On this page
- 1.What this guide covers
- 2.The short version
- 3.How food handler cards work
- 4.Food handler card requirements by state
- 5.Big-city cheat sheet
- 6.Where an online course is accepted (and where it is not)
- 7.If you want kitchen or event work: what to do this week
- 8.For restaurants, caterers and venues: ordering crews that are legal on day one
- 9.Quick answers
If you want to work as a server, cook, dishwasher, barista, banquet server or catering hand, the first thing a dispatcher asks about after your availability is your food handler card. In nine states every food worker needs one. In three more, one certified person has to be on every shift. In seven, the rule depends on the county, and in the remaining 31 states plus Washington, DC there is no food handler card at all; the law puts a certified manager in charge instead.
What this guide covers
The confusing part is that "food handler card" is sold nationally by a handful of online course companies, while the rule that decides whether that card counts is written state by state and sometimes county by county. A $10 online course that is perfect in Texas is worthless in Las Vegas, where you have to pass the health district's own test in person, and worthless in Washington, where only the state's own online test is valid.
This guide sorts it out. We read the current statute, administrative code or health department rule for all 50 states and Washington, DC (checked October 2, 2026) and put the answer for each in one table: whether line staff need a card, which training counts, how many days you have after your first shift, how long the card lasts, what it costs, and the manager-level rule that applies where there is no card. Below the table: a big-city cheat sheet, where an online course is and is not accepted, and what to do this week if you want kitchen or event work.
Two notes before you scroll. First, this is about the food handler (line staff) rule. The Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM, often called ServSafe Manager) requirement is a separate, harder exam for supervisors; we note it in the table because in most states that is the only food safety certification the law requires, and because a CFPM certificate usually exempts you from needing a handler card. Second, cities, counties, school districts, hospitals and individual employers can require more than the state does, and many do.
The short version
- Nine states require every food worker to hold a card or complete a food safety course: Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. Florida's version is a training requirement with a certificate kept in the employer's file rather than a card you carry.
- Three states require one certified person on every shift instead of a card for everyone: Hawaii (a food handler certificate for the person in charge), Ohio (the Level One "person-in-charge" certificate) and South Carolina (the person in charge must hold a food handler certificate or be a CFPM). If you are the lead or the only worker on site, that person is you.
- Seven states leave it to counties and cities, and the big metros have cards: Phoenix (Maricopa County, Arizona), Las Vegas (Southern Nevada Health District), Omaha and Lincoln (Nebraska), Tulsa and Norman/Moore (Oklahoma), Kansas City (Missouri), Lexington (Kentucky) and most counties in West Virginia.
- Everywhere else there is no food handler card. Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, DC and 23 more states require a certified manager (or, in a few, nothing at all) and leave line-staff training to the employer. A card is still a plus on your application, but it is not a legal requirement.
- Deadlines run from "before your first shift" to 60 days. Las Vegas wants the card before you start; Washington and Utah give 14 days for training; Alaska, California, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Maricopa County and most West Virginia counties give 30; Florida gives 60.
- Cards last 2 or 3 years almost everywhere (Texas: 2 years if no date is printed; Washington: 2 years for the first card, 3 for renewals). Yuma County, Arizona and a few West Virginia counties issue 1-year cards.
- The price is small: $7 to $25. Alaska, Oregon and Washington charge $10 for the state test; California and Illinois law guarantee a course at $15 or less; Las Vegas is $25; Utah is about $23 with the local permit; Hawaii's health department class is free.
- A generic online "ANSI-accredited" course is accepted statewide in only four states (California outside three counties, Illinois, New Mexico and Texas). Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Florida, Las Vegas, the Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Missouri local programs, and Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties in California all require their own test, portal or approved-provider list. Check before you pay.
How food handler cards work
The federal baseline is training, not a card. The FDA Food Code, which almost every state adopts in some version, requires the person in charge to make sure food employees are "properly trained in food safety, including food allergy awareness, as it relates to their assigned duties" (section 2-103.11). It does not require a card. Whether a card exists, who issues it and how long you have after hire all come from the state statute, the state health or agriculture department's rule, or a county health code.
What the course covers. Every program we checked teaches the same core: handwashing and when you must not work (illness), time and temperature control for TCS foods, cross-contamination, cleaning and sanitizing, and allergens. Courses run 60 to 150 minutes online with a 40-question exam; passing scores are 70 to 80 percent.
"ANSI-accredited" is the magic phrase in some states and meaningless in others. The big online providers (ServSafe Food Handler, StateFoodSafety, 360training/Learn2Serve, eFoodHandlers, Premier Food Safety and others) hold ANSI National Accreditation Board accreditation under ASTM E2659. California, Illinois, New Mexico and Texas accept any ANSI-accredited course by law. Florida accepts only programs on the Department of Business and Professional Regulation's approved list, which overlaps heavily with the ANSI list but is not the same thing. Alaska, Oregon and Washington run their own tests and reject outside cards outright; Utah accepts only providers on the state list and then converts your certificate into a local health department permit.
County cards sit on top of, or instead of, state rules. In California the state card is valid everywhere except Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties, which kept the programs they had before the 2011 state law. In Arizona, Nevada, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kentucky and West Virginia there is no state card at all, so each county health department decides. A card from one of these counties is often honored by its neighbors (Maricopa accepts other Arizona counties' certificates; a West Virginia county card is valid statewide for a $10 surcharge), but not always (Anchorage and the State of Alaska do not accept each other's cards).
What the card gets you. A food handler card is a prerequisite, not a job. Employers still need you to show up on time in a clean uniform, keep your hands washed and your station clean, and follow the person in charge. If you are new to hospitality work, what to wear and bring to your first event shift and how to get hired fast through a staffing agency cover the rest.
Food handler card requirements by state
How to read the table. Line-staff card required? is the rule for ordinary food employees on state-licensed food establishments: "Yes, statewide" means every food worker; "One per shift" means one certified person must be on duty; "Local only" means the state has no card but named counties or cities do; "No" means no food handler card exists in that state and the only legal certification is the manager-level one. What counts is the training the rule names. Deadline · card life is how long you have after hire and how long the card lasts. Cost is the published price where there is one. Manager rule and notes gives the CFPM requirement and the traps. The last column names the statute or rule so you or your employer can confirm; the full detail, including source links, is in the data file.
Rules checked on October 2, 2026. The table is split by region. The downloadable file adds who must hold the card, online acceptance, exemptions and a source link for every row.
Northeast
| State | Line-staff card required? | What counts | Deadline · card life | Cost | Manager rule and notes | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM at Class 2–4 establishments; since 2024 each employee at those sites must sign that they reviewed the DPH allergy poster (PA 23-115) | CGS §§19a-36i, 19a-36m |
| Maine | No | Voluntary | — | — | Eating establishments must employ a CFPM (5-year; B&Bs, temporary and minimal-risk operations exempt) | 10-144 CMR ch. 201 §2 |
| Massachusetts | No | Voluntary | — | — | On-site manager who is a CFPM and 18+ at each establishment; a CFPM on staff must also hold the Massachusetts Allergen Awareness certificate (5-year) | 105 CMR 590.002, 590.011 |
| New Hampshire | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM within 45 days of the licensing inspection, with about 19 exempt establishment types; Manchester and Nashua self-inspect | He-P 2303.02 |
| New Jersey | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM only at Risk Type 3 establishments | N.J.A.C. 8:24-2.1 |
| New York | No | Voluntary | — | — | No statewide handler or CFPM rule; NYC: the supervisor on duty must hold a DOHMH Food Protection Certificate (free online course, $24 exam, never expires); Suffolk County requires a certified person in charge | 10 NYCRR 14-1.73; NYC Health Code 81.15 |
| Pennsylvania | No | Voluntary | — | — | One ANAB-certified food protection manager (5-year) per licensed retail food facility, available during all hours; Philadelphia ($30 city certificate), Allegheny, Bucks, Chester and Montgomery counties run their own manager certificate programs | 3 Pa.C.S. §§6501–6510 |
| Rhode Island | No | Voluntary | — | — | At least one full-time certified manager per establishment (two if 10+ FTE food-prep staff) | R.I. Gen. Laws §21-27-11.6 |
| Vermont | No | Voluntary | — | — | No CFPM mandate; 2003 regulation still in force | VDH Health Regulations for Food Service Establishments |
Midwest
| State | Line-staff card required? | What counts | Deadline · card life | Cost | Manager rule and notes | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | Yes, statewide | Restaurants: any ANSI-accredited course; non-restaurant establishments (grocery, schools, hospitals, day care): ANSI course or an IDPH-approved employer program | 30 days · 3 years (ANSI certificates transfer between employers; employer programs do not) | ≤$15 guaranteed by statute; ~$7–$15 | CFPM present during all hours at Risk Category I and II establishments; Category I restaurants also need ANSI allergen training for the CFPM; CFPM holders, temporary-event staff and volunteers exempt from the card | 410 ILCS 625/3.06 |
| Indiana | No | Voluntary (except home-based "cottage food" vendors, who need an ANSI handler certificate) | — | — | Terminology trap: Indiana's "certified food handler" rule (410 IAC 7-22) is the manager-level CFPM requirement, not a line-staff card | IC 16-42-5.2; 410 IAC 7-22-15 |
| Iowa | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM per establishment (certificate filed with the license application) | Iowa Code ch. 137F; 481 IAC 31 |
| Kansas | No | Voluntary | — | — | No CFPM mandate either; the person in charge must demonstrate knowledge to the inspector | K.A.R. 4-28-8 |
| Michigan | No | Voluntary | — | — | At least one managerial employee certified under an ANSI-accredited CFP program at every food service establishment (licensed temporary ones exempt) | MCL 289.2129 |
| Minnesota | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM with an MDH-issued certificate ($35, 3-year, displayed) at every food establishment; low-risk, non-TCS and special-event stands exempt | Minn. R. 4626.0033 |
| Missouri | Local only | Kansas City: KCHD-approved online course, then present the certificate to KCHD within 30 days (an establishment may instead keep a KC-permitted certified manager present at all times); St. Louis City/County and St. Charles County have their own manager rules | KC 30 days from course completion · 3 years | KC $25 | No statewide CFPM mandate ("the current Missouri Food Code does not require a certified manager") | 19 CSR 20-1.025; KCMO Health Dept. code |
| Nebraska | Local only | Lincoln-Lancaster County and Douglas County (Omaha): county permit after the county's own online class and test; generic ANSI cards not accepted | Lincoln 30 days · 2 years (both counties) | $20 | LB245 (eff. Apr 29, 2025) moved the state to the FDA 2022 Food Code, so the CFPM provision now applies statewide; Lincoln and Omaha also require a local manager permit | Neb. Rev. Stat. 81-2,244.01; Lincoln Code 8.20 |
| North Dakota | No | Voluntary (recommended by ND HHS; some local public health units may require) | — | — | CFPM deliberately excluded from the 2024 Food Code adoption | N.D.A.C. ch. 33-33-04.1 |
| Ohio | One per shift | ODH Level One (Person-in-Charge) Certification in Food Protection from an ODH-approved course (about 2 hours, online or at a local health department); a generic ANSI handler card does not count unless the provider is ODH-approved | Before acting as person in charge on a shift · no expiration stated | ~$6–$15 online; $10–$25 at health departments | At least one person in charge per shift with Level One at every Risk Level I–IV operation licensed after March 1, 2010; Risk Level III–IV also need a Level Two (manager) certified supervisor (5-year); Level Two holders are exempt from Level One | OAC 3701-21-25(K); 3717-1-02.4 |
| South Dakota | No | Voluntary | — | — | Certified food service manager per establishment (8-hour course, 4-year recertification) | ARSD 44:02:07:03 |
| Wisconsin | No | Voluntary ("food handler" in the statute just means a restaurant employee who is not the certificate holder) | — | — | Restaurant must be operated or managed by a certificate-of-food-protection-practices holder (5-year) | Wis. Stat. §97.33 |
South and Washington, DC
| State | Line-staff card required? | What counts | Deadline · card life | Cost | Manager rule and notes | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | Voluntary | — | — | Certified person in charge on duty only at Priority Category 3–4 establishments (rule revised Feb 14, 2025) | Ala. Admin. Code 420-3-22 |
| Arkansas | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM per retail food establishment since Sept 2019 (prepackaged/non-TCS exempt) | ADH Retail Food Rules §2-102.12 (2022) |
| Delaware | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM per establishment (5-year); Delaware Food Code re-adopted Oct 2025 on the FDA 2022 code | 16 Del. Admin. Code 4458 §2-102.12 |
| District of Columbia | No | Voluntary | — | — | Every person in charge, during all hours, must be a CFPM with a DC Health ID card ($35, 3-year); DC accepts ServSafe, NRFSP, 360training, StateFoodSafety and five other exam providers | 25-A DCMR §§200–203 |
| Florida | Yes, statewide (training, no card) | DBPR-approved food service employee training program only (FRLA SafeStaff or a program on DBPR's approved list; ANSI accreditation alone is not enough); certificate kept by the employer | 60 days · 3 years (DBPR-licensed restaurants, caterers, mobile units); DOH-regulated venues such as schools, bars and institutions: 30 days, then annual | Not published; approved online courses ~$7–$15 | Certified food manager per establishment (5-year, §509.039); no state card, so keep your certificate | Fla. Stat. §509.049; 61C-4.023 F.A.C. |
| Georgia | No | Voluntary | — | — | Certified Food Safety Manager per food service establishment (rules amended Feb 12, 2025); the CFSM must offer training to all employees; grocery stores regulated separately by the Dept. of Agriculture | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 511-6-1-.03 |
| Kentucky | Local only | Lexington-Fayette County: LFCHD's own online food handler test only (outside cards not valid); Louisville and most counties: none | Lexington "as soon as possible" · 3 years | Lexington $23 | CFPM per establishment statewide since the 2019 Food Code amendment (accredited exam or a local health department class) | 902 KAR 45:005; LFCHD Board of Health rule |
| Louisiana | No | Voluntary (LDH says a handler certificate does NOT substitute for the manager certificate) | — | — | One state-issued Food Safety Certificate (manager level) per retail food establishment, posted; 5 years from exam date; $25 | La. R.S. 40:5.5; LAC 51:XXIII §305 |
| Maryland | No | Voluntary (each employee must receive job-related food safety training from the employer) | — | — | Certified food service manager on-site during all hours at high- and moderate-priority facilities, enforced through county-issued manager cards (Baltimore County $35, Prince George's $73); MDH plans to replace COMAR 10.15.03 with the FDA Food Code (CFPM at every facility), no effective date yet | COMAR 10.15.03 |
| Mississippi | No | Voluntary | — | — | Permit holder or designee must complete an MSDH-approved manager course; person in charge present during all hours | 15 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 13 Subpt. 75 |
| North Carolina | No | Voluntary | — | — | At least one supervisory employee certified through an ANSI-accredited program (Risk Category I sites exempt) | 15A NCAC 18A .2652 |
| Oklahoma | Local only | Tulsa: Tulsa Health Department online course and test (third-party courses do not qualify); Cleveland County (Norman, Moore): county online class; Oklahoma City/County: no handler permit found on OCCHD pages, confirm directly | Tulsa: valid permit in your possession at work · 3 years (Tulsa and Cleveland County) | Tulsa $20; Cleveland County $10 | No statewide CFPM mandate; Tulsa requires one certified manager registered with THD | OAC 310:257-3-2; THD regulations |
| South Carolina | One per shift | The person in charge on duty must hold a food handler certificate from a program on the SC Department of Agriculture's accredited list (23 programs incl. ServSafe, StateFoodSafety, 360training) or be a CFPM | At all times during operation · set by the program (typically 3 years) | ~$7–$15 online | CFPM with management authority per establishment (minimal-risk exempt); retail food program moved from DHEC to the Dept. of Agriculture July 1, 2024 | S.C. Reg. 61-25 §2-102.12 |
| Tennessee | No | Voluntary | — | — | No CFPM mandate; the person in charge may demonstrate knowledge by compliance, certification or answering the inspector (rule revised April 2024) | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1200-23-01 |
| Texas | Yes, statewide | Any DSHS-licensed or ANSI-accredited food handler course, online allowed; certificate kept on premises | 30 days (cities may set shorter deadlines by ordinance; vendors cite Fort Worth 7 days, Irving 14) · 2 years if no expiration date is printed | $7–$15 online; local jurisdictions may not charge a fee or require a local card from accredited-certificate holders | CFPM present during all hours at establishments handling exposed TCS food; CFPM holders and temporary establishments exempt from the handler rule | Health & Safety Code §438.046; 25 TAC §228.31(d) |
| Virginia | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM (one employee with supervisory and management authority) per establishment since July 1, 2018; non-TCS and reheat-only operations exempt | 12VAC5-421-55 |
| West Virginia | Local only | Set by each county health department: county class, or an online course the county approves (Kanawha-Charleston and Putnam accept StateFoodSafety); some counties require nothing | 30 days where required (Brooke County: 1 week) · 1–3 years by county | ~$10 county class; ~$20 county-approved online; up to $10 extra makes the card valid statewide | CFPM per establishment through the adopted Food Code, enforced by county health departments | W. Va. Code §16-2-16; 64CSR17 |
West
| State | Line-staff card required? | What counts | Deadline · card life | Cost | Manager rule and notes | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | Yes, statewide | Alaska DEC Food Worker Card only (DEC online exam); Anchorage issues its own card and the two are not interchangeable | 30 days · 3 years | $10 | CFPM required where unpackaged food is prepared or served; CFPM holders exempt from the card; employer keeps card records | 18 AAC 31.330–.335 |
| Arizona | Local only | Maricopa (Phoenix): any ANSI-accredited course or another Arizona county's certificate; Yuma: county exam or ANSI card; Pima (Tucson): voluntary since 2017 | Maricopa 30 days · 3 years; Yuma 1 year | Maricopa ~$10 online; Yuma $10 | No state card or CFPM rule, but every mobile food unit employee statewide needs a card (R9-8-110); Maricopa and Pima require a CFPM per establishment | Maricopa EH Code ch. VII; A.A.C. R9-8-110 |
| California | Yes, statewide | Any ANSI-accredited course (ASTM E2659), online allowed; Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties require their own county card | 30 days · 3 years (card follows you between employers) | ≤$15 guaranteed by statute; vendors $7–$15 | One food-safety-certified person per facility serving unpackaged TCS food (5-year); since Jan 1, 2024 the employer must pay for the course and the time (SB 476) and may not make a card a hiring condition; exempt: grocery/convenience stores, school cafeterias, health facilities, union-contract sites, approved in-house programs | Health & Safety Code §113948 |
| Colorado | No | Voluntary | — | — | Since March 1, 2025 the person in charge at most retail food establishments must be a CFPM (6 CCR 1010-2) | 6 CCR 1010-2 §2-102.12 |
| Hawaii | One per shift | Free DOH Food Handler Certification class (Oahu in person, statewide by Zoom) or any ANSI-accredited course | Before acting as person in charge · 3 years | Free (DOH class); vendors ~$8–$15 | No CFPM rule (DOH expressly declined to adopt it in the Aug 2025 code update); at least one certified person on duty at every food establishment during operating hours | HAR §11-50-20(c) |
| Idaho | No | Voluntary (DHW's free Idaho Food Safety Exam certificate, 5-year, is informally called a "food handler's card") | — | — | CFPM per establishment under the incorporated Food Code (minimal-risk exemptions set by the health district) | IDAPA 16.02.19 |
| Montana | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM per establishment (new licensees 90 days); still on the 2013 FDA Food Code | ARM 37.110.260–.262 |
| Nevada | Local only | Clark County (Las Vegas): Southern Nevada Health District card only, 20-question test taken in person at an SNHD office (online renewal every other cycle); Washoe (Reno), Carson City and rural counties: no card | SNHD: before starting work · 3 years | SNHD $25 (fees updated Jan 1, 2026); $15 late fee | Person in charge must be a CFPM except at low-risk or temporary establishments (NAC 446.052); SNHD CFPM card substitutes for the handler card; Washoe requires a CFPM present all hours | NRS 446.030; SNHD Regs 2-601 |
| New Mexico | Yes, statewide | Any ANSI-accredited food handler program, or an employer training program approved by the regulatory authority (valid only with that employer); Albuquerque and Bernalillo County run their own inspection programs | 30 days · 3 years | ~$7–$15 | CFPM per establishment (minimal-risk exempt); card carried or copy kept on file; amended rule effective Jan 1, 2026 | 7.6.2.8(D)(1) NMAC |
| Oregon | Yes, statewide | OHA-approved food handler test only (county and state online test sites); other states' cards and generic ANSI cards not accepted; an OHA-approved manager certificate substitutes | 30 days · 3 years | $10 (statutory cap); $5 duplicate | No CFPM requirement; card valid in every Oregon jurisdiction; temporary-event workers exempt if one trained person is present | ORS 624.570; OAR 333-175 |
| Utah | Yes, statewide | Utah DHHS-approved provider only (75-minute course, 40-question exam, 75%), then a local health department permit; generic ANSI cards not accepted unless the provider is on the state list | Training 14 days; permit 30 days · 3 years, valid statewide | Course ~$8–$15 + permit capped at $15 (e.g. $22.95 total) | One full-time certified food safety manager per site (60 days to replace); certified managers exempt from the handler permit | Utah Code §26B-7-413; R392-103 |
| Washington | Yes, statewide | Washington Food Worker Card only: state online course and exam at foodworkercard.wa.gov or a local health department class (80% to pass); out-of-state and generic ANSI cards not valid | 14 days (you may work up to 14 days first with employer training) · first card 2 years, renewals 3 years (5 with extra documented training) | $10 | CFPM on staff since March 1, 2023 (minimal-risk exempt); card issued by the local health jurisdiction but valid statewide | RCW 69.06; WAC 246-217 |
| Wyoming | No | Voluntary | — | — | CFPM explicitly voluntary statewide; Teton County adopted its own Food Rule on May 19, 2026 with CFPM sections, so check locally in Jackson | WDA Food Safety Rule ch. 1 §10 (2012) |
A note on vendor "state requirements" pages. The online course companies publish their own state lists, and on the day we checked several of them still said Pima County, Arizona requires a card (it has not since January 2017), gave Texas 60 days instead of the 30 in the 2021 rule, or implied that any ANSI course works in Florida, Utah or Oregon. Where a vendor page and the state rule disagree, the state rule governs, and that is what the table uses.
Big-city cheat sheet
Here is what a server, cook or banquet hand actually needs in some of the biggest metros:
- Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville (Florida): no card to carry, but you must complete a DBPR-approved food safety course within 60 days of starting at a restaurant, caterer or mobile unit, and the certificate (3 years) goes in the employer's file. An agency that places you can keep the certificate for every client. Bars, schools and institutions regulated by the Department of Health are on a different clock (30 days, then annual).
- Atlanta (Georgia), Charlotte (North Carolina), Nashville (Tennessee), Denver (Colorado), Indianapolis (Indiana), Boston (Massachusetts), New York City, Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), Washington, DC: no food handler card required by law. The site needs a certified manager (or in New York City a Food Protection Certificate holder) on duty; you do not. A voluntary ANSI card still helps you get picked for shifts.
- Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio (Texas): card required within 30 days, any ANSI-accredited online course ($7–$15), good for 2 years. Some suburbs set shorter deadlines by ordinance, so take the course before your first shift and keep a photo of the certificate on your phone.
- Phoenix (Maricopa County, Arizona): card required within 30 days, any ANSI-accredited course, 3 years. Not required in Tucson (Pima County).
- Las Vegas (Clark County, Nevada): Southern Nevada Health District card required before your first shift: study the free materials, then pass a 20-question test in person at an SNHD office ($25, 3 years). No online course substitutes for the first card.
- Chicago (Illinois): card required within 30 days, any ANSI-accredited course ($15 or less), 3 years, transferable between employers.
- Los Angeles (California): card required within 30 days, any ANSI-accredited course ($15 or less), 3 years. Riverside and San Bernardino County jobs need the county's own card instead. In California the employer pays for the course and the time it takes.
- Columbus (Ohio): no card for line staff, but every shift needs one person with the ODH Level One person-in-charge certificate (about two hours online). If you want lead shifts, get it.
Where an online course is accepted (and where it is not)
Any ANSI-accredited online course works statewide in California (outside Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties), Illinois, New Mexico and Texas, in Maricopa and Yuma counties in Arizona, and for the person-in-charge certificate in Hawaii and South Carolina.
Only the state's own portal or approved providers count in Alaska (DEC exam, $10), Oregon (OHA-approved test sites, $10), Washington (foodworkercard.wa.gov, $10), Utah (DHHS-approved providers plus a local permit) and Florida (DBPR-approved programs). These are still online; you just have to use the right site.
County portals only: Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska; Tulsa and Cleveland County, Oklahoma; Lexington, Kentucky; Kansas City, Missouri (approved providers, then present the certificate in person); most West Virginia counties.
In person only: Las Vegas for a first card (renewals can be online every other cycle), and Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties in California run their own programs with their own rules.
If you want kitchen or event work: what to do this week
Find your state in the table. If it says "No," skip the card unless an employer asks for one, and spend the money on the TIPS or ServSafe Alcohol course instead if you want bar shifts. If it says "Yes" or "Local only," take the course the table names; do not buy a generic card for Las Vegas, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Alaska or the county programs.
Do it before your first shift even where the law gives you 30 or 60 days. Dispatchers fill shifts with the workers who already have their paperwork, and some cities (Fort Worth, for one) shorten the state deadline.
Keep the certificate on your phone. Texas, Florida, Illinois and New Mexico let the employer keep the certificate on file instead of issuing a card, so the PDF is your card. Washington, Utah, Alaska and the county programs issue a physical or printable card; photograph it, note the expiration date, and remember that most cards are tied to the state or county that issued them.
If you hold a manager certificate, say so. A current CFPM certificate exempts you from the handler card in Alaska, Illinois, Texas, Utah, Las Vegas and most other places that have a card, and it moves you up the list for lead and supervisor shifts.
Budget $10 to $25, and ask whether the employer pays. California law requires the employer to pay for the course and the time; elsewhere many employers and staffing agencies reimburse workers who commit to shifts.
Then apply with us and tell us which state or county issued your card and when it expires. See the server role page for pay ranges and what a typical shift looks like, and the bartender, line cook, dishwasher and banquet server pages for the certifications each role usually carries.
Pouring drinks too? Our alcohol server certification by state guide covers TIPS, ServSafe Alcohol and state permits. Working road or utility jobs on the side? See flagger certification by state.
For restaurants, caterers and venues: ordering crews that are legal on day one
Three things follow from the table. First, the rule attaches to your establishment, not to the worker's home state. A server with a Texas certificate working a Las Vegas convention needs an SNHD card; a Florida banquet server needs the DBPR-approved course logged within 60 days even for a one-night gala. Tell the agency the state and county of the venue so the right paperwork shows up. Second, the manager rule is yours. In 31 states and DC there is no handler card, and most of them require a certified manager or person in charge instead; a staffing agency can send you certified leads, but the permit holder is responsible for having one on duty. Third, keep the file. Florida, Illinois, Texas and New Mexico inspectors ask the employer for the certificates, not the worker.
Crew Staffing Pros places restaurant, catering and event staff as W-2 employees with workers' comp, verifies food handler cards and expiration dates before dispatch (put the requirement on your order), and keeps the certificate copy on file for your inspection records. See restaurant and hospitality staffing, our holiday rush staffing guide, or request a crew.
Quick answers
Do I need a food handler card?
It depends on where you work. Nine states require one for every food worker (Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington); three require one certified person on each shift (Hawaii, Ohio, South Carolina); seven leave it to counties, with cards in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Omaha, Lincoln, Tulsa, Kansas City, Lexington and most of West Virginia; the other 31 states and DC do not require one.
How long do I have to get a food handler card after I'm hired?
Before your first shift in Las Vegas; 14 days in Washington and Utah (training); 30 days in Alaska, California, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah (permit), Phoenix and most West Virginia counties; 60 days in Florida. Some Texas cities set shorter deadlines by ordinance.
How long is a food handler card good for?
Usually 3 years (Alaska, California, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Tulsa, Kansas City, Lexington, Hawaii). Texas certificates last 2 years if no date is printed; Washington's first card is 2 years and renewals 3; Lincoln and Omaha cards are 2 years; Yuma County and some West Virginia counties issue 1-year cards.
How much does a food handler card cost?
$7 to $25. Alaska, Oregon and Washington charge $10 for the state test; California and Illinois require a course to be available at $15 or less; Texas and New Mexico courses run $7–$15; Utah is about $23 including the local permit; Las Vegas is $25; Hawaii's health department class is free.
Can I get my food handler card online?
In most places, yes, but on the right site. Any ANSI-accredited course works in California, Illinois, New Mexico, Texas and Maricopa County; Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Florida require their own portal or approved providers; the Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Missouri county programs use their own courses; Las Vegas requires an in-person test for a first card.
Is a food handler card the same as ServSafe?
No. ServSafe is a brand (from the National Restaurant Association) with two very different products: the ServSafe Food Handler course, which is one of the ANSI-accredited handler courses, and the ServSafe Manager exam, which is a Certified Food Protection Manager credential. See our glossary entries for food handler card and ServSafe.
Does a food handler card work in another state?
Rarely. Cards are issued under state or county law and almost none are reciprocal; Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Utah and Las Vegas explicitly reject outside cards. The ANSI course certificate itself is accepted in the four ANSI states (California, Illinois, New Mexico, Texas), so a certificate from one of those usually satisfies another.
This guide is general information for workers and employers, not legal advice. Requirements were checked against state statutes, administrative codes and health department rules on October 2, 2026; states and counties revise these, so confirm with the local health department or the venue before a shift. Where a rule does not state a card term, follow the issuing program's expiration date.
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This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules vary by state and change over time. Rates and pay shown are estimates; a dispatcher confirms your actual rate.