Illinois Food Handler Card

Get your certificate immediately when you pass!

Illinois-Approved Food Handler Training

Learn how to handle, prepare, and serve food safely, no matter your work setting.

Learn about important food safety principles:

identify how food becomes unsafe and leads to foodborne illnesses
identify when and which symptoms and illnesses must be reported
recognize proper hand hygiene techniques and good personal grooming habits to prevent food and food-contact surface contamination
recognize best practices to keep food safe throughout its flow by using time and temperature controls
describe how to maintain a clean environment and prevent cross-contact

Illinois requires that all food handlers or employees earn a food handler card within 30 days of employment at a foodservice establishment.

Therefore, if you’re employed at one of the following places, you must earn your food handler card:

restaurant
concession stand
retail food store
convenience store
mobile food stand or truck
school
licensed daycare homes or facility
healthcare facility, such as a nursing home, assisted living facility, and hospital

Illinois also requires that you renew your food handler training by taking and passing an approved course every three years.

This training is approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health. View approval letter here.

I felt it was a very simple, easy, and straight to the point course, and I really enjoyed it.

Danielle J.

Enjoyed this experience. Easy material.

Sage W.

Love the illustrations — kept my attention. And I suffer from ADHD so this made learning easy and fun!

Pamela B.

Very engaging and more interesting than other courses I have taken.

Mariah L.

It worked well for me, so I’d be happy to recommend it to others.

Abby S.

It was clear and understandable. I really liked it.

Icarus M.

To earn your Illinois food handlers card, simply watch the videos, and pass the test.

You can learn and test in less than two hours.

Illinois requires that all food employees or handlers earn a food handler card within 30 days of employment at a foodservice establishment.

A foodservice establishments includes:

restaurants
concession stands
retail food stores
convenience stores
mobile food stand or trucks
schools
licensed daycare homes or facilities
healthcare facilities, such as a nursing home, assisted living facility, or hospital

Illinois doesn’t require a food handler card if you have a valid Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certification or are an unpaid volunteer.

Temporary food establishments are also exempt from Illinois’ food handler training requirement.

Your FoodSafePal food handler card will be valid throughout Illinois.

Your Illinois food handler card is valid for three years from the date you earn it.

The cost to earn your Illinois food handler card with FoodSafePal is $10.

The test consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need to answer at least 28 of them (70%) to pass.

If you don’t pass the first time, you’re allowed one free retake.

Easily Earn your Illinois-Approved Food Handler Card

START NOW | $10