Do You Need a Food Handlers Card to Work at a Grocery Store?

Having a food handlers card — also known as a food handlers certificate or permit — proves that you have completed a course on food safety.

Many places have laws that require food workers to earn a food handlers card to work at food establishments like a restaurant.

However, you may wonder whether you need to earn one to work at a grocery store.

This article explains whether you need a food handlers card to work at a grocery store, and if so, how to earn one.

Do you need a food handlers card to work at a grocery store?

What is a food handlers card?

A food handlers card proves that you have completed a course on food safety and passed a test.

Food handler courses cover important food safety topics so you can identify and prevent the food hazards that lead to foodborne illnesses or food poisoning.

To prevent foodborne illnesses, over a dozen states require a food handlers card to work at a food establishment.

Many local health departments and employeers also require a food handlers card, including in states where there exists no law.

Summary

A food handlers card proves that you have completed a course on food safety and passed a test. Many places and food establishments require it before or within a certain period of employment.

Do you need a food handlers card to work at a grocery store?

A grocery store sells a variety of food products.

They may stand alone or be inside of a larger store like a supermarket that sells various non-food items merchandise like clothes, electronics, pet supplies, and kitchenware.

Grocery stores are usually considered a food establishment since they provide food for human consumption, including food that requires preparation or handling like meat at the deli or a cake in the bakery.

For this reason, the state or county in which the grocery store operates may require its workers to earn a food handlers card, even if the workers don’t handle food directly, such as a cashier.

In other states where there may be no state law requiring food handler training, there may be local health departments that do.

For example, Arizona, New York, Missouri, North Dakota, and Kansas, among many others, don’t have state food handler training laws, but several of their counties do.

And, even if there are no state or local food handler training laws, the grocery store at which you work or intend to still can — and often do — require it.

Thus, it’s useful to complete a food handler training course regardless of state or local laws if you plan to work at a grocery store.

Plus, it’ll help you stand out from other applicants, and may even earn you a higher starting wage.

Summary

Depending on the grocery store’s location, you may be required by the store or state or local law to earn your food handlers card.

How to earn your food handlers card to work at a grocery store

You can easily earn your food handlers card to work at a grocery store in under two hours.

To get started, enroll with a valid online training provider.

If you prefer, and depending on where you live, you may be able to take a food handlers class in-person.

In either case, most places only recognize and accept food handler training courses that are ANAB-accredited, like FoodSafePal’s.

Earn Your Grocery Store Food Handler Card + Certificate

ANSI–National Accreditation Board (ANAB) Accredited

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After enrolling, you must complete the course lessons, which cover topics like:

food hazards
good personal hygiene
time and temperature controls
cross-contamination prevention
cleaning and sanitizing procedures
food allergens and cross-contact prevention

Pay close attention as you progress through the course so you can pass the test at the end.

FoodSafePal’s Food Handler test consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need to answer at least 28 (70%) correctly to pass.

If you don’t pass the first time, you can review the course material and retest again for free.

Upon earning your food handlers card, it belongs to you and not the grocery store, even if they payed for it.

This means you can use it to work at a different food establishment or work two food establishment jobs concurrently.

Your food handler card will generally be good for three years from the date you earn it, but some places require that you renew it sooner.

Summary

You can earn your food handlers card by enrolling with a valid food handler training provider — like FoodSafePal — complete the course content, and then passing the final test.