When did South Carolina begin enforcing its new mandatory alcohol server training requirement, and how long do new employees have to comply?

Plain-English summary

South Carolina delayed enforcement of its new mandatory alcohol server training requirement until March 2, 2026. The underlying law took effect January 1, 2026, but the Department recognized that training providers needed time to rebuild or create programs that met the new curriculum and administration standards.

The law covers employees of alcohol permittees and licensees who serve alcohol for on-premises consumption for at least 10 hours a week, plus the managers and supervisors of those employees. Covered people must complete a Department-approved program and obtain an alcohol server certificate.

The compliance timetable depends on how long the person had been employed:

• Employees and managers employed for at least 30 days before March 2, 2026 had to comply by March 2.
• Employees and managers employed for less than 30 days before March 2 have 30 days from their employment date to complete the training.

Permittees and licensees must keep physical or electronic copies of each covered employee's or manager's certificate on the premises. They must produce those certificates when requested by the Department or the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

The Department publishes its list of approved training programs online and said it would update the list as additional programs were approved.

What this means for you

Bars, restaurants, and other on-premises permittees

Identify every employee who serves alcohol at least 10 hours a week and every manager or supervisor responsible for those employees. Track each person's start date, training completion, and certificate, and keep an accessible copy at the licensed premises.

Newly hired servers and managers

If you had worked fewer than 30 days before the March 2 enforcement date, your deadline was 30 days after your own employment date rather than March 2 itself.

Training providers

Only Department-approved programs satisfy the requirement. The letter directs users to the Department's recognized-training-programs page for the current list.

Common questions

Q: When did the training law take effect?
A: January 1, 2026.

Q: When did the Department begin enforcement?
A: March 2, 2026, after a grace period intended to allow approved programs and covered workers time to comply.

Q: Who must be trained?
A: Employees serving alcohol for on-premises consumption at least 10 hours per week and the managers or supervisors of those employees.

Q: How much time does a new employee get?
A: An employee or manager employed for less than 30 days before March 2, 2026 has 30 days from the date of employment.

Q: Must the business keep proof on site?
A: Yes. Physical or electronic certificate copies must be kept on the premises and produced on request to the Department or SLED.

Citations and references

Authority and statutes:

• S.C. Code Ann. § 12-4-320 (Department's authority to issue advisory opinions)
• SC Revenue Procedure #09-3
• 2025 S.C. Act No. 61 / H. 3430 (mandatory alcohol server training)
• S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-110 (covered employees and managers; training deadline)
• S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-120 (approved training-program requirements)
• S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-130 (alcohol server certificates)
• S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-140 (Department and SLED enforcement authority)

Source

• Landing page: https://dor.sc.gov/advisory-opinion-search
• Original PDF: https://dor.sc.gov/sites/dor/files/policies/IL26-7.pdf

Original ruling text

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE
300A Outlet Pointe Blvd., Columbia, South Carolina 29210
P.O. Box 125, Columbia, South Carolina 29214-0575

SC INFORMATION LETTER #26-7
SUBJECT:

Alcohol Server Training Compliance
(Alcohol Beverage Licensing)

DATE:

January 27, 2026

AUTHORITY:

S.C. Code Ann. Section 12-4-320 (2014)
SC Revenue Procedure #09-3

SCOPE:

An Information Letter is a written statement issued to the public to
announce general information useful in complying with the laws
administered by the Department. An Information Letter has no
precedential value.

Purpose
This Information Letter is to clarify when enforcement will begin for the new mandatory
alcohol server training requirements imposed by House Bill 3430 (H. 3430).
Mandatory Alcohol Server Training
The South Carolina Legislature passed H. 3430, amending South Carolina’s liquor liability
laws, in 2025.1 The Governor signed H. 3430 into law on May 8, 2025, with an effective
date of January 1, 2026.2 H. 3430 included new provisions requiring all employees of
alcohol permittees and licensees who serve alcohol for on-premises consumption for at
least ten hours a week and those that manage or supervise such employees to complete an
alcohol server training program approved by the South Carolina Department of Revenue
(the Department). 3 H. 3430 included specific requirements of such training programs
including the curricula that must be covered as well as how the training must be
administered. 4 Upon completion of an approved training program, individuals may apply
to the Department to receive an alcohol server certificate. 5

2025 S.C. Acts 61.
Id.
3
S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-110 (Supp. 2025).
4
S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-120 (Supp. 2025).
5
S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-130 (Supp. 2025).
1
2

Alcohol permittees and licensees are required to maintain physical or electronic copies of
each employee’s or manager’s alcohol server certificate on their premises at all times. 6
Alcohol permittees and licensees are also required to produce their employees’ and
managers’ alcohol server certificates upon request by the Department or the South Carolina
Law Enforcement Division (SLED). 7
Date for Compliance with Mandatory Server Training Requirements
While the law requiring alcohol server training became effective on January 1, 2026, the
Department recognizes that many companies who previously offered alcohol server
training had to revamp their programs to satisfy both the new curricula and administration
requirements under H. 3430 and other companies interested in providing alcohol server
training had to build a completely new program. The Department is aware that not many,
if any, server training programs were approved and available prior to January 1, 2026.
Therefore, the Department is delaying enforcement8 of the server training requirement until
March 2, 20269 to give servers, managers, and permit/license holders an opportunity to
complete the required server training. Please note the March 2, 2026 compliance date
applies to all employees and managers employed for at least thirty days prior to March 2,
2026. Employees and managers who are employed for less than thirty days prior to March
2, 2026 will have 30 days from their date of employment to complete the alcohol server
training mandated under H. 3430.10
A list of all Department approved alcohol server training programs are available on our
website at dor.sc.gov/alcohol-beverage-licensing-abl/recognized-training-programs. This
website will be updated as additional programs are approved.

S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-110(B).
Id.
8
S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-140 (giving the Department along with SLED the authority to enforce the
provisions in chapter 3 of title 61).
9
The Department chose a 60-day day grace period in keeping with the legislative intent established by
Sections 61-3-110 and 61-2-145 providing a 30 or 60-day window for employees and managers to get
trained. The Department chose the longer period to improve compliance.
10
S.C. Code Ann. § 61-3-110(A).
6
7