Queensland's RSA framework is administered by the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) under the Liquor Act 1992 (Qld). For most serving staff, it is one of the simpler RSA pathways in Australia — complete SITHFAB021 with an OLGR-approved provider, receive your Statement of Attainment, and that Statement of Attainment is your permanent evidence of RSA with no formal expiry and no separate government card required.
But for venue managers, licensees, and anyone managing a licensed premises, Queensland has significant additional requirements that do not apply in other states — particularly the Responsible Management of Licensed Venues (RMLV) qualification, the Risk Assessed Management Plan (RAMP), and the Safe Night Precinct (SNP) obligations that apply to late-trading venues in designated areas. This guide covers the full picture: RSA for serving staff, the RMLV for managers, employer obligations, the CCTV requirements that are among the most specific in Australia, and what an OLGR compliance inspection actually checks.
RSA for Serving Staff — the Basics
Under the Liquor Act 1992 (Qld), any person engaged in the service of alcohol at a licensed venue in Queensland is required to hold RSA certification. The requirement applies to all roles that involve selling, offering, or serving alcohol — bar staff, waitstaff, floor supervisors, bottle shop attendants, and event serving staff. RSA is also required for volunteers serving alcohol at community events held under a liquor licence.
Queensland RSA is simple at the individual level: complete SITHFAB021 with an OLGR-approved provider, receive a Statement of Attainment, and that is your RSA certification. There is no government card to apply for separately, no formal expiry on the Statement of Attainment, and no renewal obligation for standard RSA. Once completed through an approved provider, your Queensland RSA is valid indefinitely.
Important: RSA completed before 2002 is not valid under current Queensland requirements. Anyone who completed RSA before 2002 must complete the course again. RSA completed after 2002 remains valid under current OLGR guidance regardless of the course code used at the time.
OLGR-Approved Providers — Why It Matters
Queensland requires RSA training from an OLGR-approved provider. While SITHFAB021 is a nationally accredited unit delivered by hundreds of RTOs across Australia, OLGR maintains its own approved provider list and only training completed through an approved provider satisfies the Queensland requirement.
AAAT (RTO 52312) is an OLGR-approved RSA provider in Queensland. Before enrolling with any provider for Queensland RSA, confirm their OLGR approval status on OLGR's website. A Statement of Attainment from a non-approved provider, even one that delivers the same nationally accredited unit, may not satisfy a Queensland employer's or inspector's requirements.
RMLV — The Additional Requirement for Managers
The Responsible Management of Licensed Venues (RMLV) qualification is a Queensland-specific management training requirement that applies to most licensees and approved managers of licensed premises in Queensland. It is one of the most significant compliance requirements for venue management that does not exist in most other Australian states.
Who Needs RMLV
RMLV is required for:
- Individual licensees of most licensed premises in Queensland (excluding restaurant and cafe licences in many circumstances — confirm with OLGR for your specific licence type)
- Approved managers appointed under the Liquor Act 1992 (Qld)
- Prospective approved managers — RMLV is required before applying for approved manager status
Restaurant and café licence holders should confirm their RMLV obligation directly with OLGR — this licence type may be exempt in certain circumstances.
What RMLV Involves
The RMLV course takes a minimum of 10 hours to complete and must be delivered by an OLGR-approved RMLV trainer — not just any RTO. The course covers:
- Understanding Queensland liquor laws and the obligations of licensees and approved managers
- Risk management in licensed venues — identifying and managing alcohol-related harm
- Patron management — how to handle intoxicated patrons, manage entry, and implement exclusion procedures
- Incident management — documenting and responding to incidents in a way that satisfies regulatory requirements
- RAMP development and implementation — how to create and maintain a Risk Assessed Management Plan that accurately reflects venue operations
- Women's safety — harm minimisation in the context of gender-based violence, which was updated in the most recent edition of the RMLV participant manual
On completing the course, the OLGR-approved trainer issues an RMLV certificate that remains current for 3 years. Crucially, there is no refresher option for RMLV — when the 3-year period expires, the entire 10-hour course must be completed again to renew. Licensees must ensure their RMLV certificate is renewed before expiry, as a lapsed certificate means the venue does not have a lawful approved manager — a compliance failure that OLGR inspectors specifically look for.
RMLV Exempts You from RSA — But Only You
One important quirk of Queensland's system: individual licensees and approved managers who hold a current RMLV certificate do not also need to hold a separate RSA certificate. RMLV covers the RSA content as part of its broader curriculum. However, this exemption applies only to the individual certificate holder. All other staff who serve alcohol must still hold RSA — the RMLV holder's exemption does not extend to their staff.
The Risk Assessed Management Plan (RAMP)
Most Queensland liquor licence categories require the licensee to maintain a current Risk Assessed Management Plan (RAMP). The RAMP is a written document that describes how the venue manages:
- Entry management — how the venue controls who enters, including entry conditions, ID checking, and access restrictions
- Security arrangements — whether crowd controllers are used, their role, and how security incidents are managed
- Patron intoxication — how the venue monitors patron behaviour, how RSA is practised, and how intoxicated patrons are managed
- Incidents — how incidents are recorded, reported, and followed up
- Glassware management — whether glass is restricted during certain trading periods and what alternatives are used
- Transport options — what information or assistance the venue provides to patrons about getting home safely
- Noise management — how the venue manages sound levels to comply with licence conditions and EPA requirements
The RAMP must match how the venue actually operates. An OLGR inspector who visits and finds the RAMP does not reflect current operational reality will treat the discrepancy as a compliance failure. The RAMP must be kept on-site and made available to OLGR inspectors on request, at any time the venue is trading. It should be reviewed and updated whenever significant operational changes are made.
CCTV — Queensland's Specific Obligations
Queensland has among the most specific CCTV requirements for licensed venues in Australia, set out in the Liquor Regulation 2002 (Qld). Non-compliance with CCTV requirements is a standalone offence.
Retention Requirements
- Recordings must be retained for a minimum of 28 days from the date of recording
- Recordings must be deleted within 30 days — you cannot retain footage indefinitely
- Recordings that capture an incident (violence, theft, drug use, patron ejection, any prescribed event) must be retained for at least 1 year after the initial 28-day period
- Recordings cannot be deleted while an OLGR officer or police officer has indicated they may wish to view them — failure to retain footage after a request is a serious offence
Equipment Requirements
- CCTV equipment must be checked by the licensee or approved manager before 12:30am on each trading day to confirm it is operational
- At least every 6 months, a licensed security equipment installer must inspect, test, and certify the CCTV equipment
- A CCTV review register must be maintained recording each check and certification — this register must be kept on-site and made available to OLGR inspectors on request
Safe Night Precincts (SNPs) and ID Scanning
Safe Night Precincts are designated geographic areas — primarily in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Townsville, Cairns, and other major urban centres — where additional obligations apply to licensed venues during specified trading hours, typically from midnight.
In SNPs, venues that trade after midnight may be required to operate an OLGR-approved ID scanning system at entry during the SNP trading period. Requirements include:
- The ID scanner must be on OLGR's approved scanner list — not all commercial ID scanners are approved
- The system must be connected to the banned patron register, which records individuals who have been issued with banning orders
- The scanner may capture patron data including name, date of birth, and address from the ID document — this data has strict retention and privacy obligations
- Facial recognition technology may be used but must delete data that does not match a banned patron — retained facial recognition data for non-banned patrons is not permitted
- ID scanning records must be maintained and made available to OLGR on request
What an OLGR Compliance Inspection Checks
OLGR compliance officers conduct both announced and unannounced visits to licensed venues. Understanding what they check is the starting point for building a compliance system that holds up under scrutiny.
- RSA training register — is it current for all serving staff? Is the provider an OLGR-approved provider?
- RMLV certificates — does the approved manager or licensee hold a current RMLV certificate? Is it within the 3-year validity period?
- RAMP — is it on-site? Does it reflect current operational reality?
- CCTV — is the system operational? Was it checked before 12:30am? Is the CCTV review register current?
- Incident and refusal registers — are they being maintained? Do they capture the required detail?
- ID scanning (in SNPs) — is an approved scanner being used? Is it connected to the banned patron register?
- Banning orders — are there any current banning orders that apply to patrons attempting to enter?
Employer RSA Register Requirements
Queensland licensees must maintain a training register recording each staff member's RSA certification. The register must include:
- Staff member's full name and role
- Date RSA was completed
- Provider name and RTO number — must be an OLGR-approved provider
- Statement of Attainment number
- Date management last sighted and verified the document
A copy of each staff member's Statement of Attainment must be kept at the premises — either as a hard copy or stored electronically, provided it is accessible for inspection when required.
How to Complete Queensland RSA with AAAT
- Enrol online at accessallareastraining.com.au/courses/queensland/rsa-training/rsa-online. Cost: $59. Immediate access.
- Complete SITHFAB021 online at your own pace — typically 3 to 5 hours.
- Pass the online assessment.
- Receive your Statement of Attainment from AAAT on the same day.
- Provide a copy to your employer for their RSA training register.
There is no separate card application, no government portal visit, and no renewal obligation for standard Queensland RSA. Your Statement of Attainment is your permanent Queensland RSA qualification.
Start RSA Queensland Online with AAAT — OLGR Approved Provider, RTO 52312 — $59 — Same-day Statement of Attainment
Employer bulk enrolments available. Contact AAAT at 1300 287 554 or info@accessallareastraining.com.au