Do Bartenders Need a Food Handler Card?
As a bartender, you must be skilled in mixing and serving a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages while ensuring great customer experience.
You must also maintain and manage the bar’s inventory, complete transactions, and keep your area clean and organized, among other tasks.
However, because you mix and serve drinks — some of which require ingredients like fruit or herbs — you may wonder whether you need food handler training.
This article explains whether bartenders need a food handler card, and if so, how to earn one.

Do you need a food handler card as a bartender?
A food handler generally refers to a foodservice employee who works with unpackaged food, food equipment or utensils, or food-contact surfaces like countertops or cutting boards.
Bartenders meet the definition of a food handler because they prepare and serve beverages — including cocktails with ingredients like egg whites and lemon or lime slices — and work with food-contact surfaces like glasses, utensils, counters, and ice scoops.
Baristas, dishwashers, and servers also meet the definition of a food handler.
Handling drinks and associated ingredients and food-contact surfaces improperly can lead to cross-contamination and, consequently, foodborne illness.
Cross-contamination is the unintentional transfer of pathogens like bacteria or viruses from one surface or food to another.
For example, if you touch your face or pick something up from the floor but then don’t wash your hands before slicing a lemon for a customer’s drink, you could transfer pathogens or other food hazards to the drink that leads to a foodborne illness.
For this reason, many states and counties require food handler training for bartenders before or within a certain period of employment.
Even if you don’t live in an area where the law requires it, many bars and other food establishments still require bartenders to earn a food handler card to equip them with the knowledge necessary to handle food and food-contact surfaces safely.
Summary
Because bartenders meet the definition of a food handler, many states, counties, and employers require them to earn a food handler card.
How to get a food handler card as a bartender
A food handler card — also known as a food handlers certificate or permit — proves that you have completed a course on essential food safety principles.
While you can earn your food handler card in-person in some areas, most food handler training is offered online.
Food handler training courses cover topics like:
- food hazard types
- good personal hygiene and handwashing
- time-temperature controls for safety
- cross-contamination and cross-contact prevention
- cleaning and sanitizing procedures
- pest prevention
The topics are all important, but as a bartender, you’ll want to pay close attention to the information on good personal hygiene, handwashing, cross-contamination prevention, and the safe washing, storing, and use of glasses and other dishes.
After completing the course, you must pass a test to demonstrate your knowledge about the topics covered and earn your food handler card.
To get started, enroll with a valid online food handler training provider such as FoodSafePal.
Most places only accept ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited food handler cards or certificates.

Earn Your Food Handler Card + Certificate as a Bartender
ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-Accredited
After enrolling, you can start the course right away.
You can start and stop as needed, but expect to spend around two hours to learn and test.
If you don’t pass the first time, you’re usually allowed one free retake.
Food handler cards are generally good for three years from the date you earn it, but where you live or work may require you to renew it sooner.
In either case, regularly renewing your food handler card keeps you fresh and current on important food safety principles.
Summary
To earn your food handler card as a bartender, enroll with a valid online training provider — such as FoodSafePal — complete the course, and pass the test.
The bottom line
Because bartenders meet the definition of a food handler, many states, counties, and employers require them to earn a food handler card.
To earn your food handler card as a bartender, enroll with a valid online training provider like FoodSafePal, complete the course, and pass the test.

Earn Your Food Handler Card + Certificate as a Bartender
ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-Accredited
Pay attention throughout the course as you will need to understand the information to pass the test, but pay close attention to information about proper handwashing, good personal hygiene, cross-contamination prevention, and the safe washing, storing, and use of glasses and other dishes.