California RBS Practice Test

Getting RBS certified to serve alcohol in California? This free practice test has 33 questions on the topics the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam covers: the RBS rules themselves, minors and checking IDs, how alcohol affects the body, obviously intoxicated guests, and California's hours of sale. Every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the part of our California RBS Certification: How to Get Your Alcohol Server Certification that covers it.

RBS 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.

RBS certification

1. 1Since when must California on-premises alcohol servers and their managers be RBS certified?

   1. It is voluntary
   2. July 1, 2022
   3. January 1, 2025
   4. January 1, 2018

   Answer: B. July 1, 2022

   AB 1221 created the program, and the certification requirement took effect on July 1, 2022. Review this in the RBS certification guide

2. 2How long after your first day of employment do you have to get RBS certified?

   1. 60 days
   2. Before your first shift
   3. 90 days
   4. 30 days

   Answer: A. 60 days

   Servers and managers have 60 days from their first date of employment, and employers can schedule them to work in the meantime. Review this in the RBS certification guide

3. 3Which of these workers counts as an alcohol server who needs RBS certification?

   1. A door host who checks IDs for entry to a bar
   2. A parking valet
   3. A line cook
   4. A dishwasher

   Answer: A. A door host who checks IDs for entry to a bar

   An alcohol server is anyone who checks IDs for alcohol service or entry, takes alcohol orders, pours drinks, or delivers them to customers. Review this in the RBS certification guide

4. 4What does the ABC charge to register in the RBS Portal?

   1. $3, which covers the exam
   2. $50
   3. $15
   4. Nothing

   Answer: A. $3, which covers the exam

   Registration costs $3, is non-refundable, and covers the exam. Training providers set their own course prices. Review this in the RBS certification guide

5. 5What is the correct order of steps to get RBS certified?

   1. Register in the RBS Portal, take approved training, then pass the ABC exam
   2. Take any online course and print the certificate
   3. Your employer registers you and takes the exam for you
   4. Take the ABC exam, then register, then train

   Answer: A. Register in the RBS Portal, take approved training, then pass the ABC exam

   Register and pay in the RBS Portal, take a course from an ABC-approved provider, then pass the ABC exam within 30 days of your confirmed training. Review this in the RBS certification guide

6. 6Is a certificate from your training provider enough to be RBS certified?

   1. No; you must also pass the ABC exam in the RBS Portal
   2. Only for managers
   3. Yes, if it is printed
   4. Yes, if the course was in person

   Answer: A. No; you must also pass the ABC exam in the RBS Portal

   A training provider's certificate alone doesn't meet the requirement. You're certified only after passing the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam. Review this in the RBS certification guide

7. 7Under AB 2402, what must every RBS training course cover by January 1, 2027?

   1. How to mix craft cocktails
   2. How to prevent drink spiking and what to do if someone may have been drugged
   3. How to run a cash register
   4. Wine pairing with food

   Answer: B. How to prevent drink spiking and what to do if someone may have been drugged

   Business and Professions Code section 25681(f), added by AB 2402, requires RBS courses to include best practices for preventing drink spiking (putting alcohol or drugs in someone's drink without their knowledge) and for responding when someone may have been drugged. Review this in the RBS certification guide

8. 8Is it a crime for a server to serve alcohol before getting RBS certified?

   1. No, but the business can face disciplinary action
   2. Yes, an infraction with a fine
   3. Only in Los Angeles County
   4. Yes, a misdemeanor

   Answer: A. No, but the business can face disciplinary action

   Business and Professions Code 25684 says RBS violations aren't grounds for criminal action. A licensee that doesn't comply can face disciplinary action. Review this in the RBS certification guide

The ABC exam

9. 9Once your training is confirmed, how long do you have to pass the ABC exam?

   1. One year
   2. 7 days
   3. 60 days
   4. 30 days

   Answer: D. 30 days

   You must pass within 30 days of your confirmed training, or take a new course and pay another $3. Review this in the RBS certification guide

10. 10How many questions are on the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam, and what score passes?

    1. 100 questions; 80% passes
    2. 40 questions; 75% passes
    3. 30 questions; 70% passes
    4. 50 questions; 70% passes

    Answer: D. 50 questions; 70% passes

    The exam has 50 multiple-choice questions, and you need 70% (35 correct) to pass. Review this in the RBS certification guide

11. 11How many attempts do you get to pass the exam before you must retake training?

    1. Five, within a year
    2. Unlimited
    3. One
    4. Three, within 30 days of your confirmed training

    Answer: D. Three, within 30 days of your confirmed training

    You get three attempts within 30 days. After that, you take a new course, pay $3 again, and get three more attempts. Review this in the RBS certification guide

12. 12Can you use your training materials during the ABC exam?

    1. Only for the Spanish version
    2. Only if your manager proctors it
    3. Yes, the exam is open book
    4. No, never

    Answer: C. Yes, the exam is open book

    The ABC exam is open book: you can use your training provider's study guide. Review this in the RBS certification guide

13. 13How long is RBS certification valid?

    1. Two years
    2. Five years
    3. Three years
    4. For life

    Answer: C. Three years

    Certification lasts three years. You can renew within 90 days before it expires. Review this in the RBS certification guide

14. 14You move from one California restaurant to another while certified. What happens to your RBS certification?

    1. The new employer must pay to transfer it
    2. It goes with you; it belongs to you, not the employer
    3. It is void once you leave
    4. You must recertify within 60 days

    Answer: B. It goes with you; it belongs to you, not the employer

    Certification applies to the person, not a specific employer, and is valid anywhere in California until it expires. Review this in the RBS certification guide

Minors and IDs

15. 15May a 20-year-old drink a glass of wine at a California restaurant with a parent present?

    1. Yes, with a meal
    2. Yes, with a parent present
    3. No; a person under 21 may not drink on licensed premises, parent or not
    4. Yes, if the parent orders it

    Answer: C. No; a person under 21 may not drink on licensed premises, parent or not

    Under section 25658, a person under 21 who drinks on on-sale premises commits a misdemeanor, and so does a licensee who knowingly allows it. There is no parent exception. Review this in the RBS certification guide

16. 16Can an 18-year-old server bring a glass of wine to a diner's table at a California restaurant?

    1. Yes, anywhere in the business, including the bar
    2. Only beer, never wine
    3. Yes, in the dining area of a bona fide eating place, when serving meals is their main job
    4. No, servers must be 21

    Answer: C. Yes, in the dining area of a bona fide eating place, when serving meals is their main job

    Section 25663 lets 18- to 20-year-olds serve alcohol in the dining area of a bona fide eating place when serving meals is their main job and the alcohol is incidental. Review this in the RBS certification guide

17. 17Can a 19-year-old work behind the bar mixing drinks?

    1. Yes, if RBS certified
    2. Yes, on weekdays only
    3. No; under 21 may not prepare drinks or work in a bar area
    4. Yes, with a manager present

    Answer: C. No; under 21 may not prepare drinks or work in a bar area

    No one under 21 may prepare alcoholic drinks or work in the part of the premises used mainly for alcohol service during business hours. Review this in the RBS certification guide

18. 18What does a California driver's license for someone under 21 look like?

    1. Vertical, with a red strip showing when the holder turns 21
    2. Stamped MINOR in the corner
    3. Exactly like an adult license
    4. Horizontal, with a red border

    Answer: A. Vertical, with a red strip showing when the holder turns 21

    Minor licenses are vertical, and a red strip shows the year the holder turns 21, such as "AGE 21 IN" followed by the year. Review this in the RBS certification guide

19. 19Which of these counts as bona fide evidence of age under California law?

    1. A valid passport from another country
    2. A photocopy of a driver's license
    3. A credit card with a photo
    4. A college student ID

    Answer: A. A valid passport from another country

    Section 25660 lists a government ID with name, birth date, description and photo; a valid U.S. or foreign passport; and a valid military ID with a birth date and photo. Review this in the RBS certification guide

20. 20In the ABC's F-L-A-G method for checking IDs, what do the letters stand for?

    1. Face, License, Age, Glance
    2. Feel, Look, Ask, Give back
    3. Find, Listen, Accept, Go
    4. Flag, Log, Alert, Guard

    Answer: B. Feel, Look, Ask, Give back

    Feel the card, Look closely (including doing the birth-date math), Ask questions if something seems off, and Give back the ID or refuse the sale. Review this in the RBS certification guide

21. 21What shows through when you press a flashlight against the back of a California license?

    1. A barcode that glows
    2. A laser perforation of the California brown bear and the state outline
    3. Nothing; the card is opaque
    4. The holder's signature in gold

    Answer: B. A laser perforation of the California brown bear and the state outline

    The ABC points to this check: with a flashlight pressed to the back, a laser perforation in the shape of the California brown bear and the state shows through. Review this in the RBS certification guide

22. 22Your workplace lets you keep a fake ID. What must you do with it?

    1. Mail it to the ABC within 30 days
    2. Keep it in the office
    3. Give the person a receipt and turn the ID over to police or the sheriff within 24 hours
    4. Throw it away

    Answer: C. Give the person a receipt and turn the ID over to police or the sheriff within 24 hours

    Section 25659 requires a receipt to the person, a copy for your records, and delivery of the ID to local police or the sheriff within 24 hours. Review this in the RBS certification guide

23. 23You sold a drink to a minor who showed a real-looking ID. When does that give you a defense?

    1. Only if the minor was over 18
    2. Never; there is no defense
    3. Only if a manager approved the sale
    4. When you asked for, inspected, and relied on bona fide evidence of age

    Answer: D. When you asked for, inspected, and relied on bona fide evidence of age

    Section 25660 makes it a defense if you demanded, were shown, and acted in reliance on bona fide evidence of majority and identity. Review this in the RBS certification guide

Alcohol and the body

24. 24Which of these is one standard drink?

    1. 5 ounces of liquor
    2. 12 ounces of wine
    3. 5 ounces of wine
    4. A pint of strong craft beer

    Answer: C. 5 ounces of wine

    One standard drink is 12 ounces of regular beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. Review this in the RBS certification guide

25. 25Roughly how much alcohol does the liver clear per hour?

    1. About one standard drink
    2. About three standard drinks
    3. Half a bottle of wine
    4. Any amount, if the person drinks water

    Answer: A. About one standard drink

    The liver clears roughly one standard drink per hour, so drinks served faster build up in the blood. Review this in the RBS certification guide

26. 26What lowers a person's blood alcohol content (BAC)?

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

    Answer: C. Only time

    Only time lowers BAC. Coffee and cold water can make someone more alert, but not less intoxicated. Review this in the RBS certification guide

27. 27Which of these makes BAC rise faster?

    1. Eating a full meal
    2. Drinking slowly
    3. Drinking on an empty stomach
    4. Alternating drinks with water

    Answer: C. Drinking on an empty stomach

    Food slows absorption. Drinking on an empty stomach, drinking quickly, and strong mixed drinks all raise BAC faster. Review this in the RBS certification guide

Intoxication

28. 28Under California law, selling alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person is:

    1. Legal if they are not driving
    2. Only a violation for the customer
    3. A misdemeanor
    4. Legal if they are over 21

    Answer: C. A misdemeanor

    Section 25602 makes it a misdemeanor to sell or give alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person. Review this in the RBS certification guide

29. 29A guest who was quiet is now loud, overly friendly, and telling strangers personal stories. This is a sign of:

    1. Slowed reactions
    2. Loss of coordination
    3. Lowered inhibitions
    4. Normal behavior that needs no attention

    Answer: C. Lowered inhibitions

    Lowered inhibitions are usually the first sign of intoxication, followed by impaired judgment, slowed reactions, and loss of coordination. Review this in the RBS certification guide

30. 30What is the best way to cut off an intoxicated guest?

    1. Ignore their orders until they leave
    2. Serve a weaker drink instead
    3. Announce it loudly so the table understands
    4. Politely and privately, offering water or food, and telling your manager

    Answer: D. Politely and privately, offering water or food, and telling your manager

    Refuse politely, privately, and without accusing. Offer water or food, bring in your manager, and help arrange a safe ride. Review this in the RBS certification guide

31. 31When can a California licensee be sued over injuries caused by a customer it served?

    1. Whenever any customer later causes a crash
    2. Only if the customer drank beer
    3. Never, under any circumstances
    4. When it sold alcohol to an obviously intoxicated minor whose intoxication caused the injury

    Answer: D. When it sold alcohol to an obviously intoxicated minor whose intoxication caused the injury

    California generally treats the drinking, not the serving, as the cause (section 25602), but section 25602.1 allows suits over sales to an obviously intoxicated minor. Review this in the RBS certification guide

Hours of sale

32. 32During which hours is it illegal to sell alcohol in California?

    1. Midnight to 7 a.m.
    2. 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.
    3. There are no set hours
    4. 1 a.m. to 8 a.m.

    Answer: B. 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.

    Section 25631 bars selling, giving, or delivering alcohol between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Review this in the RBS certification guide

33. 33It's 2:20 a.m. Can the bar let customers finish drinks they bought at 1:55 a.m.?

    1. Yes, until 3 a.m.
    2. No; a licensee can't permit drinking on the premises during those hours
    3. Yes, if the drinks were paid for before 2 a.m.
    4. Yes, until 2:30 a.m.

    Answer: B. No; a licensee can't permit drinking on the premises during those hours

    Section 25632 makes it a misdemeanor for a licensee to permit drinking on the premises during hours when sales are illegal, so last call must leave time to finish by 2 a.m. Review this in the RBS certification guide

How the real RBS exam works

After you register in the ABC's RBS Portal ($3) and finish a course from an approved training provider, the ABC Alcohol Server Certification Exam unlocks in the portal. It has 50 multiple-choice questions, it's open book, and you need 70% to pass, with three attempts within 30 days of your confirmed training. Our California RBS Certification: How to Get Your Alcohol Server Certification covers each step, the 60-day deadline, and renewal every three years.

These are our own practice questions, written from California's Business and Professions Code and ABC guidance. FoodHandlerGear is not affiliated with the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control or any training provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these the real RBS exam questions?

No. The ABC exam draws from its own randomized question pool. These practice questions cover the same California laws and service skills, so if you can explain these answers, you're ready.

What score do I need to pass the RBS exam?

70%, which is 35 of the 50 questions. You get three attempts within 30 days of your confirmed training.

Can I use notes on the RBS exam?

Yes. The ABC exam is open book, and you can use your training provider's study guide.