The Bar School

Missouri · Updated Oct 2026

How to become a bartender in Missouri

Missouri doesn't require a state bartender license, but you still need to know how to do the job. Here's your path from zero experience to your first shift, plus the rules and pay to know.

Quick answer

Missouri does not issue a state bartender license, but several cities require their own, so check with your city. The venue holds the liquor license, not the bartender. You must be 21 to bartend, though you can wait tables in some restaurants at 18. Learn the job first. Server training such as TIPS is optional, but many employers like it.

Start step 1: learn to bartendBar Ready · 100% online · $197 one-time

Your path

5 steps to bartending in Missouri

  1. Learn to bartend

    Take Bar Ready online: tools, pours, spirits, cocktails, service and how to get hired.

  2. Earn your certificates

    Watch every lesson in full to unlock each course's certificate of completion in your dashboard. It shows employers you trained. It isn't a license.

  3. Check your city's rules

    Missouri doesn't require server training or a state bartender license, but several cities require their own bartender license. Ask your city hall and your employer.

    See local rules ↓

  4. Go apply

    Put your training and certificates on your resume and apply to bars and restaurants near you.

  5. Start pouring

    Pour, serve and earn tips. In Missouri, tipped staff get at least $7.50/hr, and tips must bring them to $15/hr.

Missouri rules

Missouri bartending rules at a glance

Age

You must be 21 to bartend, mix drinks or work in a bar. At 18 you can serve drinks as a waiter or waitress in a restaurant where at least half of sales are food, once the restaurant gets state permission to employ workers under 21.

RSMo §311.300 Missouri ATC retailer FAQ

License

Missouri does not issue a state bartender license, but several cities require their own, so check with your city. The venue holds the liquor license, not the bartender.

Missouri ATC retailer FAQ

Rules change and can vary by city or county. Last checked October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm with the Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) and your employer before you apply.

Local rules

Where to check the rules

Cities and counties issue their own liquor licenses and can pass their own rules, and several cities require a bartender license. Contact your city hall and ask your employer.

Missouri ATC retailer FAQ RSMo §311.220

State alcohol agency

Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC)

The agency that licenses and regulates alcohol sales in Missouri.

Open the official website

Your employer can also tell you which rules apply where you'll work.

Pay

How much do bartenders make in Missouri?

Median hourly$14.47$30,090 a year
Average hourly$18.35$38,170 a year
Top 10% earn more than$26.40$54,900 a year
Bartenders employed14,410May 2025 estimate
Tipped base pay$7.50/hrTips must bring you to $15/hr

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (Missouri, Bartenders 35-3011) and Missouri Department of Labor minimum wage. BLS wages include tips reported by employers. What you earn depends on the venue, your shifts and your location, and isn't guaranteed.

I'm ready to get startedStep 1: Bar Ready · 100% online · $197 one-time

Jobs

Where to find bartending jobs in Missouri

Open bartender listings near you on Indeed. Barback and server openings are worth a look too: they're a common way behind the bar.

Behind the bar at The Bar School, answering whether the course is a license
Is this a license to bartend?1:33

The question we hear most

Is Bar Ready a Missouri bartending license?

  • No, and Missouri doesn't issue one. The venue holds the alcohol license, not the bartender.
  • Server training such as TIPS is optional, but many employers like it.
  • Each course ends with a certificate of completion. It shows employers you trained, but it isn't a license or a state certification.

Questions people ask

Becoming a bartender in Missouri: your questions, answered

Do you need a license to be a bartender in Missouri?

Missouri does not issue a state bartender license, but several cities require their own, so check with your city. The venue holds the liquor license, not the bartender. You can learn the job first, then check whether your employer wants server training.

Missouri ATC retailer FAQ

How old do you have to be to bartend in Missouri?

You must be 21 to bartend, mix drinks or work in a bar. At 18 you can serve drinks as a waiter or waitress in a restaurant where at least half of sales are food, once the restaurant gets state permission to employ workers under 21. Employers can set a higher minimum age, so check with the bar.

RSMo §311.300 Missouri ATC retailer FAQ

Do you need TIPS or ServSafe certification to bartend in Missouri?

Missouri does not require server training statewide. The state promotes free SMART online training for owners, managers and staff, and your city or employer may require training.

Missouri Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control SMART training

Do local rules apply in Missouri?

Cities and counties issue their own liquor licenses and can pass their own rules, and several cities require a bartender license. Contact your city hall and ask your employer.

See local rules ↑ Missouri ATC retailer FAQ RSMo §311.220

How much do bartenders make in Missouri?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025), Missouri bartenders earned a median of $14.47 an hour and a mean of $18.35 an hour ($38,170 a year), including tips reported by employers. The top 10% earned more than $26.40 an hour. Employers can pay tipped staff $7.50 an hour if tips bring them to at least $15.00 an hour; if not, the employer makes up the difference. Pay varies by venue, shifts and location.

BLS Missouri Department of Labor minimum wage

Can I get a bartending job in Missouri with no experience?

Experience is up to each employer. Learning the fundamentals first, and being able to show you finished training, helps you stand out when you apply. That's what step 1 is for.

Where can I find bartending jobs in Missouri?

Search job boards like Indeed for bartender, barback and server openings in your city, check the websites and social pages of bars you'd like to work at, and drop off a resume in person when it's quiet. Barback and server jobs are a common way in. Branson and the Lake of the Ozarks hire extra staff for the busy summer season.

Find jobs by city ↑

Do you have to go to bartending school in Missouri?

No. Missouri doesn't require bartending school. An online course lets you learn the tools, pours, cocktails and service at your own pace.

Does The Bar School offer job placement?

No. We don't place students in jobs. Bar Ready shows you what the job involves and how to get hired, with a resume guide and template and what to expect when you apply. Then you apply to bars and restaurants near you.

How long does it take to become a bartender in Missouri?

Bar Ready is self-paced, so you go as fast as your schedule allows. After that, timing depends on your local rules and the jobs near you.

Is the Bar School certificate a Missouri license or TIPS certification?

No. Your Bar School certificates of completion, one for each Bar Ready course, show employers you finished our training. They aren't a government license or permit, and they don't replace TIPS, ServSafe or any state or local requirement.

Ready to start bartending in Missouri?

Step 1 is learning the job. Start Bar Ready online today, at your own pace.

Start step 1: learn to bartend

Bar Ready · 100% online · $197 one-time · Certificates of completion

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