Do You Have to Be 18 to Get Your RSA in Queensland?

Most people assume you have to be 18 to get your RSA. It is one of the most common questions we get from students still at school, and from parents checking whether their teenager can take a job at the local cafe or surf club.

The short answer surprises almost everyone. Queensland’s rules here are more open than the rules for drinking, and the two get mixed up constantly.

Do you have to be 18 to get an RSA in Queensland?

No. There is no minimum age to complete an RSA in Queensland. Anyone can enrol and gain the certificate, regardless of how old they are.

The RSA is a nationally recognised unit of competency, SITHFAB021 Provide responsible service of alcohol. It is a training outcome, not a licence tied to your age. Completing it means you have been assessed as competent in serving alcohol responsibly, and that assessment does not change depending on your birthday.

Can under-18s actually serve alcohol in Queensland?

Yes, in most venues. Under the Liquor Act 1992, a person under 18 can serve or supply alcohol in venues such as hotels, restaurants and cafes. Queensland Government guidance on minors working on licensed premises states it plainly: children under 18 can work in licensed premises, including restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels.

There is one clear exception: this does not apply where the venue holds an adult entertainment permit. If you are under 18, that is the category to ask about before accepting a role.

This is the part people find counterintuitive. The legal drinking age and the legal serving age are two separate things in Queensland, and being too young to buy a drink does not automatically mean you are too young to pour one.

Do you still need an RSA if you are under 18?

Yes, and this matters more than the age question. Anyone who serves or supplies alcohol in Queensland must hold a current RSA certificate, and the state guidance is explicit that this covers all staff, including minors. Being under 18 does not exempt you from that requirement. If anything it makes holding the certificate more important, because it is the thing that demonstrates you understand the responsibilities involved.

There is also a deadline attached. Staff must obtain their RSA certificate within 30 days of starting employment, so you can begin work before it is finished, but not indefinitely.

So the rule works in both directions. Your age does not stop you getting certified, and it does not excuse you from needing to be.

Will a venue still hire someone under 18?

That is up to the venue, and it is worth being realistic about it. The law sets the floor, not the hiring policy. Plenty of pubs and clubs choose to employ only adults on the bar for their own reasons, including insurance, rostering around late trading hours, or simply preference.

What the law does is remove the legal barrier. If a venue wants to hire you and the permit type allows it, your age is not what stands in the way. Turning up already certified puts you ahead of applicants who have not sorted it out yet.

What about RSG?

The RSG, SITHGAM022 Provide responsible gambling services, has no minimum age to complete either. It covers responsible gambling practice rather than alcohol, and it is a separate certificate from the RSA.

Whether an under-18 can work a gaming floor is a different question from whether they can hold the certificate, and it depends on the venue and its gaming licence conditions. If that is your situation, ask the venue directly before you enrol, or check with the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation.

What do you need to enrol?

There are no prerequisites for RSA or RSG. No prior experience, no qualifications, and no minimum age. You enrol, complete the training, and receive your Statement of Attainment.

Once you have it, it does not expire, which trips people up in the other direction. We covered that in detail in whether an RSA or RSG certificate expires in Queensland.

We deliver RSA and RSG at our Capalaba training centre, and they can be combined with barista training as a hospitality package. Current course options and what each one includes are on the RSA, RSG and Barista course page.