South Carolina Extends Alcohol Server Training Deadline to May 1

South Carolina has extended the deadline for servers and bartenders to complete a newly mandated alcohol training exam until May 1, 2023. While this extension offers some relief, many workers are facing significant challenges in navigating the four-hour program. Issues such as computer viruses, unreliable technology, and the lack of a quiet space to complete the exam have emerged as common frustrations among participants.

Training Requirements and Compliance Issues

The training consists of a video-recorded test with 25 questions that follows a nearly four-hour state-mandated alcohol training program. Some candidates have reported failing the exam due to unexpected interruptions, such as pets appearing in the background. As stipulated by a new state law that took effect at the beginning of the year, any employee serving alcohol for more than 10 hours a week, along with their managers, must complete one of three approved programs listed on the South Carolina Department of Revenue website.

As of March 8, 2023, the South Carolina Department of Revenue has issued 37,548 alcohol server certificates since the law’s implementation, according to Robert Walden of the agency’s Public Information Office. Failing to comply with the new regulations can result in steep penalties. Businesses that allow untrained servers to pour drinks face fines of $500, while employers who do not maintain a copy of a server’s certificate on file risk a $100 fine.

Impact on Local Establishments

These penalties have prompted some establishments, such as the Old Bull and Bush pub, to expedite the certification process for their staff. The owner reported that all servers have now successfully completed the training. One bartender noted that the course has already begun to change interactions with customers. “The wording we have to use now to specifically ask them for their IDs is an example,” the bartender explained. “May I please have your ID? That word ‘have’ is going to be a legal thing for us now, so we have to use those different wordings, which is good to get that education and have them de-escalate situations.”

Tyler Avant, a bartender with five years of experience, emphasized the broader implications of the training. He stated, “I’ve always wondered, so you get a license to drive a car, you get a license to drive a boat, here you’re serving alcohol to people. I think there should be some kind of accountability for that and having a special license for that.”

Prior to this law, alcohol training was left to the discretion of individual bars or restaurants. The introduction of a standardized exam now represents the only legal way for servers to remain behind the bar. The move reflects a growing recognition of the need for accountability and professional standards in the alcohol service industry.

For more information on the training requirements and approved programs, individuals can visit the South Carolina Department of Revenue’s official website.