Responsible liquor sale, service and delivery training
Any person involved in the sale, service, sampling, or delivery of liquor, or in taking orders for the sale of liquor must hold valid certification demonstrating the successful completion of a training course approved by the Board of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
Valid certification is legally required under the following:
Employees and persons involved in the sale, sampling, delivery, and taking orders for the sale of liquor for delivery by the Licensee
All AGCO Board-approved training programs provide licensees and their employees with the knowledge needed to sell, serve and deliver liquor safely, responsibly, and in compliance with the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, its regulations and the standards and requirements established by the AGCO Registrar.
It is recommended for all liquor licensees to keep a copy of their and their employees’ certifications. AGCO Inspectors may ask a licensee for proof of a staff member’s certification at any time.
AGCO Board Approved Programs
The AGCO Board has approved three types of training programs.
Liquor Retail Training Programs – approved only for individuals involved in the sale, service and delivery of liquor or in taking orders for liquor at a licensed retail store (such as a licensed grocery store, convenience store or offsite winery retail store).
Licence to Deliver Liquor Training Programs – approved only for Licence to Deliver holders and their employees or contractors.
Smart Serve Training Program – approved for all liquor licensees and their employees, including bars, restaurants and retail stores.
It is your responsibility to know which training program applies to your specific role and employment setting.
This course only applies to retail licensees and employees working in a convenience store, grocery store or offsite winery retail store setting.
$13.99 + HST | $9.99 + HST for recertification
Available online
Certification valid for five years
Offered in English, French and Hindi
Note: individuals with only a liquor retail training certification are not permitted to sell, serve, deliver or take orders for the sale of liquor outside of a retail store setting.
This course meets the training requirements for all liquor licensees and employees (including bars and restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores and delivery licensees).
$44.95 (no HST)
Available online and in-person
Valid for 5 years
Offered in English, French, Chinese, Korean, Punjabi and Spanish
Requirement to hold a Valid Training Certificate
In Ontario, all liquor training certifications need to be renewed every five years. This means that individuals must retake their training after five years to keep their certificate valid.
Additional Licence to Deliver Liquor and Liquor Retail Training Programs
To support the province’s plans for an expanded liquor retail marketplace, the AGCO is offering more options for social responsibility training programs for liquor retail employees and liquor delivery (Licence to Deliver) licensees.
Applications continue to be accepted from those interested in providing an AGCO Board-approved liquor retail or Licence to Deliver liquor training program.
For application information, visit the ConnectAGCO
webpage.
Smart Serve will continue to be the only AGCO Board-approved training program for the broader liquor sector, including for liquor sales licensees and their employees. Individuals who currently hold a valid Smart Serve training certificate can sell liquor in retail settings and deliver liquor until their certificate expires. Once expired, they must recertify or obtain a new certificate from another Board approved training program that is applicable to their specific role and employment setting to continue to sell or deliver liquor.
Please return to this webpage to learn about new Board-approved training programs as they become available.