Free Smart Serve responsible alcohol service certification test Practice Test

20 Smart Serve practice questions with answers

The complete questions, correct answers, and explanations for this free practice set are rendered below for study and search access. Start the interactive test above when you are ready to answer a fresh set one at a time.

1. Alcohol and the BodyQuestion 1

   A guest asks you what one standard drink actually means. In Canada, how much pure alcohol is in one standard drink?

   1. A

      Option A: 13.45 ml

   2. B

      Option B: 17.05 ml

      Correct answer
   3. C

      Option C: 34.10 ml

   4. D

      Option D: 43 ml

   Explanation

   Canada sets one standard drink at 17.05 ml of pure alcohol, which is the same amount as 13.45 grams. The 13.45 ml answer mixes up the gram figure with the millilitre figure. 34.10 ml is two standard drinks. 43 ml is the size of a 1.5 oz shot glass, not the alcohol inside it.

2. Alcohol and the BodyQuestion 2

   Four beers sit in your fridge. Which one is exactly one standard drink?

   1. A

      Option A: A 341 ml bottle at 5% alcohol

      Correct answer
   2. B

      Option B: A 341 ml bottle at 8% alcohol

   3. C

      Option C: A 473 ml can at 5% alcohol

   4. D

      Option D: A 568 ml can at 4% alcohol

   Explanation

   A 341 ml bottle at 5% holds 17.05 ml of pure alcohol, which is one standard drink exactly. The 341 ml bottle at 8% holds about 1.6 standard drinks. The 473 ml can at 5% holds about 1.4. The 568 ml can at 4% holds about 1.3.

3. Alcohol and the BodyQuestion 3

   You pour wine by the glass and want to know which pour counts as one standard drink. Which pour is it?

   1. A

      Option A: 177 ml of 12% wine

   2. B

      Option B: 142 ml of 14% wine

   3. C

      Option C: 142 ml of 12% wine

      Correct answer
   4. D

      Option D: 250 ml of 12% wine

   Explanation

   142 ml of 12% wine holds about 17 ml of pure alcohol, which is one standard drink. The 177 ml pour of 12% wine is about 1.2 standard drinks. The 142 ml pour of 14% wine is also about 1.2. The 250 ml pour of 12% wine is about 1.8.

4. Alcohol and the BodyQuestion 4

   A guest orders a rum and cola. Which pour of 40% rum equals one standard drink?

   1. A

      Option A: 85 ml

   2. B

      Option B: 57 ml

   3. C

      Option C: 142 ml

   4. D

      Option D: 43 ml

      Correct answer

   Explanation

   43 ml of 40% spirits, the 1.5 oz shot, holds about 17 ml of pure alcohol, so it is one standard drink. 57 ml of 40% rum is about 1.3 standard drinks. 85 ml is about 2. 142 ml is a standard wine pour, and at 40% it would be more than 3 standard drinks.

5. Laws and LiabilityQuestion 5

   A guest at the bar is slurring his words and knocked his glass over reaching for it. He orders another beer, and your coworker says one more will not hurt. Which rule does that sale break?

   1. A

      Option A: Section 32 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019, which bans selling liquor to a person who is or appears intoxicated

      Correct answer
   2. B

      Option B: Section 31 of the licensing regulation (O. Reg. 746/21), which sets the hours for selling and serving liquor

   3. C

      Option C: Section 26 of the licensing regulation (O. Reg. 746/21), which sets the minimum price for a serving of liquor

   4. D

      Option D: Section 24 of the General regulation (O. Reg. 745/21), which sets the rules for the pregnancy warning sign

   Explanation

   Section 32 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 says no person shall sell or supply liquor to a person who is or appears to be intoxicated. Slurred speech and lost coordination are enough to trigger it. Section 31 of the licensing regulation covers hours. Section 26 of the licensing regulation covers minimum prices. Section 24 of the General regulation covers the pregnancy warning sign.

6. Laws and LiabilityQuestion 6

   A patron sways as he walks to the bar and his speech is thick. He tells you he has had only two drinks. What does section 32 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 require you to do?

   1. A

      Option A: Serve him, because he told you how much he drank

   2. B

      Option B: Serve him one more drink only, then cut him off for the night

   3. C

      Option C: Ask him to take a breath test before you decide

   4. D

      Option D: Refuse the sale, because he is or appears to be intoxicated

      Correct answer

   Explanation

   Section 32 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 catches a person who is intoxicated and a person who appears to be intoxicated. What you can see decides the call, not what the patron tells you. No rule lets you pour one more first. You do not need a breath test, and you have no power to demand one.

7. Laws and LiabilityQuestion 7

   Which statement describes section 31 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019?

   1. A

      Option A: It sets the hours when a licensed bar may sell and serve liquor

   2. B

      Option B: It requires every server to hold a valid certificate

   3. C

      Option C: It bans being in an intoxicated condition in a place the public is invited to

      Correct answer
   4. D

      Option D: It sets the minimum price for a serving of spirits

   Explanation

   Section 31 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 makes it an offence for a person to be in an intoxicated condition in a place the general public is invited or permitted to enter. It also covers shared parts of a residence, such as the lobby of an apartment building. Watch the number carefully. Section 31 of the licensing regulation (O. Reg. 746/21) is the hours rule, and the test likes to swap the two.

8. Laws and LiabilityQuestion 8

   An AGCO inspector tells your manager the pub permitted intoxication on a busy Saturday. Which rule puts that duty on the licensee?

   1. A

      Option A: Section 31 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019

   2. B

      Option B: Section 43 of the licensing regulation (O. Reg. 746/21)

      Correct answer
   3. C

      Option C: Section 32 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019

   4. D

      Option D: Section 24 of the General regulation (O. Reg. 745/21)

   Explanation

   Section 43 of the licensing regulation (O. Reg. 746/21) says the licensee shall not permit intoxication, unlawful gambling or disorderly conduct on the licensed premises or in adjacent areas under the licensee's exclusive control. Section 31 of the Act binds the intoxicated person, not the licensee. Section 32 of the Act bans the sale or supply of liquor to that person. Section 24 of the General regulation covers the pregnancy warning sign.

9. Laws and LiabilityQuestion 9

   Who does section 32 of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 bind?

   1. A

      Option A: Only the holder of the liquor sales licence, not the staff who serve

   2. B

      Option B: Only staff who hold a valid Smart Serve certificate

   3. C

      Option C: Only the manager on duty at the time of the sale

   4. D

      Option D: Any person, including a bartender, a manager or a guest

      Correct answer

   Explanation

   The section starts with the words no person, so it reaches everyone. A guest who buys a drink for an intoxicated friend supplies liquor to that friend and breaks the same rule you would. The licence holder is caught too, but the rule is not limited to the licence holder, to certified staff or to managers.

10. Checking ID and MinorsQuestion 10

    A guest hands you her driver's licence at the door. The birthdate shows that today is her 19th birthday. What may you do?

    1. A

       Option A: Serve her, because she is 19 today and Ontario's legal drinking age is 19

       Correct answer
    2. B

       Option B: Refuse, because she must wait until the day after her birthday

    3. C

       Option C: Refuse, because the legal drinking age in Ontario is 21

    4. D

       Option D: Serve her only if a parent or guardian is present with her

    Explanation

    Ontario's legal drinking age is 19, and she is 19 from her birthday onward. The Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 bans sale or supply to a person under 19. She is no longer under 19 today, so you can serve her. The Act sets no waiting period after a 19th birthday. Ontario's age is 19, not 21, and a parent's presence changes nothing in a licensed bar.

11. Checking ID and MinorsQuestion 11

    A guest who appears about 16 orders a rum and coke. The bar is slammed, so you serve him without asking for ID. He turns out to be 22. Have you broken the Act?

    1. A

       Option A: No, because he turned out to be over 19 years old that night

    2. B

       Option B: No, because you personally had no way of knowing his actual age

    3. C

       Option C: Yes. The Act bans selling to anyone who appears under 19

       Correct answer
    4. D

       Option D: Yes, but only if a police officer witnessed the sale take place

    Explanation

    The Act bans selling or supplying liquor to a person who appears to be under 19. That ban sits in clause 33 (1) (b) of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019. You break it even when the guest turns out to be older. Not knowing his age is no answer, because the ban is about how he appears. No officer needs to see it for the offence to exist.

12. Checking ID and MinorsQuestion 12

    A table orders a pitcher of beer. The 17-year-old cousin sitting with them pours himself a glass. What does the Act require from you and the licensee?

    1. A

       Option A: Nothing, because he did not personally buy or order the beer

    2. B

       Option B: Stop him. Staff must not permit anyone under 19 to have or drink liquor here

       Correct answer
    3. C

       Option C: Nothing, because an adult at the table already bought the pitcher

    4. D

       Option D: Nothing, as long as his parents are seated at the same table

    Explanation

    The Act bans staff from permitting a person under 19 to have or consume liquor on licensed premises. Section 33 (2) of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 sets that duty. It also catches a person who appears under 19. Who paid for the pitcher makes no difference. The parent exception covers a residence or a prescribed private place, not your dining room. The cousin also breaks the Act by having the beer.

13. Checking ID and MinorsQuestion 13

    A father orders a beer for his 17-year-old son at your restaurant. He says a parent is allowed to serve his own child. What do you do?

    1. A

       Option A: Serve it, because the parent takes full legal responsibility for his son

    2. B

       Option B: Serve it, but only if the father signs a waiver first

    3. C

       Option C: Serve it, but limit the son to a single drink for the night

    4. D

       Option D: Refuse. The parent exception applies at home, not on licensed premises

       Correct answer

    Explanation

    The parent exception covers a residence or a prescribed private place, not licensed premises. Section 33 (6) of the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 sets that exception. It applies only when a parent, or a person with lawful custody, supplies the liquor there. Serving the beer would also break section 33 (2), which stops you permitting an under-19 guest to have liquor. No waiver and no drink limit changes that.

14. Responsible Service and RefusalQuestion 14

    A guest at the bar keeps fumbling with her phone and cannot pick up her change from the counter. Which sign of intoxication does the AGCO information sheet say this shows?

    1. A

       Option A: Fine motor control is deteriorating

       Correct answer
    2. B

       Option B: Gross motor control is deteriorating

    3. C

       Option C: Alertness is decreasing

    4. D

       Option D: Speech volume is inappropriate

    Explanation

    The AGCO information sheet on recognizing intoxication puts fumbling with everyday items such as papers or cell phones, and trouble picking up change, under fine motor control. Gross motor control covers whole-body movement, such as standing and walking. Decreased alertness shows as slow responses to what you say. Speech volume is about how loudly or quietly the guest talks.

15. Responsible Service and RefusalQuestion 15

    A guest reaches for his beer, stops short of the glass, then knocks it over as he corrects. The AGCO information sheet ties misjudged distances to a decline in what?

    1. A

       Option A: A change in his pace of speech

    2. B

       Option B: Noticeably shallow breathing

    3. C

       Option C: Sweating more than the room explains

    4. D

       Option D: Hand-eye coordination declining

       Correct answer

    Explanation

    The AGCO information sheet says hand-eye coordination declines, so people misjudge distances and have trouble with depth perception. It lists that under fine motor control. Pace of speech, breathing, and sweating are separate signs on the sheet, each with its own description.

16. Responsible Service and RefusalQuestion 16

    The dining room is quiet. A guest shouts his drink order across two tables, then drops to a whisper for a question that needs no secrecy. Which sign is this?

    1. A

       Option A: Poor enunciation, or slurring his words

    2. B

       Option B: A change in his pace of speech

    3. C

       Option C: Inappropriate speech volume

       Correct answer
    4. D

       Option D: Decreased alertness to what you say

    Explanation

    The AGCO information sheet describes inappropriate speech volume as shouting when it is not necessary, or whispering when there is no need for secrecy. It also includes a voice that swings from low to high for no reason. Poor enunciation is about how clearly the guest forms words. Pace of speech is about how fast he talks. Decreased alertness is about how long he takes to respond.

17. Responsible Service and RefusalQuestion 17

    A guest races through one sentence, then drags out the next. Which sign on the AGCO information sheet does this match?

    1. A

       Option A: Pace of speech

       Correct answer
    2. B

       Option B: Inappropriate speech volume

    3. C

       Option C: Tiredness

    4. D

       Option D: Red eyes

    Explanation

    The AGCO information sheet says an intoxicated guest may change the rate of his speech, alternating racing speech with slow speech, or talking consistently slow or fast. Speech volume covers loudness instead of rate. Tiredness shows as heavy eyes or a fixed gaze. Red eyes means bloodshot eyes.

18. Responsible Service and RefusalQuestion 18

    You ask a guest twice whether he wants another round. He looks muddled and answers on the third try. Which sign is this?

    1. A

       Option A: Noticeably shallow breathing

    2. B

       Option B: Alertness is decreasing

       Correct answer
    3. C

       Option C: Gross motor control is deteriorating

    4. D

       Option D: Inappropriate sweating

    Explanation

    The AGCO information sheet says intoxicated guests take longer to respond, become easily muddled, and make you repeat simple questions or requests before they answer. Shallow breathing, gross motor problems, and sweating sit elsewhere on the same list and describe different things.

19. Delivery and Special SituationsQuestion 19

    You arrive with a wine order. The person at the door looks about 17 and says she left her wallet at work. What do you do?

    1. A

       Option A: Complete the delivery, because the order was paid for online

    2. B

       Option B: Refuse the delivery and keep the liquor

       Correct answer
    3. C

       Option C: Leave the bottle inside the door and take a photo as proof

    4. D

       Option D: Accept a photo of her ID sent by text

    Explanation

    You must inspect ID when a person appears to be under 19, so no ID means no delivery. Prepayment proves nothing about age. Leaving the bottle inside the door still lets an underage person accept the liquor. A photo sent by text is not the ID in your hand, so it does not meet the check.

20. Delivery and Special SituationsQuestion 20

    In Ontario, how old must a person be to accept a liquor delivery?

    1. A

       Option A: 16

    2. B

       Option B: 18

    3. C

       Option C: 19

       Correct answer
    4. D

       Option D: 21

    Explanation

    A delivery licensee cannot deliver liquor to, or let a delivery be accepted by, anyone under 19. 18 is the minimum age to work as a delivery driver, not the age to receive the liquor. 16 and 21 are not Ontario ages for liquor.