Do you need to be certified or licensed to become a bartender in Virginia?

Question

I'm over 21 (no felonies) and live in the Northern Virginia area. I was interested in getting into bartending is there any special requirements?

Answer 1

No you just have to be 21.  The problem is, that without prior experience you probably won't be hired directly as a bartender, most likely you would need to wait tables for a while, let them know you're interested and then wait for them to train you and put you in the bar.  If you get really lucky, you might find a dive bar that'll hire you on the spot but your best bet it bar backing or serving to start.

While no certifications are required there are free classes on responsible bartending and ID'ing available from the Alcoholic Beverage Control dept.

Answer 2

im not absolutly positivly sure but i really think the answer is yup.

Answer 3

There are no licenses needed in Northern Virginia. You  just get the job and go from there.