State file
Texas alcohol server card
Officially the TABC seller/server certification. Your manager probably called it TABC certification.
August 1, 2026
Texas does not require TABC seller/server certification by law. It works through a safe harbor: the state will not act against the business's license if everyone serving is certified within 30 days of hire. In practice that makes it a condition of employment. The certificate is valid for two years.
Not required by law. It works through a safe harbor: the TABC will not act against the business's license if everyone serving is certified within 30 days of hire, the business has written policies, and it has fewer than 3 violations in 12 months.
The rule, field by field
Does it cover you?
- Server / waiterYesIn practice yes: employers require it to keep their safe harbor
- BartenderYesIn practice yes
- Door / ID checkNot statedThe state does not name this job either way, so we will not guess.
- Manager or supervisorYesIn practice yes
- Cashier (store, off-premise)Not statedThe state does not name this job either way, so we will not guess.
- Busser / hostNot statedThe state does not name this job either way, so we will not guess.
- DeliveryNot statedThe state does not name this job either way, so we will not guess.
What the other sites get wrong
- The protection covers the business's license, not you: an employee can still be arrested for an illegal sale.
- Pages saying "TABC certification never expires" are wrong. The state says two years, in writing.
The courses Texas approved
This is the state’s own list, not ours. We do not rank it and we do not have a favourite: the ordering rule is published in how we check.
We have not transcribed this state's approved list yet.
We publish the state’s own list, in full, with the price each provider charges. Until we have read it off the state page ourselves, we would rather show you nothing than show you a list we copied.
Common questions
Does TABC certification ever expire?
Yes. The state says it in writing: valid for two years from the date it is issued. Pages telling you it never expires are wrong, and it is one of the most repeated errors in this niche.
If it is not required by law, why is my manager asking?
Because the protection is theirs. The TABC will not act against the business's license if everyone serving is certified within 30 days of hire, the business has written policies, and it has fewer than three violations in twelve months. That safe harbor is why it is a condition of the job.
Does it protect me too?
No. The safe harbor covers the business's license. An employee can still be arrested for an illegal sale, certified or not.
Written by Luciano Canziani. Updated August 1, 2026. Every requirement above was read in TABC certification FAQ on August 1, 2026. Check it yourself before you pay for anything: that is the point of publishing it.