Can You Get a Food Handlers Card Anywhere?
Whether you’re in the market for a new gig or you have recently been hired for one, you might need to earn your food handlers card.
Doing so proves that you know how to handle food safely and prevent people getting sick from foodborne illnesses or food poisoning.
However, with so many options for food handlers card, you may wonder whether it matters where from you earn it.
This article breaks down whether you can get a food handlers card anywhere and how to earn one depending on where you live.
What is a food handlers card?
A food handlers card proves that you have passed a course on basic food safety.
These courses cover important food safety topics, such as:
- handwashing
- good personal hygiene
- time and temperature controls
- cross-contamination prevention
- cleaning and sanitizing procedures
- cross-contact prevention and food allergens
You earn your food handlers card after you pass a test that covers this content.
Because unsafe food handling practices by food workers is a leading cause of foodborne illnesses, many states and counties have laws and regulations that require a food handlers card to work at a food establishment such as a restaurant.
A food establishment may also include places like healthcare facilities and schools.
In places where there are no state or local food handler training requirements, the employeer can — and often do — still require it to keep the customers or patients they serve safe.
Some places allow you to earn a food handlers card within 30 days of employment, but it’s helpful to have it before applying to put yourself above other applicants.
Summary
A food handlers card proves that you have passed a course that covers handwashing, good personal hygiene, and cross-contamination prevention, among other important food safety topics.
Does it matter where you get your food handlers certificate or card?
There are dozens of websites that offer online food handler training — each varying widely in price.
Depending on where you live, there’s also a good chance that there are a few in-person food handler training classes you can attend.
So, you might wonder whether it makes a difference if you choose the first or second phone listed on Google or attend the local in-person class.
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t so simple.
In short, earning your food handlers card from an ANAB-accredited course — like FoodSafePal’s — will be accepted by most states, counties, and employers.
This is because food handler training courses that are ANAB-accredited have undergone a rigorous third-party review to assess both the program and the organization offering it against more than 100 national standards.
The accreditation process ensures that the food handler course and the people that comprise the organization offer it are credible and competent.
However, some places like Alaska and Washington only accept food handler programs that the state or county offers and don’t recognize any other program — including those that are ANAB-accredited.
Other states like Utah require that the training be approved by the state.
Counties can also have their own food handler training requirements, even if no state law exists.
For example, Arizona, North Dakota, and New York don’t require food handler training, but many of their counties do.
Some areas have no state or county requirement, but your employer — or future employer — may require a certain course, usually one that is ANAB-accredited.
Summary
While most places will accept ANAB-accredited food handler course — like FoodSafePal’s — other places only accept state- county-specific programs.
Where can you get a food handlers card?
The location of where you work — or plan to work — will determine from whom you can earn your food handlers card.
Here’s a breakdown of the type of food handler card you need to earn based on where you work:
| Required Food Handler Card Type | Where you work |
|---|---|
| ANAB-Accredited | • Arizona • Hawaii • Illinois • New Mexico • South Carolina • Texas • West Virginia |
| Issued or approved by the state or county | • Jefferson and Mobile Counties (Alabama) • Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties (California) • Leavenworth (Kansas) • Lenawee County (Michigan) • Sanders County (Montana) • Lincoln-Lancaster County (Lincoln) • Clark County (Nevada) • Orleans and Livingston Counties, and New York City (New York) • Bottineau, Burkey, McHenry, McLean, Renville, Sheridan, Ward, Grant, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, and Sioux Counties (North Dakota) • Norman, Moore, Tulsa (Oklahoma) • Oregon • Utah |
| State issued only | • Alaska • Washington |
Remember, most places recognize ANAB-accredited food handler training cards, but in other places, you must earn one that the county or state specifically approves or issues.
The places listed are only the areas that require a food handlers card, you may still have to earn a food handlers card if your employer requires it.
Although the course or place from which you can earn your food handlers card differ, they usually cover the same food safety topics but the tests may differ.
FoodSafePal’s consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, and you usually need to answer 28 (70%) correctly to pass and earn your food handlers card.
In Utah, the passing threshold is slightly higher at 75%.
In either cases, you can usually learn and test in under two hours, but some areas like San Diego County require a longer training time.
Most food handler cards are valid for three years, but they expire sooner in some places like Texas.
Summary
Where you work will determine what type of food handlers card your health department or employeer will accept.
The bottom line
A food handlers card is a requirement in many states and counties and by many employeers.
Although there are many places — both online and in-person — from which you can earn a food handlers card — you must earn your food handlers card from an organization that your health department or employer approves.
Most places accept ANAB-accredited food handler cards — like FoodSafePal’s — while others only recognize food handler cards that the state or county issues or approves.
