California Food Handlers Certificate

California Food Handlers Card Details

Does the state of california require a food handlers certificate?

Paid employees in a food facility or mobile food facility (catering or produce trucks, carts, etc.) involved in the preparation, storage, or service of food need a valid food handler card. Food handlers must obtain a Food Handler Card within 30 days after the date of hire. To get your California Food Handler card, you must complete a food safety training course and pass an exam. After completing the food safety course and passing the exam, you will receive a Food Handler card, proving that you have been trained in food safety and handling food properly.

Please Note: The ANSI Food Handler course is accepted statewide in California EXCEPT in San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties. Responsible Training offers a separate course for San Diego County. However, we do not currently offer training in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties at this time. 

Where can i find more information about food handlers certification in California?

Retail food safety training is paramount to safe food handling practices within retail food establishments. The California Health and Safety Code (HSC) section 113948 requires food handlers to obtain a food handlers card and maintain a valid card for their entire employment in a retail food establishment. Courses that satisfy the requirements of the California Retail Food Code must be from an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited training provider

You can learn more about food safety training in at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Food Safety Training page. The Food and Drug Branch (FDB) provides information to assist the food industry with its training and education needs. 

how Can I use the Food Handlers Certificate?

You may distribute physical and electronic copies of your Responsible Training Food Handlers Certificate to current and prospective employers, government agencies, or anyone else to demonstrate that you have met the requirements laid out in the ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) ANSI/ASTM E2659-18 standard practice for certificate programs. According to this program, when referring to yourself as a certificate holder, you may say that you are a "Responsible Training Food Handler Certificate Recipient" or a "Holder of a Responsible Training Food Handler Certificate." You may not say that you are "certified," "certificated," "licensed," "registered," or "accredited." 

who pays for food handler training in california?

On January 1, 2024 Senate Bill 476 went into effect, requiring that employers must pay for or reimburse the cost of food handler training. If you do not have a food handlers certificate when you begin a job that requires one, be sure to consult with your employer about how the training will be paid for. Some employers may reimburse you for the cost, while others may have a specific program you must use to take the course for no charge.

Learn more about the Food Handlers Course from the Frequently Asked Questions.