WASHINGTON MAST PERMIT
Frequently Asked Questions
Craft Serving is here to help you get a MAST Permit to serve alcohol in Washington. Browse through these FAQ's to find answers to commonly raised questions about Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST).
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MAST Permits
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board requires a MAST Permit be obtained by:
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- anyone who mixes, serves, sells or supervises the sale of alcohol for on-premises consumption at liquor-licensed establishments.
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- anyone who conducts alcohol tastings at an approved location.
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- anyone who fills growlers for off-premises consumption.
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- anyone who delivers alcohol for an on-premises establishment (e.g., cocktails to-go).
For more background information, check out our blog post New Alcohol Delivery Rules in Washington.
Depending on your age, you will be issued either a Class 13 or Class 12 MAST Permit.
You will receive a "Class 13 Server Permit" if you are 18 to 20 years old. This permit allows you to do the following in areas not prohibited to minors:
- Take alcohol orders.
- Deliver alcoholic beverages.
- Pour beer or wine from a can or bottle into a customer's glass.
- Sell alcohol.
You will receive a "Class 12 Mixologist Permit" if you are 21 years of age and older. This permit allows you to do the following in all areas of the licensed premises:
- Perform all the duties included in the Class 13 permit.
- Mix drinks and pour spirits.
- Draw alcohol from a tap.
- Conduct alcohol tastings.
- Manage the establishment.
The WSLCB requires you to obtain a MAST Permit within 60 days of your initial hire. However, if you are conducting an alcohol tasting at an approved location, you must be able to present a permit. There is no grace period allowed for people conducting alcohol tastings.
If you have further questions regarding if and when a permit is required for your specific situation, we recommend reaching out to your local WSLCB Officer directly or using the general contact information listed below.
Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board
Enforcement Customer Service
Phone: (360) 664-9878
Email: [email protected]
Step #1: Take the course.
Begin this step by signing up for our new, easy online course! Our course saves your progress as you go so you can complete lessons and quizzes at your own pace.
Step #2: Pass the final exam.
At the end of the course, you will be presented with a final exam. You must pass the exam with a score of 80% or better. If you fail, no worries, you may retake the exam for free as many times as needed until achieving a passing score.
Step #3: Receive your permit in the mail.
After you pass the final exam, we will mail you a MAST Permit within 30 days.
Within 30 days of passing the final exam, we are required to mail your MAST Permit and report your permit information to the WSLCB. We are committed to getting your permit to you as soon as possible and we will do our best to mail your permit quicker than the 30-day requirement.
At this time, the WSLCB does not allow providers to email MAST Permits. We really wish we could email permits because it would be far more convenient for everyone involved AND better for the environment 🌎! For those reasons, we are trying to work with the WSLCB to advocate for this.
If you would also like to help encourage the WSLCB to go paperless, you can submit your recommendation via the WSLCB's online Policy Suggestion form. Alternatively, you can submit your suggestions via email directly to [email protected].
Don't hold back! Each year, the director of the WSLCB asks staff to suggest a WAC that could use revision. When evaluating which issue to put forth, the staff considers suggestions received through the online Policy Suggestion form.
Both Class 12 and Class 13 MAST Permits are valid for slightly over five years from the date you pass your final exam. The time period is "slightly over" five years because your permit will expire on the first day of the month after you passed your exam.
Once you turn 21, your Class 13 permit can be upgraded to a Class 12 permit. You should seek to upgrade your permit if you start performing the duties of a Class 12 permit holder. You may perform the duties of a Class 12 permit holder for no more than 30 days. After this grace period, you are required to have obtained a Class 12 permit.
The MAST Course provider that issued your original permit can provide you with an upgraded permit, as long as it is still valid. If needed, you can use the MAST Permit Checker to look up which provider issued your permit and when your permit expires.
If Craft Serving issued your original MAST Permit, please go to our MAST Permit Upgrades page to begin processing your request for an upgraded permit. Once we have verified your current mailing address and collected a $10 fee, we can issue you a new Class 12 permit that will have the same expiration date as your original Class 13 permit.
If your permit is lost or stolen, you will need to replace it as soon as possible.
The MAST Course provider that issued your original permit can provide you with a replacement, as long as it is still valid. If needed, you can use the MAST Permit Checker to look up which provider issued your permit and when your permit expires.
If Craft Serving issued your original MAST Permit, please go to our MAST Permit Replacements page to begin processing your request for a replacement. Once we have verified your current mailing address and collected a $10 fee, we can issue a new permit that will have the same expiration date as your original permit.
If you have a name or gender change, you may need to update your MAST Permit to ensure that the information listed on it matches the information listed on your official identification.
The MAST Course provider that issued your original permit can provide you with an updated permit, as long as it is still valid. If needed, you can use the MAST Permit Checker to look up which provider issued your permit and when your permit expires.
If Craft Serving issued your original MAST Permit, please go to our MAST Permit Replacements page to begin processing your request for an updated permit. You do not need to provide a copy of a marriage certificate or other paperwork verifying the name or gender change, but we will need to verify your current mailing address and collect a $10 fee before we can issue you a new permit. Your new permit will have the same expiration date as your original permit.
To renew a MAST Permit, you must retake a MAST Course and retake the final exam. It is suggested you do this 45 to 60 days prior to your permit expiring. This will help eliminate time without a valid permit as there is no grace period to obtain a new permit once your permit expires.
Yes. Any time you mix, serve, sell or supervise the sale of alcohol at a licensed premises, you must have:
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- Your MAST Permit on the licensed premises; and
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- One form of identification (to view acceptable forms of ID, check out the FAQ entitled, "WHAT FORMS OF ID CAN I ACCEPT IN WASHINGTON?").
By law, both the permit and a form of identification must be available for immediate inspection by any representative of the WSLCB, peace office or law enforcement.
Yes. The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) may suspend or revoke an existing permit if any of the following occur:
- You performed or permitted an act that constitutes a violation of any rule of the WSLCB.
- You have been convicted of violating any of the state or local liquor laws.
- You have been convicted of a felony as follows:
- A felony directly related to alcohol service (e.g., the fourth DUI offense within 10 years).
- A felony under Chapter 9A.40 RCW (kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, custodial interference, luring, trafficking, and coercion of involuntary servitude).
- A felony under Chapter 9A.44 RCW (sex offenses).
- A felony under Chapter 9A.46 RCW (harassment).
- A felony under Chapter 9A.86 RCW (disclosing intimate images).
- A felony under Chapter 9A.88 RCW (indecent exposure/prostitution).
Per Senate Bill 5816, effective 6/6/2024.
The Course
"MAST" stands for Mandatory Alcohol Server Training.
In 1995, Washington Legislature passed a new law to institute the Mandatory Alcohol Server Training (MAST) program. This program was founded on the conclusion that educating alcohol servers promotes public health and safety and is in the best interest of the citizens of Washington State.
Yes, the content of this online course has been reviewed and approved by the WSLCB.
This course is compatible with most phones, tablets, computers and operating systems. However, for the best user experience, we recommend that you complete the course on either a desktop computer, laptop or tablet. If you find it is not compatible with your device, we will issue you a full refund.
The course is currently on sale for $20.00 $17.00. Once you enroll in the course, you will be asked to create an account and pay the $20.00 $17.00 fee.
Per the WSLCB, all MAST classes are required to be a minimum of 3 hours in length. So while we try to make our course as interesting as possible, unfortunately, we can't make it go any faster.
The good news is, our course is self-paced, so you do not have to complete it in one sitting! You may log-off mid-course and resume the course anytime you choose.
Of all the course providers, we offer one of the most generous terms for course access! Access to the course is allowed for 120 days from the purchase date, however, unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Nobody wants old, unused accounts hanging around online.
Per RCW 26.23.150, we are required to obtain your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to issue you a MAST Permit. This state law works in conjunction with RCW 26.23.120, which requires us to then pass your SSN on to the WSLCB so it can assist in child support enforcement.
In accordance with RCW 74.20A.320, the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services' (DSHS) Division of Child Support (DCS) requires the WSLCB to suspend or cancel the MAST Permits of non-custodial parents who are at least six months in arrears on child support payments.
Please rest assured, your SSN will not be displayed on your MAST Permit. Additionally, we will not share your SSN with any other party except as required by law under RCW 26.23.120.
If you do not have a SSN due to your resident status in the U.S., please contact us prior to registering for the course so we can assist you with the next steps.
The Final Exam
No. The WSLCB requires students to take a certified course AND pass the final exam in order to receive a MAST Permit. Students must take a course and pass the exam whether they are getting a MAST Permit for the first time or renewing a MAST Permit.
The final exam consists of 40 randomly generated questions that have been provided by the WSLCB. You must score 80% or higher to pass; this equates to 32 correct answers out of 40.
In order to help ensure students pass the final exam, Craft Serving's course content was written and developed with the WSLCB's final exam questions in mind. Consequently, the course teaches to the final exam as much as possible and oftentimes, bolded sections pertain to information that will be covered in the exam.
If you speak a foreign language, you may be interested to know, although Craft Serving's Washington MAST Course is currently provided in English only, the final exam is offered in English, Korean and Spanish.
If you do not pass the exam, don't worry, you are allowed to retake it for free as many times as needed until achieving a passing score. Before retaking the exam, you will have the opportunity to review the questions you got wrong and/or revisit the course to brush up on topics that need additional clarification.
After you pass the final exam, we will mail you a MAST Permit within 30 days.
About Craft Serving
Designed by Alcohol Servers, for Alcohol Servers!
Before we were MAST providers, we were bartenders. As bartenders, we took pride in what we did and placed emphasis on craft and skill. We loved every aspect of bartending except mandatory alcohol server training. The online courses we took seemed poorly organized, outdated and out-of-touch with the issues alcohol servers actually face. And, although we had a good relationship with our local WSLCB inspector, we also felt like the information we received from the WSLCB was not always clear or practical.
Consequently, we set out to help bridge the gap by creating a new, modern course that makes Mandatory Alcohol Server Training as painless as possible.
- To start, our course builds upon itself. This may seem like a basic concept, but for some reason, it is something many of our competitors have yet to figure out.
- Our course incorporates a variety of visual and interactive tools to create an entertaining and engaging learning environment.
- Our course teaches the basics of mandatory alcohol server education in a clear, concise format so you can easily recall information from the course long after you have completed it.
By the end of your training, we hope you will feel confident in your ability to serve alcohol responsibly and be committed to upholding liquor laws, even under challenging circumstances!
We think it is very important to support charitable organizations that give back to alcohol servers within the food and beverage community!
That is why we are a proud member of the United State Bartenders' Guild and supporter of the USBG National Charity Foundation. The foundation is committed to advancing the lifelong stability & wellbeing of service industry professionals through education & charitable activities. Click here to learn more and find out how you can get involved too.
If you know of another cause that is worth supporting, please share it with us. We are always interested in learning about more opportunities to get connected with the local community and expand our giving.
We are required to collect your personal information to do two things.
- We use your personal information issue you a MAST Permit. We need your address to mail you a MAST Permit that includes your name, sex, birthday, height and weight.
- We provide your personal information to the WSLCB. The WSLCB uses this information to update its database of MAST Permit holders and to assist the DSHS in child support enforcement.
For more information, check out the FAQ entitled, "WHY DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER (SSN)?"
Although we work hard to try and provide you with the best online MAST class available, we know sometimes things don't go as planned.
We are committed to making sure you have a positive experience with Craft Serving. If you decide you need a refund for any reason, please contact us and we would be happy to assist.
To view our full Refund Policy located within our Terms and Conditions, just click here.
Our Privacy Policy discloses the way we use and manage your data. To sum up the policy, we are committed to maintaining and securing your privacy.
- We don't ask for your personal information unless we truly need it.
- We don't store your personal information unless it's required for our services.
- We don't share your personal information except to comply with the law, to provide services and to protect our rights.
To view our complete Privacy Policy, just click here.
Our Terms and Conditions outline our relationship with you by providing a description of your rights and responsibilities as a user of our website. Before purchasing an online course, you will be required to abide by this agreement.
To view our full Terms and Conditions, just click here.
About The WSLCB
"WSLCB" stands for Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board.
The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) is the state agency that regulates the manufacture, sale and use of alcoholic beverages and cannabis products in Washington.
The WSLCB oversees the MAST program by working closely with MAST providers.
- It certifies MAST providers after reviewing and approving their course.
- It coordinates with MAST providers to collect student information.
- It communicates with MAST providers to help resolve customer service issues.
- It monitors MAST providers to ensure they are meeting expectations.
For more information, check out the FAQ entitled, "WHY DOES CRAFT SERVING NEED MY PERSONAL INFORMATION?"
Safe communities for Washington State.
Promote public safety and trust through fair administration and enforcement of liquor, cannabis, tobacco, and vapor laws.
- Ensure the highest level of public safety by continually improving and enforcing laws, regulations, and policies that reflect today's dynamic environment.
- Inform and engage licensees, the public and stakeholders in addressing issues related to our mission.
- Promote a culture that inspires and values a highly-motivated, competent and diverse workforce that establishes the WSLCB as the employer of choice.
- Ensure operational excellence.
- Respect and courtesy
- Professionalism
- Open communication
- Accountability and integrity
- Continuous improvement and meaningful results
- Customer focus
Washington Liquor Laws
If you do not obtain a valid MAST Permit within 60 days of hire, you can be administratively punished by the WSLCB. Penalties include a permit suspension or monetary fine. Additionally, your employer can also receive a liquor license suspension or monetary fine.
Multiple, repeated violations can result in you getting your MAST Permit revoked and your employer getting his or her liquor license revoked.
No, you cannot serve alcohol to a customer that is smoking marijuana. However, the law takes it a few steps further!
In Washington, it is illegal to consume marijuana in view of the public. Consequently, as a server, it is illegal to allow a customer to consume marijuana at a liquor-licensed establishment. If you discover a customer is consuming or has consumed marijuana, you must not allow the customer to remain on the premises.
Yes. Persons with disabilities are allowed to purchase, possess, and consume alcohol under the same conditions as anyone else. The person must be 21 or over and not show signs of intoxication.
Certain disabilities can affect a person's speech or motor skills. This can cause a disabled person to exhibit behavior that is similar to that of an intoxicated person. Consequently, you should get to know your customers to make sure that any refusal of alcohol service is based on their state of sobriety, not a disability.
If the parent shows no signs of intoxication, there is no law that prevents you from selling alcohol to someone 21 and over. However, you may refuse service if you have reason to believe the parent intends to supply alcohol to the minor child.
No, it is against the law for a person under 21 to purchase alcohol. This law stands regardless of who actually consumes the alcohol.
As a server, you may want to keep in mind that a receipt could be used as physical evidence to support allegations that you furnished alcohol to a minor.
Below is a list of IDs the WSLCB allows establishments to accept. Your establishment may create house policies that restrict this list, but it can't choose to accept any additional forms of ID that are not included on the list.
Acceptable forms of ID:
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- A Driver License, ID Card or Instruction Permit issued by any U.S. State, Canadian Province, U.S. Territory or the District of Columbia
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- A U.S. Military ID
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- A U.S. Coast Guard issued Merchant Marine ID
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- A Passport, Passport Card or Nexus Card
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- A Federally Recognized Tribal ID Card
A valid ID must show:
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- Date of birth
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- Photo
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- Expiration date (except Tribal ID Cards)
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- Signature (except U.S. Military ID)
Craft Serving would like to provide you with a PDF of Acceptable Forms of ID in Washington State. Feel free to print it and put it up at your establishment or download it to keep it handy on your phone.
By itself, this is not acceptable because it does not have a photo or signature. However, unless your house policy says otherwise, an unexpired paper temporary ID is acceptable when presented with an expired ID. Click here to see a sample of Washington's new temporary ID.
In Washington, the legal hours to sell, serve or consume alcohol are from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM.
Additionally, a licensed premise must be open to the general public in order for alcohol to be sold, served or consumed.
Please visit our Contact Us page and let us know how we can help.