The Palmetto Retailers Education Program (PREP) is a short course that helps reduce underage access to alcohol and tobacco products in our communities, while also lowering the liability risks for businesses and their employees. PREP is available for managers and servers/sellers in all 46 counties.
Approved by the Department of Revenue and the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, PREP is the only merchant education program available in South Carolina that covers all of the following:
- Off-Premise Alcohol Sales Practices
- On-Premise Alcohol Sales Practices
- Tobacco Sales Practices
- Development of Manager/Supervisor Sales Policies
- Meth Watch
The goal of PREP is to provide managers and servers/sellers with the knowledge and skills to comply with state-, community- and establishment-level alcohol and tobacco policies, and to avoid the potential consequences of failing to comply with those policies.
By the end of the training, participants will learn:
- That they have a legal responsibility not to sell alcohol or tobacco products to underage youth
- That avoiding the sale of alcohol or tobacco to underage people is more important than making a sale
- Key state laws about selling alcohol and tobacco in South Carolina
- Correct procedures for checking an ID
- The F-L-A-G system for checking IDs
- To understand the effects of alcohol use
- How to refuse service to underage youth and intoxicated customers
What are the advantages of being trained in PREP?
You receive:
- The knowledge and skills to help you prevent a costly charge for an underage sale of alcohol or tobacco
- The comfort of knowing how to do your job of selling tobacco and alcohol responsibly
- A PREP certification card, good for two years
- A PREP Participant manual
Your establishment can receive:
- Lowered rates for alcohol liability insurance
- A recognized reason to ask for lower alcohol license administrative fines
Who should be trained?
Anyone who serves or sells alcohol or tobacco products, including:
- Hotel/motel managers
- Food and beverage managers
- Restaurant and bar owners and
managers - Liquor store owners and
managers - Convenience store owners,
managers and employees - Grocery store owners, managers
and employees - Law enforcement officers
- Alcoholic beverage servers
- Special events coordinators
- It is a violation to sell alcohol to an intoxicated person?
- The penalty for a person convicted of transferring alcohol to someone under the age of 21 is up to $200 or up to 30 days in prison and suspension of his/her driver's license for 90 days?
- Individuals who sell alcohol improperly can be sued if a customer is injured?
- The new penalty for a person convicted of transferring tobacco products to someone under the age of 18 can include up to $200 in fines?
- There are only three acceptable forms of customer identification?
- Methamphetamine can be produced largely by using products found in most stores?
- A 12-oz. beer, a 4- to 5-oz. glass of wine, and 1.25 oz. of 80-proof liquor all have the same alcohol content?
How can I replace my PREP certification card?
All issues concerning PREP certification cards must be referred to Michelle Nienhius of DAODAS at 803-896-1184.
How can I find a PREP training in my area?
PREP is available in all South Carolina counties. Click here to view a list of class schedules and contact information by county.