross Station, and buses stop nearby on William Street. Use the Transport for NSW Trip Planner for the best current service and accessible-travel information.

Transport for NSW Trip Planner →

Parking

There is no customer parking on site. Paid parking is available nearby at Wilson Parking and at Secure Parking in Kings Cross. Limited metered street parking may be available. Always check the signs. Parking availability, hours and fees can change, so check the operator's website before travelling.

Finding the entrance

Enter directly from William Street through the shopfront branded Edway and Training Aid. There is one public entrance.

Cafés and food options are available nearby.

Edway Training and Training Aid's Seven Hills centre: the glass entrance to Unit 34 beside a roller door, in a row of industrial units.
Seven Hills · Sydney
Unit 34, 195 Prospect Hwy, Seven Hills NSW 2147
Unit 34 in the Prospect Highway complex. The training rooms are up a staircase, and there is no lift.
Venue details

Accessibility

We have a ground-floor training room available for participants who require wheelchair access or have difficulty using stairs. Its availability may depend on participant numbers, so please notify us of any accessibility requirements when booking.

Getting there

Seven Hills Station and the bus interchange are nearby. Use the Transport for NSW Trip Planner for the best current service and accessible-travel information.

Transport for NSW Trip Planner →

Parking

There is no customer parking on site. Limited public parking may be available nearby, including the small Blacktown Council Car Park 72 on Hope Street. Parking limits and availability vary, so check all signs. Allow extra time to park and walk to the venue.

Finding the entrance

Look for Unit 34 and the Edway/Training Aid signage. The entrance leads to a staircase up to the training rooms.

Food and coffee options are available nearby.

Training for a team, business or school?

In New South Wales or Victoria we can run RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol) at your workplace or school, or book your group into one of our centres. Our business training team can talk it through.

What happens after you book

  1. 1Check your emailYour confirmation email shows your venue, date and time. It comes from no-reply@edway.edu.au. It usually arrives within a few minutes of booking.
  2. 2Set up your student accountLog in with the details in your confirmation email and set up your account.
  3. 3Have your USI readyA Unique Student Identifier is required for this course. Get or find yours at usi.gov.au.
  4. 4Complete a short LLND checkIn your student account you complete a short language, literacy, numeracy and digital (LLND) check. You'll need enough English to take part and to pass it.
  5. 5We confirm your enrolmentOnce you've finished the LLND check, we confirm your enrolment by email. If there's a problem with your eligibility, we'll contact you directly before you start.
  6. 6On the dayBring photo ID and your USI, and arrive 15 minutes early. Your ID is checked when you arrive, and you complete your assessment in class.
Wondering about your credential? See What you'll receive.

Getting your competency card in hand

  1. 1Finish your courseYour trainer issues your interim certificate, and your Statement of Attainment comes from Edway — you can start working straight away.
  2. 2Find your interim certificate emailYour interim certificate is emailed to you from noreply@onegov.nsw.gov.au, usually within 48 hours — it often lands in spam or junk, so search your inbox for "@one" and it will turn up. Page 1 lets you start working straight away; page 2, with the barcode, is what you'll take to Service NSW.
  3. 3Apply at Service NSWTake page 2 of your interim certificate and 100 points of ID to a Service NSW centre and have your photo taken. Page 1 covers you for work for the first 90 days, so visit Service NSW before it runs out if you're working — page 2 itself is valid for 5 years.
  4. 4Get your cardAs soon as you've applied, you can add your digital competency card to the Service NSW app — it's recognised under the law, so there's no waiting for the post. The physical card also arrives by mail within 5 weeks.

Questions, answered

Will my RSA be recognised in other states?
Yes — your NSW RSA training is nationally recognised. Queensland accepts it as it is, and Western Australia accepts the national unit itself — just show your Statement of Attainment rather than the NSW card. The Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory accept it too, but it lapses three years after you finish, so you complete a short refresher there. Tasmania accepts it for bar staff (licensees need a Tasmanian-approved course). South Australia is the exception — it only accepts RSA training from providers its own Commissioner has approved, and Edway is not on that list. To work in Victoria you'll need a short online bridging course, and you'll need to provide proof you were living outside Victoria (or overseas) when you completed your RSA. Full state-by-state details are on our Student Support page.State-by-state details — Student Support
I already hold a NSW RSA competency card. Can I do the course again?
No. Liquor & Gaming NSW does not allow us to enrol you in the full RSA course while your competency card is current, within 28 days of expiring, or while an interim certificate issued less than 5 years ago is still in force — and doing the full course would not renew your card anyway. Renew online through Service NSW instead: enter your licence number, complete the 45-minute Liquor & Gaming NSW RSA refresher, and pay the card renewal fee (currently $50). Your interim certificate arrives by email straight away and your new card is posted within about 5 weeks. If your card expired more than 28 days ago, you need to do the full course again — book with us as normal.Renew your card at Service NSW
How long does my RSA last?
Your NSW RSA competency card is valid for 5 years. To renew, you complete a short online Liquor & Gaming NSW refresher and pay the card fee.
Can I do the RSA online, or do I need to attend in person?
In New South Wales you can choose an in-person class or study online at your own pace — the outcome is the same. Online study is self-paced and takes around 6 hours, and you have 2 months to finish, counted from your confirmation-email date. You can't skip ahead through the online course — New South Wales liquor law requires approved providers to prevent it.
Is there a minimum age to do the RSA?
There is no minimum age to complete RSA training. You must be 18 or over to sell, serve or supply alcohol. In New South Wales, if you're under 18 you can't serve even with an RSA, unless the regulator approves it.
I've finished my course in New South Wales — where's my competency card?
First, find your interim certificate. It's emailed to you from noreply@onegov.nsw.gov.au and often lands in spam or junk. Search your inbox, including spam and junk, for "@one" and you'll find it. Take page 2 of it (the barcode page) and 100 points of ID to a Service NSW centre and have your photo taken. Once you've applied, you can add your digital competency card to the Service NSW app straight away — it's recognised under the law. Your physical card arrives in the post within 5 weeks.
Do I need an RSA to work in a bottle shop, club or at a festival?
Yes. You need an RSA before you can sell, serve or supply alcohol in any licensed venue — pubs, clubs, restaurants, bottle shops, stadiums and festivals.
What do I need to enrol?
You'll need a valid photo ID and your Unique Student Identifier (USI). You'll also complete a short language, literacy, numeracy and digital check in your student account after booking.

Helpful guides

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