Marilyn’s Blog

SPECIAL OCCASION LIQUOR LICENSE

When you’re having a party in your home or a public event, here are the liquor license government requirements

5.0 Serving It Right: The Responsible Beverage Training Program
The Serving It Right (SIR) training program is a correspondence course that instructs licensees, managers and servers on responsible liquor service. If the host of the special occasion is required to complete the SIR course only that person can apply for the SOL.
The SIR course materials and examination are available at www.servingitright.com.
[Liquor Control and Licensing Act, s. 13; Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation, s. 43(1), (2) & (7).]
5.0.1 Private events
Before applying for an SOL for a private event, the applicant will usually be required to complete the SIR course.
However, an applicant who is acting in an individual capacity and who will be hosting the event does not require an SIR certificate. For this exception to apply, the key point is that the applicant will be the host of the event and is applying in an individual capacity and not as a person acting for some type of organization or organized group. For example:
if the applicant is the host for a family wedding or a birthday or anniversary party, then the applicant does not need to complete the SIR course;
but,
if the applicant is a member of an organization, such as a rugby club, who is applying for an SOL then the applicant must complete the SIR because the applicant is acting for the club, not in an individual capacity.
The licensee is responsible for ensuring that any paid or unpaid managers and paid servers have an SIR certificate when the event is held. Unpaid servers at a private special occasion do not need to have a SIR certificate.
[Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation, s. 43(2) & (7).]
5.0.2 Public events
An applicant for an SOL for a public special occasion must complete the SIR course before applying for the SOL.
Any paid or unpaid managers and paid servers must complete the SIR course before the event is held.
Unpaid servers at a public special occasion do not need to have an SIR certificate.
[Liquor Control and Licensing Regulation, s. 43(2), (7) & (8).]
5.0.3 Exemption from training program
Effective April 1, 2009 servers in all types of establishments relocating to British Columbia from other Canadian jurisdictions who have a certificate showing proof of completion of one of the following responsible beverage service programs:
Proserve Program (Alberta)
Serve it Right (Saskatchewan)
It’s Good Business (Manitoba)
Smart Serve (Ontario)
Service in Action (Quebec)
It’s Good Business: Responsible Service of Alcohol (New Brunswick)
It’s Good Business (Nova Scotia)
It’s Our Business (Prince Edward Island)
It’s Good Business: Responsible Service of Alcohol and Labrador)
Be a Responsible Server (B.A.R.S.) (Yukon)
SOL licensees are responsible for ensuring that servers who have completed training in other jurisdictions are informed about relevant BC legislation, such as the legal drinking age and any relevant operating terms and conditions that apply to their events. SOL licensees must ensure that photocopies of certificates from any of the programs listed above are available for inspection by a liquor inspector or police officer at all times.

Special Occasion Licence Case Manager
Liquor Control and Licensing Branch
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
PO Box 9292 STN PROV GOVT
Victoria BC V8W 9J8
Telephone: 250-387-9140
Facsimile: 250-387-9184