TABC Licensing and Certification 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Texas agency issues seller-server certifications and regulates alcohol licensing?
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) (Correct answer)
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
- Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Correct answer: Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC)
The TABC is the state agency that regulates all phases of the alcoholic beverage industry in Texas.
Question 2: How long is a TABC seller-server certification valid before it must be renewed?
- 1 year
- 2 years (Correct answer)
- 3 years
- 5 years
Correct answer: 2 years
A TABC seller-server certification is valid for two years from the date it is issued.
Question 3: Who is required to hold a TABC certification to legally sell or serve alcohol?
- Only bartenders
- Only managers
- Any employee who sells, serves, or delivers alcoholic beverages (Correct answer)
- Only owners of the establishment
Correct answer: Any employee who sells, serves, or delivers alcoholic beverages
Anyone who sells, serves, or delivers alcohol may be required to hold a valid certification.
Question 4: Where can a person obtain a valid TABC seller-server certification?
- Any liquor store
- A TABC-approved training school or program (Correct answer)
- The local police department
- The county courthouse
Correct answer: A TABC-approved training school or program
Certification must come from a TABC-approved seller-server training program.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of requiring TABC certification for sellers and servers?
- To increase alcohol sales
- To promote responsible sale and service of alcohol (Correct answer)
- To collect additional taxes
- To limit the number of bartenders
Correct answer: To promote responsible sale and service of alcohol
Certification trains staff to serve alcohol responsibly and prevent illegal sales.
Question 6: Is TABC seller-server certification mandatory for every employee statewide, or does it depend on the employer?
- Always mandatory statewide by law for all servers
- Voluntary unless the specific employer requires it for civil-liability protection (Correct answer)
- Only required in Austin
- Only required for grocery stores
Correct answer: Voluntary unless the specific employer requires it for civil-liability protection
Texas does not universally mandate certification, but most employers require it because certified staff provide safe-harbor liability protection.
Question 7: What generally happens to a certification if the employee lets it expire?
- It automatically renews
- The person must retake the course and pass the exam again (Correct answer)
- It converts to a permanent license
- It transfers to the employer
Correct answer: The person must retake the course and pass the exam again
An expired certification requires completing an approved course again to become certified.
TABC Licensing and Certification 2
Which Texas agency issues seller-server certifications and regulates alcohol licensing?