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Alcohol Sales Training

Bangor Public Health and Community Services is pleased to offer a Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) alcohol server/seller training free of charge in Penobscot County.  These classes are funded by grants from the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration and the University of New England.

Classes are free, but registration is required.

Online Registration Form: https://forms.gle/8rR7qNxFpWX9Rari9

March – In Person OnlyApril – Virtual Only
Monday, March 18th   5-8PM
Thursday, March 21st   1-4PM
Tuesday, April 23rd   5-8PM
Thursday, April 25th   9AM-12PM

To register for a class, contact us.

TIPS is one of several certified seller/server training programs of the Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations.  For a complete list of certified training programs in the State of Maine, including BABLO’s online course, please visit https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bablo/liquor-licensing/certified-training-programs.

The City of Bangor has recently passed an ordinance that requires on-premise establishments to participate in a State of Maine approved alcohol sales training program.  TIPS is one approved program, but as referenced above, other training programs are available. If you have questions about the ordinance, please contact the City of Bangor’s City Clerk.

Certification Process

TIPS Class
TIPS Class

A TIPS certification belongs to the server/seller and is a great addition to a resume.

Participants attending the full training session and successfully completing the certification exam, will become a TIPS Certified server/seller for 3 years.  Certifications are processed within 2-4 weeks following the class. The original certification card will be mailed to the participant at the address they provide on the exam sheet*.  A copy of the certification card, along with the attendance record (class roster) will be mailed to the employer.

Please don’t worry about the exam! Our goal is to ensure that all participants are successful in becoming certified.  In the event that a participant does not pass the exam, one of the trainers will follow-up with you for a retake. Retakes are offered at no charge.

*Please note, if a participant provides an email address on their exam sheet, they may receive email notice of the results.  This is optional.

Cancellation Policy

Bangor Public Health and Community Services offers a set number of trainings per year, and often these classes fill to capacity with a waiting list.  Our cancellation policy ensures we can serve as many participants as possible, and no one is left on waiting list when there are empty seats in a class. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.

Course Cancellations by Participants

TIPs Courses by Bangor Public Health and Community Services (BPH&CS) require a minimum 24 Hours advanced cancellation notice.

Late Cancellation or No Show Penalty

Should a participant be a “no show”* or cancel with less than the required 24-Hour notice period, they will be unable to register for another TIPS class at BPH&CS for period of 6 months.  

Course Cancellations by Bangor Public Health and Community Services

Every effort is made to deliver classes as scheduled, however BPH&CS has had to cancel classes from time to time due to unforeseen events. In such an event, BPH&CS will give the participant/business as much advanced notice as possible. The trainer will do their best to notify each participant individually of cancellations, however in the event of a storm, etc. please check the Bangor Public Health and Community Services Facebook page for cancellation notice.

TIPS Class Bangor
TIPS Class Bangor

Attendance Policy

All participants are advised to arrive 15 minutes prior to course start time to allow time for sign-in and to receive course materials.

A participant is deemed late when they arrive 15 minutes after the scheduled start time. Participants who arrive after the 15 minutes will not be permitted to enter the classroom. This also applies to students who return late to class after the scheduled break.

In order to be eligible for certification, participants must be present for the full training session, and successfully complete the exam.  Therefore, a missing portion of the training would deem a participant ineligible for certification.

*A “No Show” is defined as a student who does not attend a registered class and who has not given at least 24 hours’ notice prior to the scheduled course start time.

Bangor Public Health and Community Services understands that emergencies occur.  Decisions to waive the cancellation/no show fee will be made at the discretion of staff.


For more information, please contact:
Robin Carr
Phone: 207-992-4465
Email: brianna.bryant@bangormaine.gov
Fax: 207-945-3348