Food Handlers CardWorking in your stateChange

ANAB Accredited Food Handler Courses Compared

Starting a new food job and looking for an ANAB accredited food handler course? Most states that require a card give you 30 days, Florida gives you 60, and Washington gives you only 14, so it pays to start this week. Find your state’s courses and prices before you buy, so you choose a course that meets the rules where you work. eFoodHandlers says its national course is ANAB-accredited, and Maricopa County, Arizona, requires that kind of card within 30 days of starting work.

ANAB status from the ANAB directory of accredited food handler programs. Course time, languages and test rules come from each company's own course page and can vary by state.

What Courses Cost State by State

The six course companies above charge different prices in different states. Each price comes straight from the company's own page for that state, which is why the same course can cost more in one state than another.

Florida has the cheapest approved course at $6.95. Across 32 states, the lowest listed price is a flat $10. The cost page shows the cheapest course in every state.

Where an ANAB-Accredited Course Counts

eFoodHandlers describes its national course as ANAB-accredited. Maricopa County, Arizona, is a good example of a place that wants precisely that: a card from an ANAB-accredited course, and you have 30 days from your start date to get it.

Statewide card or training rules exist in nine states: Alaska, California, Florida, and Illinois, along with New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Thirteen more states leave it to local governments, so some counties and cities make their own rules. ANAB accreditation does not mean a course meets every location's rules, because some places accept only their own card.

Where an Accredited Course Won't Help

Some locations accept only their own card, no matter which course you complete.

  • Alaska and Washington each honor just the card they issue. For Washington, only its own online course counts, priced at $10.
  • Riverside County will only take the certificate it issues, at $28.
  • San Bernardino County only recognizes the card from its Environmental Health Services, which costs $22.
  • Clark County, home to Las Vegas, accepts just the Southern Nevada Health District card, with the first test taken face to face.
  • San Diego County approves its own courses only, and the California card isn't valid there.

Look at your county or state page before you pay, so your money goes to a course that actually counts.

ANSI Accredited vs. ANAB: Same Thing?

Yes. ANAB is the ANSI National Accreditation Board, so "ANSI accredited" and "ANAB accredited" point to the same accreditation. eFoodHandlers' national course has it.

Learn2Serve Food Handlers Training

360training runs Learn2Serve. Learn2Serve food handler courses are listed for 14 states on this site, with prices from $7.49 in California to $21.95 in Utah.

StateFoodSafety: What to Know

Length, retries, and cost are what matter most when comparing. StateFoodSafety's Texas course runs about 40 minutes and includes two attempts at the test. Across the 25 states listed here, it runs $10 to $10.99.

Questions People Ask

How Long Does the Card Last?

Cards last two years in Texas, Washington and Riverside County. In every other state, cards and accredited certificates last three years.

Getting a Card in Florida

Florida wants you to complete approved training within 60 days of starting the job. Premier Food Safety charges $6.95 there, and StateFoodSafety charges $10.99.

Picking a Course in California

California gives you 30 days to get your card. Learn2Serve is the cheapest option listed there, at $7.49. But Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties go their own way instead.

What If My Card Gets Lost?

Most companies store it in your online account. Just log in with the same account you used during the course and print another copy.