The Alabama Responsible Vendor Program is a voluntary program that allows licensees to become certified through the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. Alabama’s program requires the licensee to train all employees who are involved in the management, sale and/or service of alcoholic beverages. This training includes Alabama alcoholic beverage laws, legal age determination, civil and criminal penalties, and risk reducing techniques. Licensees who voluntarily join the program are also required to establish policies ensuring legal, responsible sales and to train employees in these policies.
It is prohibited for persons under the age of 21 to dispense or serve alcohol. The only exception is that licensees who hold a retail restaurant license (020 license type), a hotel holding a retail restaurant license (020 license type) or a special retail license (160 license type) and are certified in the Responsible Vendor Program, may hire 18, 19 and 20 year old servers as provided for in Section 28-1-5, Code of Alabama, 1975.
For more information, see the Alabama Responsible Vendor Act.