Compare · Ontario vs BC
Smart Serve vs Serving It Right
Side by side
| Smart Serve (Ontario) | Serving It Right (BC) | |
|---|---|---|
| Course cost | $44.95 (Full Course) | Free course |
| Exam cost | Included | $40 plus tax for 3 attempts |
| Exam | 33 questions | 35 questions |
| Pass mark | 80% (27 of 33) | 80% (28 of 35) |
| Time limit | About 30 minutes, one sitting | None |
| Attempts | 2 per purchase | 3 per exam purchase |
| Proctored | Yes, by webcam | Taken online |
| Languages | English, French, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Punjabi | English |
| Valid for | 5 years | 5 years |
Moving from Ontario to BC
BC’s Serving It Right FAQ says servers relocating to BC with a valid, current certificate from another Canadian jurisdiction are exempt from BC’s training requirement. That exemption doesn’t cover licensees, managers or retail liquor store workers, who still need Serving It Right, and BC notes your employer may still ask for it.
Moving from BC to Ontario
In Ontario, the AGCO says Smart Serve is the only Board-approved program for the broader liquor sector (bars, restaurants, events). Other approved programs are limited to retail stores or delivery. A Serving It Right certificate isn’t on the AGCO’s list, so plan to take Smart Serve before you work with alcohol in Ontario.
Which one do you need?
- Working in Ontario: Smart Serve (or, in a retail store only, an approved retail course).
- Working in BC as a server with a valid Smart Serve: you may be exempt; check with your employer.
- Managing or licensing in BC: Serving It Right.
Questions people ask
+Is Smart Serve valid in BC?
BC exempts servers who move there with a valid, current certificate from another Canadian jurisdiction. Licensees, managers and retail liquor store workers still need Serving It Right, and employers may require it anyway.
+Is Serving It Right valid in Ontario?
It isn’t on the AGCO’s list of approved programs. In Ontario, Smart Serve is the only program approved for bars, restaurants and the broader liquor sector.
+Which is harder, Smart Serve or Serving It Right?
Both need 80%. Smart Serve has 33 questions with about 30 minutes; Serving It Right has 35 questions and no time limit. The content follows each province’s own laws.
Sources
- Smart Serve Ontario: home page (courses and prices) · checked October 26, 2026
- Smart Serve Ontario: Smart Serve Full Course · checked October 26, 2026
- Smart Serve Ontario: Proctored Testing · checked October 26, 2026
- Responsible Service BC: Serving It Right FAQs · checked October 26, 2026
- AGCO: Responsible liquor sale, service and delivery training · checked October 26, 2026
Updated October 26, 2026. Not affiliated with Smart Serve Ontario or the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
Keep going
- How to get your Smart Serve certificateHow to get your Smart Serve certificate in Ontario: $44.95 online course, 80% on the test, valid 5 years. Plus renewal, lost certificates and free options.
- The Smart Serve test: what to expectWhat the Smart Serve test is like: 33 questions, 80% to pass, about 30 minutes, online with a webcam, two attempts. Plus how to prepare and pass first time.
- Smart Serve practice testFree Smart Serve practice test: 33 questions like the real final test, 80% to pass, with an explanation and the Ontario rule behind every answer.
- Smart Serve vs food handler certificateSmart Serve and the Ontario food handler certificate are different: one covers serving alcohol, the other safe food handling. Who needs which, and why.