# Serving It Right for servers

> What BC servers need to know: when Serving It Right is required, minors serving at 16, Bring Your Own Wine, sealing wine, the half-hour rule and cutting people off.

Canonical: https://servingitrighttest.ca/for/servers
Last updated: 2026-10-26

If you take drink orders or carry liquor to tables in BC, you need Serving It Right. Here’s what the licence terms say about the server’s side of the job.

## Do servers need Serving It Right?

Yes. Servers (staff who sell or serve liquor) must complete SIR, in restaurants, bars, catering, tasting rooms and care facilities that serve liquor. Get it before your first shift. A server with a valid certificate from a recognized program in another province can work until it expires.

## Serving at 16, 17 and 18

There’s no minimum age for the certificate. In a **restaurant (food primary)**, employees 16 or older may serve liquor but can’t open bottles, pour or mix, and must be supervised by SIR-certified adults. The same goes for **stadiums**. In other **bars and pubs** and at **special events**, minors can’t sell or serve liquor at all.

## Restaurant rules servers use

- **Bring Your Own Wine:** a restaurant can allow unopened, commercially made wine with food, and charge corkage.
- **Leftover wine:** staff can re-seal an unfinished bottle for the guest to take home. Wine is the only drink you can seal.
- **End of service:** liquor comes off the tables within half an hour of the end of liquor service.
- **Delivery:** anyone delivering liquor with a take-out order must be 19 or older and SIR certified.
- **ID:** any doubt someone is 19? Two pieces of ID. See [checking ID in BC](https://servingitrighttest.ca/checking-id-bc).

## Cutting someone off

1. **Slow it down early.** One drink at a time, offer food and non-alcoholic options.
2. **Get backup.** Tell a co-worker or manager and agree who does what.
3. **Say it kindly and firmly.** “I’m not able to serve you any more alcohol.” No labels, no bargaining.
4. **Remove the alcohol.** Take any liquor within the guest’s reach.
5. **Get them home safely.** A sober friend, a taxi you watch them get into, or transit. Police if they insist on driving.
6. **Log it.** Write it in the incident log.

## Questions people ask

### Can a 16-year-old serve alcohol in BC?

In a restaurant or stadium, yes, under SIR-certified adult supervision, but they can’t open bottles, pour or mix. Not in a bar, pub or at a special event.

### Do I need Serving It Right before I start?

Yes. The program says staff must be certified before working in a licensed establishment.

## Sources

- [Who needs Serving It Right? (responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca)](https://www.responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca/who-needs-serving-it-right) (checked 2026-10-26)
- [Food Primary Licence Terms and Conditions handbook, May 2026 (LCRB, PDF)](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/employment-business-and-economic-development/business-management/liquor-regulation-licensing/guides-and-manuals/foodprimary-handbook.pdf) (checked 2026-10-26)
- [Liquor Primary Licence Terms and Conditions handbook, May 2026 (LCRB, PDF)](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/employment-business-and-economic-development/business-management/liquor-regulation-licensing/guides-and-manuals/liquorprimary-handbook.pdf) (checked 2026-10-26)
- [Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation, B.C. Reg. 241/2016 (BC Laws)](https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/241_2016) (checked 2026-10-26)
- [Serving It Right FAQs (responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca)](https://www.responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca/support/serving-it-right-faqs) (checked 2026-10-26)
- [Serving It Right program manual, July 2026 (Province of British Columbia, PDF)](https://www.responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca/files/4309-BC_SIR_FINAL-JULY-29-2026-pdf) (checked 2026-10-26)

Not affiliated with the Government of British Columbia, the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch or the Serving It Right program.

## Related

- [Serving It Right practice test](https://servingitrighttest.ca/serving-it-right-practice-test)
- [Checking ID in BC](https://servingitrighttest.ca/checking-id-bc)
- [Serving It Right for bartenders](https://servingitrighttest.ca/for/bartenders)
- [Serving It Right vs FOODSAFE Level 1](https://servingitrighttest.ca/vs/serving-it-right-vs-foodsafe)