Oregon OLCC Practice Test

Getting your OLCC service permit to serve alcohol in Oregon? This free practice test has 41 questions on the topics the OLCC test covers: the service permit rules themselves, what servers under 21 may do, checking IDs, visibly intoxicated persons, how alcohol affects the body, hours of sale, and penalties. Every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the part of our Oregon OLCC Service Permit: How to Get Your Alcohol Server Permit that covers it.

OLCC questions and answers

Take the test first: this section gives the answers away. Here is every question in the bank, grouped by topic, with the rule behind each answer.

Service permits

1. 1Which agency issues alcohol service permits in Oregon?

   1. The Oregon Health Authority
   2. Each county health department
   3. The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC)
   4. The Oregon DMV

   Answer: C. The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC)

   The OLCC issues service permits after you apply, take an approved server education course, and pass its test. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

2. 2Which of these workers needs a service permit?

   1. A janitor
   2. A host who takes drink orders
   3. A line cook
   4. A busser who only sets and clears tables

   Answer: B. A host who takes drink orders

   Anyone who mixes, sells, or serves alcohol needs a permit, and a host who takes drink orders or rings up alcohol counts. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

3. 3Does a bouncer who only checks IDs at the door need a service permit?

   1. Yes, always
   2. Only on weekends
   3. Only if they are under 21
   4. No, as long as they never mix, serve, or sell alcohol

   Answer: D. No, as long as they never mix, serve, or sell alcohol

   The OLCC says door staff, bouncers, bussers, and kitchen staff don't need a permit unless they mix, serve, or sell alcohol. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

4. 4Working in a job that requires a service permit without one is:

   1. Legal for the first 90 days
   2. A felony
   3. Only a house-policy issue
   4. A Class B violation

   Answer: D. A Class B violation

   ORS 471.360 makes working without a required service permit a Class B violation. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

5. 5What is the OLCC's service permit application fee?

   1. $50
   2. $23, plus up to a $3 vendor fee
   3. $100
   4. It's free

   Answer: B. $23, plus up to a $3 vendor fee

   The OLCC charges a $23 application fee, plus up to a $3 vendor fee. Course prices are set separately by providers. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

6. 6How do you apply for an OLCC service permit?

   1. Online in the OLCC's CAMP system
   2. At any DMV office
   3. Through your employer only
   4. On a paper form mailed to Salem

   Answer: A. Online in the OLCC's CAMP system

   Applications go through CAMP, the OLCC's online system. Paper applications are no longer accepted. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

7. 7After you submit your application, how long do you have to finish the course and pass the test?

   1. 30 days
   2. 45 days
   3. 90 days
   4. 60 days

   Answer: B. 45 days

   You must take the course and pass the exam no later than 45 days after you apply and pay the fee. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

8. 8You took an approved server education course before applying. How recent must it be?

   1. Within 30 days
   2. Within 6 months
   3. Within 2 years before the OLCC gets your application
   4. Any time; it never expires

   Answer: C. Within 2 years before the OLCC gets your application

   A course and exam taken within two years before the OLCC receives your completed application count. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

9. 9What score do you need to pass the OLCC test?

   1. 60%
   2. 80%
   3. 100%
   4. 70%

   Answer: D. 70%

   A passing grade on the Commission-issued exam is 70 percent, and you can retake it if you fail. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

10. 10In which languages can you take the OLCC test?

    1. English or Spanish only
    2. Any language you request
    3. English, Spanish, or Chinese
    4. English only

    Answer: C. English, Spanish, or Chinese

    The OLCC lets applicants view the test in English, Spanish, or Chinese. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

11. 11What happens if you don't pass the test within 45 days of applying?

    1. Your employer can finish it for you
    2. Your application is incomplete, so you reapply and pay again
    3. You get an automatic 45-day extension
    4. You get a permit anyway

    Answer: B. Your application is incomplete, so you reapply and pay again

    The OLCC treats the application as incomplete, and you have to submit a new application and fees. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

12. 12When can a new applicant start serving alcohol?

    1. Within 45 days of applying, even before the course
    2. After their first shift
    3. The day they submit the application
    4. Only after the OLCC issues a temporary permit

    Answer: D. Only after the OLCC issues a temporary permit

    A temporary permit is issued only after the application, fee, course, and OLCC test are complete, and you can work only once you have it. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

13. 13What changed for new service permit applicants on March 31, 2025?

    1. They can no longer serve for 45 days before finishing the course and test
    2. The permit now lasts 10 years
    3. The fee doubled
    4. The test became optional

    Answer: A. They can no longer serve for 45 days before finishing the course and test

    Applicants used to be able to serve for 45 days while finishing the course and test. That option ended March 31, 2025. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

14. 14While on duty, how must you keep your service permit?

    1. You don't need to have it
    2. Framed on the wall behind the bar
    3. Available for inspection, and a screenshot on your phone counts
    4. Filed with your manager only

    Answer: C. Available for inspection, and a screenshot on your phone counts

    Your permit must be available for immediate inspection while you're on duty, and the OLCC accepts a saved copy or screenshot. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

15. 15How long is an OLCC service permit valid?

    1. 5 years
    2. For life
    3. 2 years
    4. 3 years

    Answer: A. 5 years

    A service permit expires five years after the OLCC issues it, counting any time on a temporary permit. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

16. 16How do you renew your service permit?

    1. Reapply, retake an approved course, and pass the test again
    2. Take a special renewal class only
    3. It renews automatically
    4. Pay a renewal fee online; no course needed

    Answer: A. Reapply, retake an approved course, and pass the test again

    Renewal means reapplying (up to six months early) and retaking the server education course and test. There's no separate renewal class. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

17. 17Can a new coworker use your service permit until theirs arrives?

    1. Yes, if you work different shifts
    2. Yes, with the manager's approval
    3. No; a permit is a purely personal privilege
    4. Yes, for up to 45 days

    Answer: C. No; a permit is a purely personal privilege

    A service permit is a purely personal privilege, and no one other than the permit holder may use it. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

Servers under 21

18. 18What is the minimum age for an Oregon service permit?

    1. 16
    2. 19
    3. 21
    4. 18

    Answer: D. 18

    Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

19. 19A 19-year-old server holds a service permit. Which task is allowed?

    1. Mixing cocktails behind the bar
    2. Serving drinks to customers seated at the bar
    3. Working as a cocktail server in the lounge
    4. Serving a glass of wine with a customer's dinner in the dining room

    Answer: D. Serving a glass of wine with a customer's dinner in the dining room

    Servers aged 18 to 20 may serve alcohol when it's incidental to serving food, outside areas that are off limits to minors, and may not bartend or cocktail serve. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

20. 20Why may a 20-year-old server enter the minors-prohibited bar area?

    1. To take a break
    2. To check IDs
    3. To serve customers at the bar
    4. Only to order and pick up drinks for other parts of the restaurant

    Answer: D. Only to order and pick up drinks for other parts of the restaurant

    Servers aged 18 to 20 may enter minors-prohibited areas only to order and pick up drinks, and may not stay longer than necessary. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

21. 21Which pour may an 18-year-old server make?

    1. Pouring beer behind the bar in the lounge
    2. Pouring shots behind the bar
    3. Pouring wine at the customer's table
    4. Mixing a margarita

    Answer: C. Pouring wine at the customer's table

    Servers under 21 may not mix, pour, or draw drinks, except pouring at the customer's table or drawing in an area open to minors. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

Minors and IDs

22. 22Oregon requires you to check the ID of anyone who appears to be under what age?

    1. 30
    2. 35
    3. 21
    4. 26

    Answer: D. 26

    Reasonable doubt about age exists if a person appears to be under 26, so check their ID. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

23. 23A 20-year-old dining with their parents asks for a glass of wine. What should you do?

    1. Refuse; parents may give alcohol to their minor child only in a private home
    2. Serve it with food
    3. Serve it if a parent orders it
    4. Serve it, since a parent is present

    Answer: A. Refuse; parents may give alcohol to their minor child only in a private home

    A parent may give alcohol to their own child under 21 only in a private residence, never at a restaurant or bar. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

24. 24Which of these is acceptable proof of age on its own in Oregon?

    1. A Social Security card
    2. A student ID
    3. A U.S. passport card
    4. A pilot's license

    Answer: C. A U.S. passport card

    Acceptable IDs include driver's licenses, state and territory ID cards, tribal IDs, passports and passport cards, U.S. military IDs, and NEXUS or SENTRI cards. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

25. 25Which of these is NOT acceptable on its own as proof of age in Oregon?

    1. A U.S. military ID
    2. A NEXUS card
    3. A green card
    4. A Canadian driver's license

    Answer: C. A green card

    The OLCC lists green cards, student IDs, Social Security cards, FAST cards, and gun permits among IDs that don't count on their own. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

26. 26A customer shows you a digital driver's license on their phone. What does the OLCC say?

    1. Digital IDs are always fine
    2. Digital IDs are fine if the photo matches
    3. Digital IDs are fine before 10 p.m.
    4. Acceptable ID must be a physical, non-digital card

    Answer: D. Acceptable ID must be a physical, non-digital card

    The OLCC's acceptable-ID flyer lists only non-digital, unexpired, unaltered IDs as proof of age. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

27. 27How can you spot an Oregon driver's license issued to someone under 21?

    1. It has a green border
    2. It has no photo
    3. It says MINOR across the front
    4. It's vertical, with "UNDER 21 UNTIL" dates in a red box

    Answer: D. It's vertical, with "UNDER 21 UNTIL" dates in a red box

    Oregon's under-21 licenses and ID cards are vertical, with a red box showing the dates the holder turns 18 and 21. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

28. 28A customer's driver's license expired last week. Can you accept it as proof of age?

    1. No; acceptable ID must be unexpired
    2. Yes, if they're clearly over 21
    3. Yes, within 30 days of expiring
    4. Yes, if the photo matches

    Answer: A. No; acceptable ID must be unexpired

    Only unexpired, unaltered, and legitimate IDs are acceptable on their own. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

Visible intoxication

29. 29In Oregon alcohol service, what does VIP stand for?

    1. Verified ID presented
    2. Visibly intoxicated person
    3. Very important patron
    4. Valid identification policy

    Answer: B. Visibly intoxicated person

    Oregon bans selling or serving alcohol to anyone who is visibly intoxicated, often called a VIP. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

30. 30You aren't sure whether a customer is visibly intoxicated. What's the OLCC's advice?

    1. Serve beer instead of liquor
    2. If you're not sure, don't serve
    3. Serve one more and watch them
    4. Ask another customer

    Answer: B. If you're not sure, don't serve

    The OLCC's 50 signs of visible intoxication handout says: if you're not sure, don't serve. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

31. 31What counts as a good faith effort to remove a drink from a visibly intoxicated customer?

    1. Telling them to drink it slowly
    2. Adding water to the drink
    3. Putting a hand on the drink and trying to take it, or asking for it if touching it could cause a disturbance
    4. Waiting until they finish it

    Answer: C. Putting a hand on the drink and trying to take it, or asking for it if touching it could cause a disturbance

    A good faith effort means placing a hand on the drink and trying to remove it, or asking verbally when touching it could cause a disturbance. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

32. 32May a visibly intoxicated customer stay in the restaurant?

    1. No, they must leave immediately
    2. Only until midnight
    3. Yes, as long as they aren't sold or served alcohol
    4. Only if they order food

    Answer: C. Yes, as long as they aren't sold or served alcohol

    Oregon law lets a licensee allow a visibly intoxicated person to remain as long as they aren't sold or served alcohol. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

Alcohol and the body

33. 33Which drink holds about the same alcohol as a 12-ounce regular beer?

    1. 12 ounces of wine
    2. A 24-ounce beer
    3. 5 ounces of 80-proof spirits
    4. 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits

    Answer: D. 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits

    One standard drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

34. 34What actually lowers a customer's blood alcohol content (BAC)?

    1. Only time
    2. A cold shower
    3. Black coffee
    4. Fresh air

    Answer: A. Only time

    The body clears roughly one standard drink per hour, and coffee, cold water, and fresh air don't speed that up. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

Hours and rules

35. 35During which hours may alcohol be sold and consumed at an Oregon bar?

    1. 8 a.m. to midnight
    2. 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
    3. 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.
    4. 10 a.m. to 3 a.m.

    Answer: C. 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.

    Alcohol may be sold, served, consumed, or removed from licensed premises only between 7 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

36. 36When are drink discounts banned in Oregon?

    1. From midnight to 2:30 a.m.
    2. All day Sunday
    3. After 10 p.m.
    4. They are never banned

    Answer: A. From midnight to 2:30 a.m.

    Oregon bans reducing drink prices from midnight until 2:30 a.m. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

37. 37A family with a 12-year-old wants to sit at the bar to eat. What's the rule?

    1. Minors may not sit or stand at a bar
    2. It's fine before 9 p.m.
    3. It's fine if the child orders food
    4. It's fine if the parents are there

    Answer: A. Minors may not sit or stand at a bar

    OLCC rules say minors may not sit or stand at a bar, and minor-prohibited areas must be posted. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

38. 38Which promotion is banned in Oregon?

    1. A food special with a meal
    2. Unlimited drinks for a fixed price
    3. A free soft drink refill
    4. A discounted appetizer menu

    Answer: B. Unlimited drinks for a fixed price

    Unlimited drinks for a fixed price, drinking games, and pouring alcohol directly into someone's mouth are all prohibited. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

39. 39May a server drink alcohol during their shift?

    1. No, except small tastes of beer, wine, or cider to check quality or for education
    2. Yes, after midnight
    3. Yes, if a customer buys it
    4. Yes, one drink per shift

    Answer: A. No, except small tastes of beer, wine, or cider to check quality or for education

    Staff may not consume alcohol on duty, apart from small tastes of beer, wine, or cider for quality checks or education. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

Penalties

40. 40Under Oregon law, selling alcohol to a minor is generally:

    1. Only a warning the first time
    2. A Class A misdemeanor, with a minimum $500 fine on a first conviction
    3. A traffic infraction
    4. Legal with a parent present

    Answer: B. A Class A misdemeanor, with a minimum $500 fine on a first conviction

    Selling to a minor is a Class A misdemeanor with mandatory minimum fines. An employee who didn't act knowingly faces a Class A violation on a first conviction instead. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

41. 41Under Oregon's dram shop law, what must someone injured by an intoxicated customer prove to hold the server liable?

    1. By clear and convincing evidence, that the customer was served while visibly intoxicated
    2. Nothing; servers are always liable
    3. Only that the customer drank at the bar
    4. That the server was under 21

    Answer: A. By clear and convincing evidence, that the customer was served while visibly intoxicated

    A server or business isn't liable for damage caused by an intoxicated customer unless the injured person proves, by clear and convincing evidence, that the customer was served while visibly intoxicated. Review this in the OLCC service permit guide

How the real OLCC test works

After you apply in the OLCC's CAMP system and pay the $23 fee, you take an alcohol server education course from an OLCC-approved provider and then the OLCC's own test. You need 70% to pass, you can take it in English, Spanish, or Chinese, and you can retake it if you fail, but the course and test must be done within 45 days of applying. Once you pass, the OLCC issues a temporary permit and you can start serving. Our Oregon OLCC Service Permit: How to Get Your Alcohol Server Permit covers each step and the five-year renewal.

These are our own practice questions, written from Oregon's liquor laws, OLCC rules, and OLCC guidance. FoodHandlerGear is not affiliated with the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission or any server education provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these the real OLCC test questions?

No. The OLCC's test isn't public. These practice questions cover the same Oregon laws and service skills, so if you can explain these answers, you're ready.

What score do I need to pass the OLCC test?

70%. If you don't pass, you can retake it as many times as you need, as long as you pass within 45 days of applying.

How long does the OLCC online test take?

The OLCC doesn't publish a time limit or a question count. You take the test online in CAMP after your server education course; there's no in-person test. Since you can retake it as many times as you need within 45 days of applying, the time that matters is preparing well, which is what this practice test is for.

Can I start serving after I pass the test?

Once the OLCC issues your temporary permit in CAMP. Since March 31, 2025, you can't serve before finishing the course and test.