Michigan Alcohol Server Training: What the MLCC Requires and How to Comply
Michigan's server training rule is aimed at the people running the shift. An on-premises license needs a server-trained supervisor on duty whenever alcohol is served, and a new or transferred license has 180 days to prove its training to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC).
This guide covers who that rule reaches, the 180-day deadline, how to file proof, which programs count, and a pending bill that would add training for bouncers.
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Michigan server training at a glance
Who: on-premises licensees, meaning bars, restaurants and other retailers that serve alcohol for consumption on site, plus manufacturers with tasting rooms.
What: server-trained supervisory personnel on duty during all hours alcohol is served.
When: within 180 days of a new license, or of a transfer of 50 percent or more of the interest in a license.
Which course: a program on the MLCC's approved list that covers Michigan requirements.
Proof: the Server Training Certification Form, LC-1866.
Who needs server training in Michigan
The requirement comes from two sections of the Michigan Liquor Control Code. Section 501(1) says the MLCC will not issue a new on-premises license, or approve a transfer of more than 50 percent of one, unless the applicant has supervisory personnel on each shift who have completed a server training program. Section 906 sets out how those programs are approved and what they have to teach.
In practice, that means every manager, assistant manager or shift lead who could be the only supervisor in the building while alcohol is being served. If your schedule ever has one trained supervisor and that person calls in sick, the shift is uncovered. Training two or three people per location is the usual fix.
State law does not require every server or bartender to be trained. Servers and bartenders can take the same course, and training the whole floor makes it easier to promote from within without a gap in coverage.
The 180-day deadline for new and transferred licenses
The MLCC's server training FAQ says on-premises licensees must provide proof of completing an approved program “within 180 days of being issued a license or transferring 50% or more interest in a license.”
Section 501(1) adds three details worth knowing. The MLCC can treat someone who is enrolled and actively participating in a program as trained while they work through it. It can allow more than 180 days on a showing of good cause. And it can suspend a conditionally approved license that does not comply.
The MLCC can also waive the requirement based on the licensee's responsible operating experience or training, for example three years of responsible operation as a licensee or substantial experience managing alcohol service. A waiver is the commission's decision, so plan to train unless you have one in writing.
How to submit proof to the MLCC
Proof goes in on the Server Training Certification Form, LC-1866, linked from the MLCC's server training page. Questions go to the MLCC Executive Services Division at MLCCServerTraining@michigan.gov or 517-284-6270.
Keep a copy of every supervisor's certificate on file at the location. If an inspector asks who is trained on tonight's shift, the answer should take seconds.
Which server training programs count in Michigan
The MLCC lists 20 approved programs under Section 906, including TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol, TAM (Techniques of Alcohol Management) and the Learn2Serve Michigan Alcohol Seller/Server Course. One, RTO Michigan Off-Premises Alcohol Sales, is marked for off-premises use only.
Some of these programs are sold in several states. The MLCC's instruction is that you “must complete a program that covers Michigan requirements,” so buy the Michigan version, not a general course.
Staff who work across state lines need each state's version. Our guides cover TIPS certification, Illinois BASSET certification and New York's training rules.
Does a party store or grocery store need server training?
The supervisor rule in Section 501(1) applies to on-premises licenses. The MLCC's server training page does not set the same requirement for off-premises stores such as party stores, grocery stores and gas stations.
Many off-premises retailers train their clerks anyway, because ID checks and refusing a sale are where license violations happen. If you are not sure which rules apply to your license type, ask the MLCC before you assume you are exempt.
What's pending: House Bill 5061
House Bill 5061, introduced on September 26, 2025, amends Section 906. Most of it tidies the existing wording. The one new requirement: if an on-premises licensee employs a bouncer, the bouncer must complete positional asphyxiation training. It was referred to the House Committee on Regulatory Reform and was not law when this guide was last reviewed. Bills not passed by the end of the 2025 to 2026 session have to be filed again.
A checklist for Michigan managers
List every person who could be the only supervisor on a shift where alcohol is served.
Train each of them before they are scheduled to run a shift alone.
If you just received or bought into a license, put the 180-day date on the calendar now.
File LC-1866 with proof of completion and keep a copy at the location.
Keep a trained backup for every location, so one call-out does not leave a shift uncovered.
Offer the same course to servers and bartenders you plan to promote.
What's in the Learn2Serve Michigan course
The Learn2Serve Michigan Alcohol Seller-Server course is on the MLCC's approved list and runs online and self-paced in about three hours. It has eight lessons: Introduction, How Alcohol Affects the Body, Recognizing Intoxicated Customers, Preventing Disturbances, Minors and Liability, Second-Party Sales, How to Refuse a Sale, and Michigan Alcohol Laws.
Pass the final exam with 70 percent or better and you can print your certificate of completion the same day. Course access runs for 60 days from purchase. Seats are $19.99 each, and a business account lets you assign seats and see who has finished.
Michigan server training FAQ
Do all bartenders in Michigan need server training?
No. Michigan law puts the requirement on supervisors: an on-premises licensee needs server-trained supervisory personnel on duty during all hours alcohol is served. Servers and bartenders can take the same course, and many operators train the whole floor so any shift lead is covered.
How long does a new Michigan licensee have to complete server training?
180 days from the date the license is issued or 50 percent or more of the interest in it is transferred. The MLCC can allow more time on a showing of good cause.
Can I take Michigan server training online?
Yes, as long as the program is on the MLCC's approved list and covers Michigan requirements. Learn2Serve Michigan Alcohol Seller/Server is one of the approved programs and runs fully online.
Does TIPS count in Michigan?
TIPS is on the MLCC's list of approved server training programs. Whatever program you choose, it has to cover Michigan requirements, so a course built for another state may not count.
How do I prove server training to the MLCC?
Send the Server Training Certification Form (LC-1866) with proof of completion. Questions go to the MLCC Executive Services Division at MLCCServerTraining@michigan.gov or 517-284-6270.
How much does Michigan server training cost?
It depends on the provider. The Learn2Serve Michigan course is $19.99 per seat through Learn Brands, with seats you can assign to a whole team.
Sources
Server training requirements, Michigan Liquor Control Commission FAQ, including the list of approved programs and form LC-1866.
MCL 436.1501, Michigan Liquor Control Code, on supervisory personnel, the 180-day allowance and waivers.
MCL 436.1906, Michigan Liquor Control Code, on server training programs.
House Bill 5061 (2025), as introduced, on bouncer training.
Last reviewed November 12, 2026. Nothing here is legal advice. Confirm your own license's requirements with the MLCC.
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About the author
Mathew Benoit is the COO and Creative Director at Learn Brands. He spent more than a decade in the three-tier beverage alcohol industry across retail, distribution, and national brand representation before building the Learn Brands training platform.
Learn Brands is a Denver-based training platform that connects beverage alcohol and cannabis brands, retailers, and distributors through product knowledge, compliance certification, and rewards. This article summarizes server training requirements as published by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and the Michigan Liquor Control Code; confirm current rules with the Commission before relying on them.
