Welcome to Alcohol Server's Training & Services

FAQ'S page about the New Mexico alcohol service industry.
Do I need an alcohol server permit? Whether a person is required to have a New Mexico server permit is determined by what that persn actually does, not by their job title. If your job involves making th decision to sell and/or serve alcohol to a customer, you must be NM alcohol server certified.
SERVERS who take drink orders, or serve alcohol must be New Mexico alcohol server certified. Bartenders must always be 21 years of age or older and must be NM alcohol server certified.
MANAGERS AND OWNERS, even if they don;t sell or serve customers themselves, must be NM alcohol server certified, because they "manage, direct, control the sale or service of alcohol.
BOUNCERS AND SECURITY, if they are checking the ID's of customers to make sure they are least 21 years of age or older, are controlling the sale and service of alcohol, and therefore are also required to be New Mexico alcohol server certified.
HOSTS in a restaurant who do not make any decisions to serve or sell alcohol, DO NOT need to be NM alcohol server certified. But if the HOST ever checks the customer's ID, takes a drink order or serve alcoholic beverages, then they must be NM alcohol server certified.
CASHIERS generally must be New Mexico alcohol server certified. If the cashier checks the customer's ID, or rings up/scans the alcohol beverages, or collects money for the alcohol, then the cashier MUST be NM alcohol server certified. In a package-liquor store situation (Grocerty store or Liquor Store) cashiers must be 21 years of age or older.
HOSTS in a restaurant who do not make any decisions to serve or sell alcohol, DO NOT need to be New Mexico alcohol server certified. But if the HOST ever checks the customer's ID, takes a drink order or serve alcoholic beverages, then they must be New Mexico alcohol server certified.
What does it mean to be New Mexico alcohol server certified? To be New Mexico alcohol server certified the person must attend a STATE-approved alcohol server education class. the class covers many topics of responsible alcohol service, requiring 4 1/2 hours of instruction, and the state approved exam. Upon completion of the class and after passing the exam, Alcohol Servers Training (sm) will issue a temporary New Mexico alcohol server permit (certificate). The temporary New Mexico alcohol server permit is valid for 120 days and proof of certification in New Mexico. Later, The New Mexico Division of Alcoholc Beverage Control will send the offical 3 year server permit to the server.
How old must I be to get a New Mexico alcohol server permit? A New Mexico alcohol server must be at least 18 year old. NOTE: Most positions in the New Mexico alcohol service insdustry require the person to be 21 years of age or older. The 18 year old New Mexico alcohol certified server can LEGALLY only use their New Mexico alcohol server permit at the table in Resaurant. The restaurant must receive a bulk of it revenue from the sale food not alcohol. The 18 year old New Mexico alcohol server can take the order of alcohol, check ID's for the alcohol, and deliver the alcohol, but only at the the table in a restaurant.
How long is the New Mexicoalcohol server permit good for?Currrently, the New Mexico alcohol server permit/certificate is valid for three (3) years.
What is the difference between a New Mexico liquor license and a New Mexico server permit? The establishment (the bar, retail store, restaurant) receives a LIQUOR LICENSE. The the NM liquor license allows the establishment to sell alcoholic beverages either by the package or by the glass. The phrase "NM alcohol server permit" is the same thing as a "NM alcohol server certification." The individual who actually sells packages of alcohol or serves the alcohol to the customer at the table receives a NM ALCOHOL SERVER PERMIT.
How do I get my New Mexico alcohol server permit? A person needing to obtain a NM alcohol server permit must attend a State of NM approved alcohol server education class.
When will I receive my New Mexico alcohol server permit?After the student passes the NM alcohol server education exam, Alcohol Servers Training (sm) will issue a temporary NM alcohol server permit (certificate). The temporary NM alcohol server permit is valid for 120 days and proof of certification in NM. Later, The New Mexico Division of Alcoholc Beverage Control will send the offical 3 year server permit to the server.
I lost my New Mexico alcohol server permit, how do I get a copy/duplicate of my New Mexico alcohol server certification? The person needing to replace a lost NM alcohol server permit can go to the NM division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC of NM) in Santa Fe, NM. Their phone number is 1.505.476.4875. The person needing to replace a lost NM alcohol server permit can also fill out a Duplicate form and mail it to ABC of of NM.
Can I server/sell alcohol without a New Mexico server permit? In a NM a server/seller of alcohol has a 30 day grace period to get their FIRST NM alcohol server permit. In other words a server/seller of alcohol in NM can sell/server alcohol as soon as they are hired for the first 30 days of their employment without a New Mexico alcohol server permit. But the 30 day grace only applies to servers in NM that have NOT been certified before in NM.
My New Mexico alcohol server permit expired? A NM alcohol server/seller of alcohol is valid for 3 years. The NM alcohol server/seller should renew their NM alcohol server certificate before it expires. A server/seller of alcohol in NM can not server alcohol with an expired NM alcohol server permit. A server/seller of alcohol in NM must renew their alcohol server permits by attending another NM alcohol server education class.