Certificate guide
The Serving It Right certificate
Who needs Serving It Right
Licensees, managers (staff who supervise the sale or service of liquor) and servers (staff who sell or serve liquor) must complete it, and the program says you need it before you start working in a licensed establishment.
| Where you work | Who needs SIR |
|---|---|
| Restaurants (food primary) | Licensee, managers, servers and anyone who may be left in charge |
| Bars, pubs, nightclubs, casinos, stadiums (liquor primary) | Licensee, managers, servers and bartenders |
| Catering | Licensee, managers and staff serving liquor at events |
| Private liquor stores | Licensee, managers and sales staff |
| BC Liquor Stores | Managers and sales staff |
| Wine stores | Licensee, managers, sales staff and tasting staff |
| Manufacturer tasting rooms, lounges and on-site stores | Licensee, managers, servers and sales staff |
| Liquor delivery | Anyone delivering liquor for a licensee (and they must be 19 or older) |
| Special events | See Special Event Server: SIR for permit holders and managers at events of 500 or more |
How to get it
- 1
Make an account and study
The course is free online (about 4 hours), or study from the PDF manual.
- 2
Pay for the exam
$40 plus tax, 3 attempts included. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Visa Debit and major prepaid cards are accepted.
- 3
Pass with 80%
28 of 35 questions, no time limit.
- 4
Print it
Find it under “My Certifications” in your account. No printer? Save it to your phone, email it to your employer or print it at a library.
How long does Serving It Right last?
A Serving It Right certificate is valid for 5 years from the date you complete the final exam, and the expiry date is on it. Yes, it expires: the course manual says certification must be renewed every five years. Certificates issued before September 15, 2015 all expired on September 15, 2020.
There’s no shortened renewal course: to renew, you take the current course and exam again. Your employer can also ask you to recertify at any time.
Lost your certificate?
- Certified after October 1, 2019: log in to responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca with the email you used for the exam and print it again.
- Certified before October 1, 2019: reset your password with the email or phone number from your old account, then log in.
- Name changed? The program needs a legal document showing your old and new names, such as a birth certificate, driver’s licence or marriage certificate. Typos go through a separate support request.
Coming from another province?
Servers and bartenders with a valid certificate from a recognized program in another Canadian province or territory (for example Smart Serve or ProServe) can work in BC until it expires. Licensees, managers and anyone supervising still need Serving It Right. See Serving It Right in other provinces.
Questions people ask
+How much does Serving It Right cost?
The course is free. The exam is $40 plus tax and includes 3 attempts.
+Does Serving It Right expire?
Yes. Certificates are valid for 5 years from the date you complete the final exam.
+Is there a minimum age for Serving It Right?
No minimum age to get the certificate. What you can do at work depends on your age: minors 16 or older can serve, but not pour or mix, in restaurants and stadiums; they can’t sell or serve liquor in bars or at special events.
+Will the program mail me a certificate?
No. Physical copies are no longer mailed; you print it from your account.
+Do I need Serving It Right to work in a BC liquor store?
Yes. Sales staff and managers in private liquor stores, BC Liquor Stores and wine stores need it. Selling It Right is the cannabis store course.
Sources
- Serving It Right FAQs (responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca) · checked October 26, 2026
- Serving It Right course and final exam (responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca) · checked October 26, 2026
- Who needs Serving It Right? (responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca) · checked October 26, 2026
- How to access certificates (responsibleservicebc.gov.bc.ca) · checked October 26, 2026
- Serving It Right program manual, July 2026 (Province of British Columbia, PDF) · checked October 26, 2026
- Liquor Primary Licence Terms and Conditions handbook, May 2026 (LCRB, PDF) · checked October 26, 2026
- Food Primary Licence Terms and Conditions handbook, May 2026 (LCRB, PDF) · checked October 26, 2026
Updated October 26, 2026. Not affiliated with the Government of British Columbia, the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch or the Serving It Right program.
Keep going
- The Serving It Right examWhat’s on the Serving It Right exam: 35 questions, 80% to pass, no time limit, $40 for 3 attempts. What it covers, and why no one can give you the answers.
- Serving It Right practice testFree Serving It Right practice test for BC: 35 questions like the real exam, 80% to pass, every answer explained with the BC rule behind it.
- Special Event Server (SES)BC’s Special Event Server course: who needs it at weddings, festivals and fundraisers, the $25 exam (25 questions, 80%), and when you need Serving It Right.
- Serving It Right in other provincesServing It Right is BC’s program. Saskatchewan has Serve It Right Saskatchewan, Alberta has ProServe, Ontario has Smart Serve. What transfers, and what doesn’t.