Georgia Alcohol Server Certification

Georgia does not issue a statewide bartender license or alcohol server certification. However, some cities and counties require responsible beverage service training for employees who serve alcohol. Many employers also prefer applicants who have completed alcohol server training before working in bars or restaurants.

A bar card or alcohol seller certificate verifies that you’ve completed an alcohol server/seller training program, such as the one we provide at Learn2Serve by 360training.

A Macon-Bibb County alcohol handler's license needs to be renewed every 3 years.

In other parts of Georgia where training isn't mandated by law, it's best practice to refresh your training every 2-3 years to keep the principles of responsible alcohol sales up to date in your mind.  

Check with your employer or local liquor board for their requirements or preferences.

It depends on the jurisdiction where you work.

Alcohol server training is recommended but not required by the state of Georgia. However, individual jurisdictions do require training. You should check with your city/county or employer to make sure you comply with local regulations.

For example, Macon-Bibb County requires certain on-premises alcohol servers to obtain an Alcohol Handler's License, and completing approved responsible alcohol service training is part of the application.

Please note: Learn2Serve training is NOT valid in Macon-Bibb County.

You can find more about alcohol sales on the Georgia ATD’s website, including:

• Search for licenses
• Check price postings
• Find alcohol and tobacco forms
• Check alcohol laws, regulations, and enforcement

If you are looking for more course-specific information from us check out our Georgia alcohol server training.

In Georgia, getting your alcohol seller-server certificate can make you an attractive candidate for jobs in bars, restaurants, stores that sell alcohol to go, and other licensed businesses.

And if you’re curious about how much money you can expect to make, here is some basic wage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for bartenders and barbacks in Georgia.

However, if you are in the top 90th percentile of bartenders, you can make more money: $15.69 an hour.

If you work in Macon-Bibb County, alcohol server training is required if you intend to bartend or wait tables in a licensed establishment.

Even when it's not required by law, your employer may want you to complete training. Owners and managers often require responsible seller training because the penalties for breaking alcohol sales laws are serious.

The Georgia Alcohol & Tobacco Division (ATD) investigative unit is especially concerned with licensees allowing underage sales. Selling alcohol anyone under the age of 21 is punishable by imprisonment for up to one year and a $1,000 fine. Plus, under Georgia law, your business can be held responsible for alcohol-related accidents under certain conditions, like not checking ID or serving an already-intoxicated person.

Beyond heading off liabilities and penalties, your server training can help you play a role in public safety. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were a total of 3,699 people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver in Georgia from 2003 to 2012.  While that's a little lower than the national average, you could help keep that number as low as possible with the right knowledge.