How to get your Serving It Right certificate
How to get a Serving It Right certificate in B.C.: who needs one, the free online course, the exam fee and attempts, the pass mark, downloading your certificate and renewal. Official B.C. government sources.
By the Canada Exam Prep Editorial Team ·
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- Checked October 17, 2026
Serving It Right (SIR) is British Columbia's mandatory responsible beverage service program. Generally every licensee, manager and server needs the certificate before working in a licensed establishment, and many liquor store and wine store staff need it too. You earn it by studying the free online course and passing an online multiple-choice exam run by Responsible Service BC for the province.
This guide explains who needs it, what it costs, how the exam works and how to download and renew your certificate. Each fact links to the Government of B.C. or Responsible Service BC page it comes from. The course and exam are offered in English only. Our free practice tests, printable questions and mock exam, written from B.C. liquor law and LCRB guidance, are linked below.
Step by step
Check that your job needs SIR
All licensees, managers and staff must have SIR before working in a licensed establishment. Exactly who needs it depends on the licence type: restaurants, bars, caterers, private liquor stores, wine stores, BC Liquor Stores and manufacturer lounges and stores are all covered.
Source: Responsible Service BC — Who needs Serving It Right?Study the free course
The course is free and takes about 4 hours. Study it before you buy the exam; it is offered only in English.
Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQsBuy the exam
Register and pay for the exam: $40 plus tax, which includes 3 attempts. You can pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Visa Debit or a major prepaid credit card.
Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQsConfirm and declare
Before you are certified you must confirm that you have read and understood the course material and declare that you completed the exam on your own and in good faith.
Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right Final ExamWrite the exam and score 80%
The exam has 35 randomly generated multiple-choice questions, so each attempt is different. It is not timed, and you can log out and finish later. You need 80%, which means 28 or more correct.
Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right courseGet your certificate
When you pass you receive your SIR certificate number immediately and can print the certificate, and you can view and print it again at any time.
Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right course
Who can get it
- There is no minimum age to obtain a Serving It Right certificate. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs
- Working is another matter: in a food primary establishment, minors aged 16 or older may serve liquor under adult supervision but may not open bottles, pour or mix drinks. Minors may not be employed in a liquor primary establishment without special permission from the LCRB. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs
- Staff selling wine in a grocery store under a special wine store licence, and the manager supervising those sales, must hold SIR and be at least 19. Source: Responsible Service BC — Who needs Serving It Right?
- Servers and bartenders with a valid certificate from a recognized program in another province or territory, such as ProServe or Smart Serve, are exempt. Licensees, managers and anyone supervising liquor service still need SIR. Source: Responsible Service BC — Who needs Serving It Right?
What it costs
| Item | Amount | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| Online Serving It Right course | Free | Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs |
| Online exam, including three attempts | $40 plus GST | Source: Government of B.C. — Serving It Right |
| Retake after the third failed attempt (three more attempts) | $40 | Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs |
Fees change. Check the amount on the official page or with the provider before you pay.
Where to take the test
Online, at any hour, on the Responsible Service BC site. You can study the course online or through self-study with a program manual, then take the exam online and get your result straight away. Source: Responsible Service BC — What is Serving It Right?
What to bring or have ready
- A Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card, a Visa Debit card or a major prepaid credit card to pay for the exam. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs
- A reliable internet connection, ideally on a desktop or laptop. The course works on a tablet or phone, but some screens are hard to use on a small display; on a phone, use Wi-Fi. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right course
- An email address you will keep. Your certificate stays in the account you used for the exam, and you log in with that same email to get a copy later. Source: Responsible Service BC — Certificates
After you pass
No physical certificate is mailed. Print it from My Certifications in your account, or download it to keep on your phone or email to your employer. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs
Validity and renewal
Your certificate is valid for 5 years from the date you complete the final exam, and the expiry date is printed on it. Certificates issued before September 15, 2015 expired on September 15, 2020. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs
Common mistakes
- Starting a shift before you are certified. SIR is an operating requirement: licensees, managers and staff must have it before working in a licensed establishment. Source: Responsible Service BC — Who needs Serving It Right?
- Assuming an out-of-province certificate covers a manager. The exemption is for servers and bartenders only, and employers may still ask for SIR. Source: Responsible Service BC — Who needs Serving It Right?
- Taking the Special Event Server course instead. It was developed specifically for special event permits, not for work in a licensed establishment or store. Source: Responsible Service BC — Who needs Serving It Right?
- Paying before you have studied. Once you accept the terms of service and start the online test there are no refunds. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs
- Rushing the exam. It has no time limit and you can log out and come back, so check each answer against what you learned. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right course
- Relying on an old certificate. Any SIR issued before September 15, 2015 is no longer valid. Source: Responsible Service BC — Serving It Right FAQs
Prepare for the test
Free practice written from the official material: full practice tests, a study guide, a printable sheet and a timed mock exam.
- Serving It Right practice tests136 original practice questions with explanations
- Serving It Right practice test (printable PDF)50 Serving It Right practice questions on B.C. ID rules, intoxication, refusing service, drink sizes, hours and impaired driving, with a separate answer key. Free.
- Serving It Right study guideFree Serving It Right study guide: 141 key points from the Liquor Primary Licence Terms and Conditions Handbook (LCRB) in plain words, organised by topic, each topic linked to its practice questions.
- Serving It Right Mock Exam 1 – 35 QuestionsUntimed practice · answers explained
- Serving It Right exam simulator35 new random questions every time, full screen, no hints
We last checked the official pages on October 17, 2026. Rules and fees can change; the official source always wins.
FAQ
How to get a Serving It Right certificate: common questions
How do I get a Serving It Right certificate?
Study the online course, pass the exam and download your certificate. The province describes those as the three steps to certification.
How much does a Serving It Right certificate cost?
The course is free. The exam is $40 plus tax and includes 3 attempts; if you fail all three, another $40 buys 3 more.
Can I get my Serving It Right certificate online?
Yes. The course and exam are online 24/7, you get your result immediately and you can print your certificate right away.
How many questions are on the Serving It Right exam?
Thirty-five randomly generated multiple-choice questions. The pass mark is 80%, or 28 correct, and there is no time limit.
How long is a Serving It Right certificate valid?
Five years from the date you complete the final exam.
I have Smart Serve or ProServe. Do I need Serving It Right?
Not if you work as a server or bartender and your certificate is current: recognized programs from other provinces and territories are exempt. Licensees, managers and supervisors still need SIR, and an employer can require it anyway.
Is Serving It Right offered in French or other languages?
Not at this time. Serving It Right is offered only in English.
Keep practising
- Serving It Right practice test (printable PDF)50 Serving It Right practice questions on B.C. ID rules, intoxication, refusing service, drink sizes, hours and impaired driving, with a separate answer key. Free.
- Serving It Right study guide
- Serving It Right Mock Exam 1 – 35 QuestionsUntimed practice · answers explained
- Serving It Right Mock Exam 2 – 35 QuestionsUntimed practice · answers explained
- Serving It Right Practice Test 135 questions with explanations
- Serving It Right Practice Test 235 questions with explanations
- Serving It Right Practice Test 335 questions with explanations
Practice by topic
- Serving It Right certificationWho needs SIR or Special Event Server, the five-year expiry, records licensees must keep, out-of-province certificates, delivery staff and automated dispensers.
- Legal age and minorsDrinking age 19, supplying liquor to minors, fake ID, where minors may be, minors working in restaurants, bars and stadiums, and the Minors as Agents program.
- Checking IDB.C.'s two-piece ID rule, primary and secondary ID examples, expired, foreign and digital ID, refusing service and setting up a proper ID check area.
- Intoxication and alcoholSigns of intoxication inspectors look for, the ban on serving intoxicated people, standard drinks, lower-risk drinking, older adults, pregnancy and mixing alcohol with cannabis.
- Refusing service and removing patronsRefusing entry, asking intoxicated or undesirable people to leave, the 24-hour rule, weapons, safe departure, public intoxication and recording incidents.
- Controlling the premisesDisorderly conduct, weapons, licensed door security, capacity and overcrowding, preventing disturbances, emergency suspensions and staff conduct on duty.
- Incident logs, records and inspectionsIncident log contents and six-year retention, the liquor register, price lists, social responsibility posters, LCRB and police inspections and penalties.
- Hours, service areas and unlawful liquorLicensed hours, the 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. limit, New Year's Eve, clearing patrons, where liquor may be consumed, resealed wine, bring-your-own wine and unlawful liquor.
- Drink sizes, prices and promotionsMaximum serving sizes, two-drink limit, bottle service, minimum drink prices, happy hours, free drinks, all-inclusive packages and banned sales practices.
- Impaired driving and liquor in vehiclesLiquor in cars, party buses, RVs and boats, drinking in public places, immediate roadside prohibitions for warn and fail readings, and getting patrons home safely.