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Liquor & Gaming NSW

Competency cards

To work in certain roles in the liquor and gaming industries in NSW, you need an RSA/RCG competency card.

A competency card is required if you:

  • sell, serve or supply alcohol
  • are licensee of a business
  • are Secretary of a registered club
  • work as a crowd controller, bouncer or RSA marshal
  • work with gaming machines
  • operate an ID scanner.

The photo competency card is a plastic card, similar to a driver licence and is valid for five years. It is also available in a digital version that you can download on your smartphone or tablet.

The card is proof that you've successfully completed training in one or all of these courses:

  1. Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA)
  2. Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG)
  3. Licensee and Advanced Licensee training
  4. Privacy

Learn more: RSA training and RCG training

Learn more: Licensee and Advanced Licensee training

Get a competency card

To get your first competency card you must pass an RSA or RCG course, or both, through an approved training provider. When you complete the course, your provider will give you an interim certificate that allows you to work for the first 90 days while you order and receive your photo competency card.

Take your interim certificate with you to a Service NSW Service Centre, as well as 100 points of ID that are all originals. Note that your personal details on your interim certificate must match your ID – any discrepancies can be fixed at Service NSW. Your photo will be taken and you should receive your NSW photo competency card in four weeks.

Apply for a card as soon as possible to ensure your interim certificate doesn’t expire before receiving your competency card in the post.

Download your digital card today

The digital competency card is also available as soon as you order your photo card at Service NSW - it is free, quick to download and legally valid. Download it to your smartphone via the Service NSW app available on iTunes® or at the Google Play™ store.

Visit Service NSW to learn more about the digital NSW competency card.

Manage your competency card online

You can manage your competency card online:

  • update your contact details
  • update your name for changes in marital status or legal name
  • renew your competency card – you need to know your renewal number to access the competency card renewal portal. It is supplied with your competency card renewal email and SMS notifications.
  • order a replacement for lost and stolen cards
  • add a privacy endorsement.

Visit: competency card self service portal

Renew your competency card

RSA and RCG competency cards expire after five years from the date of your first course. The expiry date is displayed on your card. To keep working in the industry, you need to renew your card before it expires.

Find out more: renew your competency card

Replace your competency card

If your current RSA/RCG competency card has been lost or stolen, was never received or needs a name change, you will need to replace your card.

Find out more: replace your competency card

The fee for a replacement card is set out in the fee schedule.

Update your contact details

We send you reminders about your competency card, so it's important to keep your contact details up-to-date:

  • Update your contact details online - using the email and phone number that are registered with your competency card, and the CCH number which is displayed on your plastic card.
  • Update your contact details on your digital competency card.
  • Always have your competency card available when you are working in jobs that require you to sell, serve or supply alcohol or when working with gaming machines in hotels and clubs.
  • Show your competency card to a police officer or inspector when asked, otherwise you risk being fined.
  • Update your details if you change your email, mobile, address or your name - visit www.onegov.nsw.gov.au and search for ‘manage competency card’
  • Report your competency card lost or stolen to police and then to Liquor & Gaming NSW.

Form: Order a replacement competency card CC0500 PDF, 242.29 KB

Your responsibilities

New-look competency cards 
RSA and RCG competency cards were redesigned and are now issued to new competency cardholders.

Current cardholders of the previous design should continue to use their existing cards, as these cards remain valid until expiry. As cards are renewed or replaced, they will be issued in the new design. Digital competency cards are not impacted by these changes.

Expiry of paper certificates

Paper certificates also referred to as 'existing RSA certificates' and 'existing RCG certificates' expired on 30 June 2016.

If you previously held a paper RSA certificate, you should have undertaken new RSA or RCG training to receive a photo competency card.