To get an unrestricted Approved Manager card — the "red card" that lets you manage any licensed venue in Western Australia — you complete MLPLCA001 through Job Trainer Australia, obtain a national police clearance no more than 3 months old, submit an online application through the LGIRS portal, and lodge the printed Application Summary with your documents and the $212 fee at a participating WA Australia Post outlet. Your Australia Post receipt lets you act as an Approved Manager from that moment; the card itself arrives in about four to six weeks.
What the unrestricted card lets you do
An unrestricted Approved Manager card lets you be appointed to manage any licensed premises in WA — hotels, taverns, small bars, restaurants, nightclubs, liquor stores, clubs and occasional-licence events.
Under section 100 of the Liquor Control Act 1988, a licensee must appoint an Approved Manager and one must be present whenever the venue is trading liquor. The cardholder carries the licensee's obligations for that shift — refusing service, preventing juvenile drinking, managing incidents, keeping records and dealing with LGIRS inspectors. The restricted card (RSA only) is limited to club, club-restricted and occasional licences; almost everyone in commercial hospitality needs the unrestricted card, and that's the pathway this guide covers.
Step 1: check you're eligible
You must be 18 or over and not excluded under section 34 of the Act.
LGIRS cannot approve you if you are:
- under 18
- under sentence of imprisonment
- disqualified from holding a liquor licence, or hold one that is suspended after disciplinary action
- incapable of managing your affairs because of a mental disorder
- a State or Commonwealth public servant — unless LGIRS is satisfied there's no conflict of interest (you attach a conflict-of-interest submission with your application)
Beyond those exclusions, the Director of Liquor Licensing assesses whether you are a "fit and proper" person, which is what your police clearance is for. A minor historical matter is not automatically disqualifying — but if you have any disclosable court outcomes, address them briefly and honestly in the application rather than hoping they aren't noticed.
Step 2: hold a current RSA
A nationally accredited RSA (SITHFAB021) is the prerequisite for MLPLCA001.
If you already have one, you're set — WA RSA certificates don't expire. If not, Job Trainer Australia delivers SITHFAB021 online, and the WA Approved Manager and RSA combo bundles both units at a lower price than enrolling separately.
Step 3: complete MLPLCA001 with Job Trainer Australia
MLPLCA001 "Manage legislative responsibilities for the sale, supply and service of liquor" is the WA-specific unit LGIRS requires for an unrestricted card.
The unit sits inside the accredited Course in Management of Licensed Premises (52863WA). With Job Trainer Australia (RTO 45742) it is delivered fully online: you enrol, work through the modules at your own pace on your laptop or in the JTA app, and sit the assessment when you're ready. Most students finish in a few hours across one or two sittings. It covers:
- The Liquor Control Act 1988 and the licensee's and Approved Manager's duties under it
- Harm minimisation: refusal of service, intoxication, juveniles and the Banned Drinkers Register
- Incident management, reporting and record-keeping
- Licence conditions, trading hours, signage and what an LGIRS audit looks for
- Staff supervision and training obligations
Your nationally recognised Statement of Attainment is issued as soon as you're marked competent. It never expires, and it's the document LGIRS lists first on the unrestricted lodgement checklist. JTA students also receive a one-page "Next Steps" sheet with the certificate that walks through the rest of this process.
Completed an older WA manager's course? LGIRS accepts several previous versions. Check the mandatory training list on wa.gov.au before re-enrolling.
Step 4: get your police clearance
LGIRS requires a national police certificate no more than 3 months old on the day you lodge.
Order it once your training is done and you're ready to apply, not months ahead. Any ACIC-accredited provider is accepted; JTA's own National Clearance Australia (ncaust.com.au) is an ACIC Accredited Body, the employment check is $59 and most results are issued within 24 hours. You'll need three forms of ID. For the detail on which check to choose and how the 3-month rule works, read National Clearance Australia's guide to police clearances for Approved Manager applications.
Step 5: create your LGIRS portal account
All Approved Manager applications are lodged through the department's online portal — you'll use the same account later to renew, update your address and order replacement cards.
- Go to portal.dlgsc.wa.gov.au and select Create Account.
- Fill in the required fields. Your username can't contain spaces or symbols such as @, ! or &; your password needs at least 8 characters including a number.
- Open the registration email and click the link to return to the portal. (Outlook users: the last character of the link is sometimes dropped — copy and paste the whole link.)
- Enter your username and password and click Register.
Account problems? LGIRS's licensing line is (08) 6551 4999.
Step 6: complete the online application
Apply as yourself, not as the venue. You can save and resume at any time from My Account.
- From My Account, click New Lodgement.
- Select Liquor and then Approved Manager Application from the drop-down menus and click Submit.
- Complete the Applicant Details form — your personal details, contact details and history. Click Submit, then Continue.
- Complete the Approval Details form — choose Unrestricted, enter your MLPLCA001 / Course in Management of Licensed Premises details, and declare any conflict of interest if you're a public servant. Click Submit.
- Open and print the Application Summary. It is available immediately after submission and you must have the printed copy to lodge — Australia Post can't accept it from a phone screen.
Read Section B of the summary before you leave the house. It lists exactly which documents Australia Post needs to sight for your application — for an unrestricted card that's your MLPLCA001 Statement of Attainment and your police certificate — and page 1 lists the identification they'll check.
Step 7: lodge at Australia Post
Only participating WA post offices that can take your card photo accept the application. Bring the summary, the Section B documents, your ID and the $212 fee.
Use the Australia Post outlet locator and check the outlet offers identity and photo services. At the counter they confirm your identification, take your photo for the card, collect the application fee (not refundable, even if the application is refused or withdrawn; cheques payable to Australia Post) and give you a receipt.
That receipt is more than proof of payment. From the moment you lodge, you are deemed an Approved Manager until LGIRS determines the application — so you can be rostered as the manager on duty straight away. Keep the receipt on you at work; an authorised officer can ask to see it.
Start with the training
Enrol in MLPLCA001 with Job Trainer Australia (RTO 45742) — online, self-paced, Statement of Attainment issued the moment you're competent.
Enrol in MLPLCA001
RSA + Approved Manager bundle
What happens after you lodge
About four weeks to a decision, then one to two weeks for the card to be printed and posted.
You can track progress in your portal account under My Account. If LGIRS needs more information — usually about a disclosable court outcome or a conflict of interest — they'll contact you through the details on your account, so keep them current. Once approved, the card is posted to your address. It is valid for five years; the expiry date is printed on the front, LGIRS emails a reminder about two months out, and you renew through the same portal account. If the card lapses you must apply again from scratch, including a new police clearance and photo.
What it costs
About $420 all up, as at September 2026.
| Item | Cost | Paid to |
|---|
| MLPLCA001 course | From $148 (RSA + MLPLCA001 bundles available) | Job Trainer Australia |
| National police clearance (employment check) | $59 inc. GST | National Clearance Australia |
| LGIRS application fee | $212 (no GST, non-refundable) | Australia Post at lodgement |
The LGIRS fee is set by regulation and changes from time to time — the figure above is from the LGIRS lodgement guide updated 19 June 2026. Renewal after five years is a separate, lower fee shown in the renewal guide.
Mistakes that get applications bounced
- A police certificate older than 3 months. Order it after your training, close to lodgement.
- Applying in the venue's or licensee's name. The approval is personal — apply as yourself.
- Choosing "Restricted" by mistake. If you've done MLPLCA001, select Unrestricted; upgrading later costs extra.
- Turning up without the printed Application Summary, or at a post office that doesn't offer photo services, or one interstate.
- Missing Section B documents. Bring the Statement of Attainment and police certificate — the summary tells you exactly what's required.
- Not declaring a conflict of interest if you work for a State or Commonwealth agency.
Approved Manager application: frequently asked questions
Who can apply for an unrestricted Approved Manager card in WA?
Anyone 18 or over who has completed MLPLCA001 through the Course in Management of Licensed Premises and can supply a national police clearance no more than 3 months old. Under section 34 of the Liquor Control Act you cannot be approved if you are under sentence of imprisonment, disqualified from holding a liquor licence, or a state or Commonwealth public servant with an unresolved conflict of interest.
How do I complete MLPLCA001?
Enrol online with Job Trainer Australia (RTO 45742). You need a current RSA first. The course is fully online, self-paced and most students finish in a few hours. Your Statement of Attainment is issued as soon as you are marked competent and never expires.
How do I apply for the Approved Manager card online?
Create an account at portal.dlgsc.wa.gov.au, click New Lodgement, choose Liquor then Approved Manager Application, complete the Applicant Details and Approval Details forms, then print the Application Summary. Apply in your own name, not the venue's.
What do I take to Australia Post?
Your printed Application Summary, the documents listed in Section B of the summary (your MLPLCA001 Statement of Attainment and national police clearance), your identification, and the $212 application fee. Only participating WA post offices that can take your photo accept the application.
How much does the WA Approved Manager card cost?
As at September 2026 the LGIRS application fee is $212 (no GST), paid at Australia Post and not refundable. Add the MLPLCA001 course fee (from $148 with Job Trainer Australia) and a $59 employment police check — roughly $420 all up.
How long does it take to get the red card?
LGIRS takes about four weeks to determine the application after you lodge, then prints and posts the card within one to two weeks. Your Australia Post receipt lets you act as an Approved Manager immediately, so the wait does not stop you working.
Can I work as an Approved Manager before the card arrives?
Yes. The receipt Australia Post gives you at lodgement is your authority to act as an Approved Manager until LGIRS decides the application. Keep it with you — an authorised officer can ask to see it.