SIR Identification Checking 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: At what age must identification be checked before serving alcohol in BC?
- If the patron looks under 25 (Correct answer)
- If the patron looks under 19
- Only if specifically requested by a manager
- If the patron looks under 30
Correct answer: If the patron looks under 25
Best practice in BC is to check identification for anyone who appears to be under 25 years old. This provides a safety margin above the legal drinking age of 19.
Question 2: Which of the following is an acceptable form of identification in BC?
- Student ID card
- BC driver's licence or BC Services Card with photo (Correct answer)
- Library card
- Work badge with photo
Correct answer: BC driver's licence or BC Services Card with photo
Acceptable government-issued photo ID in BC includes a BC driver's licence, BC Services Card with photo, Canadian passport, or other government-issued photo ID with a date of birth.
Question 3: What two key features must valid identification include?
- Name and address
- A photo and date of birth (Correct answer)
- Height and weight
- Eye colour and signature
Correct answer: A photo and date of birth
Valid identification for alcohol service must include both a photograph of the holder and their date of birth, issued by a government authority. This allows the server to verify both identity and age.
Question 4: What should a server do if a patron cannot produce valid identification?
- Serve them anyway if they look old enough
- Refuse to serve them alcohol (Correct answer)
- Accept any form of ID they have
- Ask another patron to vouch for their age
Correct answer: Refuse to serve them alcohol
If a patron cannot produce valid government-issued photo ID showing they are 19 or older, the server must refuse to serve them alcohol. No exceptions should be made regardless of how old the patron appears.
Question 5: Is a photocopy or digital photo of an ID acceptable for age verification?
- Yes, any copy is acceptable
- No, only the original physical document is acceptable (Correct answer)
- Yes, if it is clearly visible
- Only digital copies on official government apps
Correct answer: No, only the original physical document is acceptable
Photocopies and photos of ID documents are not acceptable because they can be easily altered or may not belong to the person presenting them. Only original physical documents can be properly verified.
Question 6: What is the consequence for serving alcohol to a minor in BC?
- A verbal warning
- Fines for both the server and the licensee, potential licence suspension, and possible criminal charges (Correct answer)
- Only the licensee is penalized
- A mandatory retraining course only
Correct answer: Fines for both the server and the licensee, potential licence suspension, and possible criminal charges
Serving alcohol to a minor is a serious offence in BC that can result in personal fines for the server, fines for the licensee, licence suspension or cancellation, and potential criminal charges.
SIR Identification Checking 1
At what age must identification be checked before serving alcohol in BC?