Earn Your Food Handler Card Online
Time is valuable, and you want to make the most of it. With this in mind, we created a convenient, online food handler training program customized to meet the needs of food service workers and employers.
Our state-approved and ANAB-accredited courses cover essential aspects of food safety and hygiene, ensuring that food service professionals comply with local safety regulations and employer training requirements.
Many state and local governments enforce regulations for the food service industry and require employees to complete food handler training before or soon after starting work. It's simple to obtain your food handler card without stepping into a classroom or being tied to someone else's schedule.
After you complete your online training, your certificate of completion will be available to download immediately.
Who Needs Food Handler Training?
Many state and county governments require food handler training for workers who prepare, handle or serve food. This can include employees across multiple industries, including those who handle packaged food, use food equipment or work with surfaces that come in contact with food.
Examples of workers who need a food handler card include:
- Cooks
- Kitchen assistants
- Servers
- Food industry cashiers
- Fruit pickers
- Butchers
- Bakery employees
- Caterers
- Delivery personnel
- Warehouse employees
- Shop assistants
- Nursing home employees
- Cafeteria workers
- And more
Typically, food service employees must complete this training before starting work or shortly after. Specific requirements and deadlines will vary depending on your state and employer.
Learning Objectives
This course presents the essential elements of food safety that a food handler must know to keep food safe for human consumption.
After completing the course, food handlers will be prepared to:
- Identify how employee illnesses and infections can affect food safety
- Identify the importance of proper handwashing
- Identify the employee's role in helping to prevent foodborne illness
- Identify management's role in helping to prevent foodborne illness
- Define the concept of foodborne illness
- Demonstrate knowledge of holding temperatures for potentially hazardous foods
- Identify why cooking foods at proper temperatures is essential
- Identify why cross-contamination is dangerous and know the primary ways to prevent it
- Identify bare-hand prohibition with ready-to-eat food
- Learn how to identify major food allergens
To earn your food handler card and certificate, you must complete the course by viewing all course pages and submitting all end-of-module quizzes. Additionally, you must pass a final exam.
Topics Covered in Food Handler Training
This training program helps ensure food employees understand how to prepare and handle food safely.
Food handler training topics include:
- Food safety hazards
- Major food allergens
- Preventing cross-contamination
- Preventing foodborne illness
- Time and temperature control methods
- Minimum internal temperature requirements for certain foods
- Proper handwashing technique
- The first-in, first-out (FIFO) method of selecting food for use
- When to report your illness or symptoms to a manager
- Cleaning and sanitizing equipment and food-contact surfaces
- Appropriate storage methods for food, food-contact surfaces and equipment
- Proper storage and disposal of garbage
- And more
Specific course topics may vary depending on the state, local regulations and employer requirements.
Food Handler Training FAQs
Are your food handler courses accredited or approved?
Our food handler training program is state-accepted and accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), an accrediting body that upholds the highest standards of certificate program quality.
We can also customize the certificate program to address local regulations or corporate requirements. Customized courses keep the ANAB accreditation as long the course's purpose, scope and learning objectives do not change.
How long will my food handler certificate be valid?
Food handler certificates are typically valid for three years, but some states or local regulations may set a different term of validity. Certificates for the Texas Food Handler Program, for example, are valid for two years. Food handlers are required to retake the course before their certificate expires to maintain their certificate.
What are the testing requirements for a food handler certificate?
In addition to reading all course materials, students must complete end-of-module quizzes and pass a final exam. To earn your food handler card and certificate, you must achieve the minimum passing score on the final exam.
Many states require you to earn a score of at least 70%, but the minimum passing score can vary by course and location. You will have two attempts to pass the final exam. If you do not pass after your second try, you will need to repurchase the course.
What if I don't pass the final exam?
You have two attempts to pass the final exam. If you do not pass the final exam within two tries, you will need to repurchase the course.
How do I get a food handler card?
If you haven't trained with us before, select your state at the top of this page and sign up for your course. Next, create an account and start your training. Once you pass the final exam, you can instantly download and print your food handler card. If your food handler card has expired, you must retake the course and exam to renew it.
Training requirements may vary depending on your location. Please visit the website of your local or state health department for more information.
Do I also get a card in the mail?
No, we allow you to print your own card and certificate as many times as you need while your certificate is valid.
How much does it cost to replace my food handler card?
You can reprint your card or certificate for free while your certificate is still valid. Simply log into your account and print as many copies as you need.