Missouri Food Handler Card: A Comprehensive Guide

A food handler card — also known as a food handler certificate or license — proves that you have the knowledge necessary to handle food safetly.

Owing to the importance of safe food handling practices for preventing foodborne illnesses, many states and counties require foodservice workers to earn a food handler card.

However, you may wonder whether Missouri or any of its counties require you to earn a food handler card.

This article explains everything you need to know about a Missouri food handler card, including whether you need one, how to earn one, and more.

Do you need a food handler card in Missouri?

Missouri does not have a law requiring food handler cards for food workers (1).

However, several individual counties and cities have their own food handler training requirements.

In these counties or cities, you must earn a food handler card if you prepare, sell, or handle food contact surfaces like utensils or equipment.

While most counties and cities don’t specify when you must obtain your food handler card, most require it within 30 days of employment.

If you live in a county or city that doesn’t require food handler training, your employer — whether a restaurant, bar, market, or healthcare facility like a nursing home — may still require it.

Additionally, earning your food handler card — even if you’re not required to — can make it easier to land your next gig or earn a higher salary.

How do you get a Missouri food handler card?

Each county and city requiring food handler training has its own requirements.

Some issue and only accept county- or city-specific food handler cards, while others accept food handler cards issued by online training providers like FoodSafePal.

Here’s a breakdown of each county’s food handler training requirements:

County	County-issued
Adair	Yes
Andrew	Yes
Boone	Yes
Camden	Yes
Cape Girardeau	Yes
Cass	Yes
Christian	Yes
City of Independence	Yes
Clay	Yes
Cooper	Yes
Daviess	Yes
DeKalb	Yes
Gentry	Yes
Greene	Yes
Grundy	Yes
Harrison	Yes
Jackson	Yes
Jefferson City	Yes
Johnson	Yes
Kansas City	Yes
Lafayette	Yes
Lawrence	Yes
Lincoln	Yes
Macon	Yes
Marion	Yes
Miller	Yes
Morgan	Yes
Nodaway	Yes
Pettis	Yes
Platte	Yes
Pulaski	Yes
Randolph	Yes
Shelby	Yes
Stone	Yes
Sullivan	Yes
Taney	Yes
Webster	Yes
Worth	Yes

Boone, Jackson, and Platte require that you earn a food handler card directly through the health department.

If you live in the other counties or cities, you can earn your food handler card through an online training provider, but make sure the provider is approved by your health department.

The time it takes to earn your food handler card varies by organization and whether you earn it through the health department of the county or city in which you live, but you can expect to finish the course and take the assessment in two hours or less.

The course covers essential food safety topics, including:

• time and temperature controls for food safety
• good personal hygiene
• food contamination prevention
• cleaning and sanitizing procedures

The final assessment includes questions on these topics. The number of questions and the minimum passing score varies by the organization, county, or city.

Most organizations, including most counties and cities, allow at least one free retake if you don’t pass the assessment the first time.

The cost to earn your food handler card also varies depending on whether you earn it through an approved provider or through the health department, but you shouldn’t expect to may more than $15 for the course.

Some counties and cities charge a fee ranging between $5 and $15 on top of the cost to earn your food handler card through an organization other than through them.

For example, if the cost to enroll with an online training provider is $15, you may have to pay $20 to $30.

How long does a Missouri food handler card last?

A food handler card specific to your county or city usually expires three years from the date you earned it.

The card or certificate will tell you how long it lasts.

When your card is near its expiration, you must retake a county- or city-approved food handler course to renew it.

Renewing your card every three years or so ensures that you stay current and fresh on important food safety practices.

Make sure you provide your manager with a copy to prove to health inspectors that your training is both approved and current.

Most food handler training programs issue certificates or cards as a PDF, making it easy to print or email a copy to your manager.

If you lose your food handler card or certificate, you can redownload it from the organization in which you earned it or contact them to request another copy.

The bottom line

Missouri has no law requiring food workers to earn a food handler card, but many of its counties and cities do.

Most counties and cities allow you to earn a food handler card online through an approved online training provider, while others — Boone, Jackson, and Platte — require you to earn it directly through the health department.

Most Missouri county- or city-issued food handler cards expire three years from the date of issuance.