RSA and RCG by State: What Hospitality Staff Need and How to Track It
Anyone who serves alcohol in Australia needs responsible service of alcohol (RSA) training, and anyone working with gaming machines usually needs responsible gambling training as well. Each state and territory runs its own rules, so a bar team drawn from three states can hold three different documents.
This post covers what each state asks for, how long it lasts, what a licensee has to keep, and how to track it all in WorkZerk.
Responsible service of alcohol, state by state
Every state and territory requires RSA training for people who sell, serve or supply alcohol on licensed premises. What they get at the end, and whether it runs out, differs.
| State or territory | What they hold | Deadline for new staff | Does it run out? |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Competency card, after a 90-day interim certificate | Before serving | Card expires after 5 years. Renew with the refresher course |
| Victoria | RSA Certificate of Completion | Within one month of first serving | Free refresher every 3 years |
| Queensland | Statement of Attainment for the national unit | Within 30 days of starting | No. Certificates from courses before 2002 are not valid |
| Western Australia | Certificate for an accepted RSA course | Within 28 days of starting | No, for the courses currently listed |
| South Australia | Certificate from an approved RSA provider | Check with the regulator | Check with the regulator |
| Tasmania | Certificate for an approved RSA course | Completed or enrolled within 3 months of starting | Check with the regulator |
| ACT | RSA certificate from an approved course | Check with the regulator | Refresher every 3 years |
| Northern Territory | RSA certificate | Within 7 days of starting | Refresher every 3 years |
In NSW the rule covers more than bar staff. Liquor & Gaming NSW lists food and beverage attendants, promotional staff, winery and brewery staff, security staff and volunteers among the people who need it.
Responsible gambling training
Staff who work with gaming machines need a separate course. NSW and Tasmania call it responsible conduct of gambling (RCG). Victoria, Queensland and the NT call it responsible service of gambling (RSG).
| State or territory | Who needs it | Deadline | Refresher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | Anyone whose duties involve gaming machines, such as paying out winnings or patrolling the gaming area | Before those duties | Every 5 years, on the same competency card |
| Victoria | Staff working in a gaming-related role | Module 1 within one month, Module 2 within six months | Modules 3 and 4 every 3 years |
| Queensland | Staff doing gaming duties, such as witnessing payouts over $500 | Within 3 months of starting | None for a Statement of Attainment |
| Tasmania | Employees who deal with gambling patrons | Within 90 days of starting | Within 5 years of the last course |
| ACT | Staff providing gambling services, and their supervisors | Before starting work | Check with the regulator |
| South Australia | Gaming managers and employees | Check with the regulator | Check with the regulator |
| Western Australia | Check with the regulator | Check with the regulator | Check with the regulator |
| Northern Territory | See RSG training | Check with the regulator | Check with the regulator |
Moving between states
An RSA from one state usually does not simply carry over to another.
- NSW. Someone moving permanently must do the NSW RSA bridging course and get a competency card. A visiting worker who does not live in NSW can work on a recent interstate certificate, if they can show it when asked.
- Victoria. Interstate certificates are not automatically accepted. People who trained in the last three years can apply for the free bridging course.
- Queensland. A Statement of Attainment for the national Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol unit is accepted.
- WA. An RSA card from another state is not accepted as evidence of training.
- Tasmania. Staff can use a course from any state, if it is one of the listed national course codes.
- ACT. A valid interstate certificate can be topped up with the shorter refresher course.
What a licensee has to keep
Several states put the record-keeping on the venue, not the worker:
- WA. The licensee must keep a training register on the premises, with a copy of each certificate, available for inspection.
- NT. Venues must keep an RSA register on the premises, with each staff member's RSA and refresher certificates.
- Queensland. Licensees keep copies of staff Statements of Attainment at the venue for OLGR and police. No RSA register is needed, but gaming venues keep an up-to-date RSG training register.
- Victoria. The venue keeps a copy of each RSA certificate on site in case liquor inspectors or police ask. Gaming venues must have RSG training records ready for VGCCC inspections.
- NSW. Staff must carry their competency card, digital licence or interim certificate while working.
Events need it too
A temporary event licence does not relax the rules. Under a NSW special event limited licence, the licensee and everyone serving, volunteers included, must have done an approved RSA course and carry their card. Victoria lets interstate staff at certain temporary limited and major event licences use a national Statement of Attainment instead of a Victorian certificate.
Hiring for a busy season? See onboarding Christmas casuals.
Rules differ between states and change often, so this is general information, not legal advice. Check with the liquor and gaming regulator in each state you work in.
What WorkZerk does with RSA and RCG certificates
WorkZerk keeps the paperwork in one place:
- Each person uploads their certificate or card from a private link on their phone, with no account or password.
- They enter a date with it, so every certificate has a date to track, even in states where the certificate itself never runs out.
- You approve each one, and WorkZerk records who approved it and when.
- The certificate is saved to the person's contact record, so it counts on every portal they are on.
- Only people who answer yes to working in the gaming area are asked for RCG.
- WorkZerk emails the person before the date and asks for the new one.
- The Document compliance report lists who is current, expiring or missing, and downloads as a CSV.
What it does not do: WorkZerk does not run training, issue certificates or cards, or check a certificate with a regulator or training provider. Its report is a list you can show someone. Whether it meets a particular state's register rules is for you to check.
Setting it up in WorkZerk
1. Turn on two-factor authentication
Asking people to upload documents needs two-factor authentication on your account. Set it up first under Account, then Two-factor authentication (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab).
2. Create the fields
Open Fields (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) in the sidebar. Add a field called RSA certificate, choose the Upload type, tick Require an expiry date, and tick Don't use AI to check expiry date.
Most states print no expiry date on an RSA certificate, so here the date is when you next need to see it: the card's expiry in NSW, the refresher due date in Victoria, the ACT and the NT, or a re-check date under your own policy elsewhere. The AI check is off because there is often no printed date to read.
Shortcut: Add common fields includes an Alcohol service certificate Upload field with an expiry date already required. Rename it if you like, and tick Don't use AI to check expiry date on it too.
If you have a gaming area, add an RCG certificate Upload field the same way.
Then add a State RSA issued in, a Choice field with the eight states and territories as options.
3. Ask for the certificates on a portal
Open Portals (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) and pick or create one. On its Requests panel, click + Insert, choose Upload, and name it "RSA certificate". Pick your field under Document type and make sure Require expiry is on.
Spell the date out in the description, for example: "Upload your RSA card or certificate. In NSW, enter the expiry date on your card. In Victoria, enter the date three years after your last course."
Then add a Fields request for State RSA issued in.
4. Ask for RCG only where it applies
Add a Choice request called "Will you work in a gaming area?" with the options Yes and No.
Below it, add an Upload for the RCG certificate, picking your field under Document type. Under the request, use Show only when, pick the gaming question and the answer Yes. Everyone else never sees it. In NSW, one competency card carries both endorsements, so people can upload the same photo.
5. Review and approve
Uploads wait under Needs review on Requests (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab). Check the name, the state and the date against the document. If the date is wrong, click Change date and correct it. Then approve it.
6. Switch on the reminders
Open Automations (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab). Switch on Document expiring reminder and Document expired reminder. Both start switched off.
The expiring reminder goes 30 days before the date. A NSW card can be renewed 90 days before it expires, so consider changing it to 60 or 90 days.
7. Check who is covered
Open Requests (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) and click Document compliance. Each person shows as current, expiring, needs review, expired or missing for their RSA and RCG.
Tick Only people who aren't compliant for the list to work through before a roster goes out, and use Download CSV when you want a copy for your own records.
Getting started
Start a free WorkZerk trial at workzerk.com, then work through the steps above. If you get stuck, the getting started guide walks through a first portal end to end, or email us at [email protected].