Almost every bar, pub and restaurant in Australia wants one thing before they'll put you on a roster: an RSA. It's a short course, it's cheap, and in most states you can finish it online in an afternoon. But the format, the price and the paperwork all change the moment you cross a state border — and so does whether your existing certificate still counts.
Do I need this for my job?
Two different certificates, two different triggers. Most backpackers only ever need the first one.
Serving alcohol? You need an RSA
Legally required in every state and territory for anyone serving, selling or supplying alcohol — bars, pubs, clubs, restaurants, bottle shops, even festival and event bar work.
The national training unit is SITHFAB021 — Provide Responsible Service of Alcohol.
Pokies or a TAB? You also need RCG/RSG
Called RCG in NSW and RSG (Responsible Service of Gambling) everywhere else. Only required for venues with gaming machines or pokies, a TAB, or casino-style gambling.
A standard bar or restaurant job with no gaming machines doesn't need it.
State by state
Pick your state to filter both tables below, or scroll the full lists. Read the interstate trap further down before you book anything.
RSA — Responsible Service of Alcohol
Required in every state and territory for anyone serving, selling or supplying alcohol.
| State | Format | Typical cost | Expiry / renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales (NSW) | Approved online or in-person course, then ID verification for a Liquor & Gaming NSW Photo Competency Card via Service NSW | $45–90 | Renews periodically — confirm current period with Liquor & Gaming NSW |
| Victoria (VIC) | Online in most cases — confirm the current face-to-face requirement with the Victorian regulator | $40–80 | Confirm with VIC regulator |
| Queensland (QLD) | Fully online | $24–45 | No expiry per most current sources |
| Western Australia (WA) | Fully online | $24–45 | No expiry |
| South Australia (SA) | Fully online | $24–45 | No expiry |
| Tasmania (TAS) | Fully online | $24–45 | Sources conflict (no-expiry vs 5-year renewal) — confirm with TAS regulator |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | Fully online | $24–45 | Confirm with ACT regulator |
| Northern Territory (NT) | Fully online | $24–45 | Confirm with NT regulator |
Approved-provider lists and the current rules live with each state's regulator — in NSW that's Liquor & Gaming NSW. [VERIFY: add official regulator links for VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT]
RCG / RSG — gambling certificates
Called RCG in NSW, RSG (Responsible Service of Gambling) everywhere else. Only required for venues with gaming machines/pokies, TAB, or casino-style gambling — not needed for a standard bar or restaurant job without gaming machines.
| State | Called | Format | Typical cost | Expiry / renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales (NSW) | RCG | Must be completed via an approved classroom or live virtual classroom (unit SITHGAM022) — not simple self-paced online | $120–200 | Interim certificate valid 90 days; competency card then valid roughly 5 years |
| Victoria (VIC) | RSG | Two-part: Module 1 within 1 month of starting the job, Module 2 face-to-face within 6 months of starting | Confirm with VIC regulator | Refresher roughly every 3 years |
| QLD / WA / SA / TAS / NT | RSG | Fully online in most cases | $18–60 | No expiry |
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | RSG | Confirm with ACT regulator | Confirm | Confirm |
Every figure here is a typical range, not a quote — training providers set their own prices and states change their rules. Check the official regulator for your state before you pay for anything.
The interstate trap
The single most expensive mistake backpackers make with these certificates.
This matters more on a working holiday than it does for anyone else, because the typical year looks like a few months in Sydney, a summer somewhere else, then a season up the coast. Do your RSA in Queensland for $30, move to Sydney in April, and you're paying again — this time up to $90, plus the photo card admin.
Two things to take from it. First, if you already know which state you'll be working in, do the course there, not wherever you happen to land. Second, if you genuinely plan to work in several states, treat the repeat cost as part of your setup budget rather than a nasty surprise — our Australia budget guide has the rest of the arrival costs.
How to actually get one
For most states this is an afternoon's work. NSW and Victoria are the two that need planning.
1. Check your state's format first
Most states let you complete the RSA fully online. NSW adds an ID verification and photo competency card step, and Victoria's face-to-face requirement is worth confirming before you book — those two take longer than an afternoon.
2. Use an approved provider
Courses have to be delivered by a registered training organisation approved for your state. A certificate from an unapproved provider is worth nothing to an employer, and the regulator's website is the place to check which ones count.
3. Do it before you start applying
Hospitality hiring moves fast, and managers pick the person who can start on Friday. Turning up to an interview already certified is one of the cheapest advantages you can buy yourself — see our CV & résumé guide for where to put it on the page.
4. Keep a copy on your phone
You'll be asked for it at induction, and sometimes on the floor. A photo of the certificate or card in your phone saves a scramble on day one — worth adding to the documents section of your packing list.
FAQs
The questions we get asked most about RSA and RCG certificates.
Do I need an RSA to work in a café in Australia?
Only if it serves alcohol. A dry café pouring nothing but coffee doesn't need one — but a lot of Australian cafés and bistros are licensed, and many managers won't shortlist someone without an RSA because it limits which shifts they can give you.
What's the difference between RSA and RCG?
RSA covers alcohol; RCG (or RSG outside NSW) covers gambling. You need the RSA for essentially any job that puts a drink in someone's hand, and the RCG only if the venue has pokies, a TAB or casino-style gaming. Pubs and clubs often have both, which is why job ads ask for the pair.
Does my RSA work in every Australian state?
Generally no — they aren't recognised across state borders, so moving usually means redoing it. NSW offers a shorter bridging course if you hold a valid interstate RSA. Budget for paying twice if you'll work in more than one state.
How much does an RSA cost?
Roughly $24–45 online in most states, $40–80 in Victoria and $45–90 in NSW where the photo card step applies. Gambling certificates run $18–60 online, but $120–200 in NSW because the RCG has to be done in a classroom or live virtual classroom.
Certificate sorted? Next is finding the shift. Our Australia jobs guide covers pay, sectors and how to get hired fast, and we've got city-specific hospitality guides for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns.