Food Handlers Card Cost by State

In nine states, every food worker must have a card. You get it by taking a course the state accepts. The courses are sold online by training companies such as Premier Food Safety, Learn2Serve, eFoodHandlers and ServSafe. Prices in these states start at $6.95 in Florida and go up to $21.95 in Utah. Most cards are good for three years, but a Texas card is good for two. Also, three California counties have their own rules and prices.

The cheapest course anywhere is Premier Food Safety's Florida course at $6.95. In Alaska and Washington, the card has to come from the state itself, not from a training company. It costs $10.

In Alaska, you pay $10 once. You then have a full year to take the online test, and if you fail, you can take it again for free during that year. In Washington, the $10 fee is set by state rules.

Five counties make their own rules. If you work in one of them, the county price is the one that matters. San Diego and Maricopa counties let you take a course from certain approved companies. In Riverside, San Bernardino and Clark counties, you must get the card from the county's own health office.

San Bernardino's card comes from its Environmental Health Services office. For Riverside's card, you can do the training and test online, or take the test in person at a county office.

In San Diego County, the regular California card is not accepted. You need a course the county approves. In Maricopa County, the course must be approved by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a national group that checks training courses.

In Clark County, home to Las Vegas, only the Southern Nevada Health District (the county health office) gives out cards, and you take the test for your first card in person. Your first card costs $25, and renewing on time also costs $25. If your card ran out less than two years ago, renewing costs $40 instead.

In 25 states, nobody is required to have a card. In 13 more states, there is no rule for the whole state, but some counties or cities need a card. In any state, your boss may still ask you to get one. Courses in these states usually cost about $10.

In Hawaii, Ohio and South Carolina, only the person in charge during each shift needs the training. Other workers do not. Ohio's lowest listed course is $12.

Good to know: in California, a state law (SB 476) says your boss must pay for the course, and must also pay you for the time you spend taking it. Outside California, it is worth asking your manager if they will pay for it.

When your card runs out, you take the course again and pay the same price as the first time.