Responsible alcohol certification for servers is not yet mandatory by New York state law. However, many large companies are now requiring any employee serving or selling alcohol to the public to be certified by a state-recognized responsible alcohol program that the requirements of the New York Division of Alcohol Beverage Control and the New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA).

The New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA) will consider training a mitigating factor if, at the time of violation, the person who committed the violation held a valid certificate of completion or renewal from a certified alcohol training awareness program provider and the licensee diligently implemented and complied with the training program.