How to get a bar card in Louisiana

The State of Louisiana ATC requires that anyone serving alcoholic beverages or tobacco products in Louisiana completes a Louisiana Responsible Vendor certification training course within 45 days of being hired. You can complete your alcohol server training and get your server permit online. The certificate is good for four years and you also renew online.

How do you get a bar card in Louisiana?

It boils down to three basic steps:

 1. Register for an authorized provider training course for the Responsible Vendor program.  The course can be in person and many providers have also made the course available online. A list of providers can be found here.

2. Complete the course and pass the final exam.  You will receive a temporary certification of completion that will serve as your permit until your permanent permit is available online.

3. Download and retain your server permit from the Louisiana ATC Website. Your permanent permit is generally available about one week after you complete your rv program class and get your temporary certification. A guide to doing this can be found here.  Server certificates should be kept on your person while employed in the responsible serving of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products.

PRO TIP:  MAKE SURE YOU ENROLL WITH AN AUTHORIZED PROVIDER WHO HAS A HELP DESK SUPPORT TELEPHONE NUMBER.  YOU WILL THANK ME LATER.

How old do you have to be to get a bar card in Louisiana? 

The Louisiana Responsible Vendor program is open to all ages to provide education in selling alcohol responsibly.  The required age to serve alcohol in Louisiana is eighteen years of age.  Bulk purchases of alcohol may be allowed in certain circumstances.  Alcohol sellers and business owners may also be exempt from certain age requirements in the possession and sale of alcohol. For more information, please refer to the Louisiana Responsible Vendor Program guidelines published by the Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control. RV Server permits may be issued by the state, while local laws may prohibit this person from being an alcohol seller server.

How do I renew my Louisiana liquor license?

For the liquor licensee, Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control is responsible for issuing and overseeing liquor licenses.  For the alcohol seller server, online renewal has been the most efficient method of remaining compliant. Security personnel are also required to renew their respective certification. Certain providers have also made this course available online.  The new certification of completion should be retained by students until the final rv bar card and Server Certificates have been issued and downloaded.

Alcohol server training has been shown to effectively increase the responsible service of alcohol and should be embraced by anyone who deals with customers or is a vendor who is authorized to sell alcohol in Louisiana.  The Louisiana Responsible Vendor Training Course is now widely available both in person and online.  The Louisiana seller permit is good for four years but must be renewed in the same manner in which it was obtained.  In other words, you must complete the entire course again.

ABSEC LLC offers the RV Server course with immediate server certificates 24/7 online.  ENROLL now and complete the first step in getting your RV Bar Card.

Parish Ordinances

Each town, city and parish may have rules that further define the requirements for alcohol servers and anyone who deals with customers who purchase or consume alcohol in Louisiana.  It is your responsibility to make sure that you are in compliance with these laws.  The Louisiana Bar Card is required for ALL areas and is overseen by the Louisiana Alcohol and Tobacco Control.  Your RV Training provider should provide you with a list of related laws for your area.  Specifically, Baton Rouge and Lafayette have very specific ordinances regarding anyone who sells or serves alcohol or tobacco products.  Check the ATC Website frequently for updates to the program and vendor training requirements. A Louisiana Bar Card does not replace local requirements, it only serves to satisfy the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco rules. A list of these laws and ordinances can be found here.

What is on the Bar Card Test?

RV BAR CARD COURSE CONTENT

The Louisiana Responsible Vendor course covers a number of areas that an alcohol server seller authorized to sell in Louisiana should know and understand.  This server education and bar card training is central to the program and a very important requirement. A few of the course features and topics are:

• Responsible Vendor Law
• Vendor Responsibilities
• Server and Security Personnel Responsibilities
• Louisiana Laws on Those Legally Able to Sell or Serve Alcohol
• Louisiana Laws Valid Identification for Customers Who Purchase or Consume Alcohol or Tobacco
• Required Vendor Training and Alcohol Awareness Training for seller servers
• How to Detect False Identification
• Disturbance Resolution Skills Training
• ATC Responsible Regulation of Alcohol Beverage Sales to Minors
• Effects of Alcohol on Your Body
• Blood Alcohol Concentration
• Selling Alcohol to Intoxicated Persons
• Alcohol and Medication
• Alcohol and Driving Motor Vehicles
• Sale of Alcohol to Intoxicated Persons
• Pathways of Tobacco
• Effects of Tobacco on Your Body
• Tobacco Sales: Signage and Vending Machine Requirements 

To read more about the responsible vendor rv bar card program course contents, click HERE

RV Server Resources

• To find a list of Frequently Asked Questions Click Here
• To Find an RV Class in your area Click Here
• Download the RV Handbook Click Here
• To view a copy of the laws regulating the RV Program Click Here
• To view RV Board Meeting Info / Dates Click Here