RSA in Victoria: the two-stage certification most people miss

Victoria is the only Australian jurisdiction where completing the accredited course does not, by itself, give you an RSA certificate. There is a second stage, run by the regulator, and people routinely finish the first and assume they are done.

This page sets out both stages, the refresher cycle, and how Victoria treats an interstate certificate. For who legally needs RSA in Victoria and what the unit assesses, see RSA Melbourne.

The two-stage process

Stage 1: the accredited unit

Complete SITHFAB021 Provide responsible service of alcohol with a provider on Liquor Control Victoria's approved list. Look for the "Liquor Control Victoria Approved RSA Provider" logo before enrolling. Training can be delivered in person or online — both are permitted under LCV approval.

This produces a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment. It is a real credential and it appears on your national training transcript. It is not yet a Victorian RSA certificate.

Stage 2: the LCV Learning Hub

After your provider sends your completion details to LCV, which takes a few working days:

1. LCV emails you a certificate number
2. Use it to create an account on the Liquor Control Victoria Learning Hub
3. On the Hub, complete all three of:
   • the pre-training survey
   • the training module Sexual Harassment and Assault: Recognise, Prevent and Respond (SHARPR)
   • the post-training survey
4. Download your RSA Certificate of Completion

Stop after stage 1 and you hold a Statement of Attainment but no Victorian RSA certificate. That is the gap this page exists to close.

The SHARPR module

Sexual Harassment and Assault: Recognise, Prevent and Respond is a Victorian government training module delivered through the Learning Hub. It is not part of SITHFAB021 and no RTO delivers it — it sits inside the state process, and it is compulsory for both initial certification and the three-yearly refresher.

Its presence is the clearest signal that Victoria treats RSA as broader than alcohol service alone.

When you must have it

Training must be completed either:

• before you start supplying alcohol, or
• within one month of the date you first supply it

So a new starter can begin work and complete training inside that window, but the window is a month, not a season.

The three-yearly refresher

The refresher runs through the same Hub sequence — pre-survey, SHARPR module, post-survey. If you have lost your certificate number, LCV will re-issue it by email.

A lost certificate is replaced free by completing the refresher. You do not need to redo the accredited course, and you should not pay anyone to replace it.

Interstate certificates coming into Victoria

Victoria accepts an interstate RSA certificate, with one condition: the provider must be on Liquor Control Victoria's approved list. So a certificate issued by an RTO that LCV has not approved will not carry across, even though the unit is national.

This puts Victoria between the two extremes:

Checking a Victorian provider

Two checks, both quick:

1. Is the provider on LCV's approved RSA provider list? The approved-provider logo is a signal, but the list is the authority.
2. Does the course name SITHFAB021 and carry an RTO number? Without both, no Statement of Attainment is being issued.

A course promising an "instant RSA certificate" with no mention of the Learning Hub stage is describing something that does not exist in Victoria.

Common questions about RSA in Victoria

I finished my RSA course. Why do I not have a certificate?

Because Victoria has a second stage. After the RTO course, LCV emails a certificate number; you then complete the Learning Hub pre-survey, SHARPR module and post-survey before you can download the RSA Certificate of Completion.

What is SHARPR?

Sexual Harassment and Assault: Recognise, Prevent and Respond — a Victorian government module on the LCV Learning Hub, compulsory for certification and for the refresher. No RTO delivers it.

How often do I need to refresh?

Every three years. It is free, online, and takes about 90 minutes.

I lost my Victorian RSA certificate.

LCV can re-issue your certificate number by email, and completing the free refresher replaces the certificate at no cost.

Can I do Victorian RSA online?

Yes. LCV permits both in-person and online delivery of the accredited unit, and the Learning Hub stage is online by design.

When do I need to have completed it?

Either before you start supplying alcohol, or within one month of first supplying it.

Will my interstate RSA work in Victoria?

Only if the issuing provider is on Liquor Control Victoria's approved list. The national unit alone is not sufficient.

Is my Victorian RSA valid in New South Wales?

No. New South Wales requires training through a provider approved by Liquor & Gaming NSW. See RSA Sydney.

About the provider

Complete Hospitality Training, RTO 3722, CRICOS provider code 04242E, Level 3, 28 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000. Contact melbourne@cht.edu.au or +61 3 9654 1554.

SITHFAB021 is on CHT's scope of registration. Victoria additionally requires the provider to be on Liquor Control Victoria's approved list; CHT states that it holds LCV approval, and LCV's own approved-provider list is where to confirm that before enrolling.

*This page reflects the regulatory position as at September 2026. Liquor licensing rules change. Verify current requirements with Liquor Control Victoria.

How long to wait before chasing your certificate number

Liquor Control Victoria's own guidance says only to wait a few working days for the certificate number after your provider submits your completion. It also says that a candidate who has not heard within 2 business days should contact the training provider.

So two business days is the point at which chasing it is reasonable rather than impatient. *