CALIFORNIA FOOD
HANDLER CARD LAW
THE BASICS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who?
Why?
Who pays?
If you work in a restaurant in California and prepare, store or serve food, you
must have a California Food Handler Card
within 30 days of hire. This includes most
restaurant jobs, such as servers, chefs,
head chefs, head cooks, cooks, bussers,
bartenders, hosts and hostesses who
handle food and supervisors, such as
the general manager or managers. Managers who already have a food protection manager certification don’t need a
California Food Handler Card.
The law is intended to create a statewide
standard for safe food handling in
California foodservice establishments.
The law does not require employers to pay
for an employee’s time and expense to take
the training and test. The California Food
Handler Card is the property of the employee, who can take it to another employer
as long as the card is valid.
What?
Workers receive a California Food Handler Card after taking a basic food safety
training course and passing a test with a
score of 70 percent or better.
Once you have a card, provide a copy to
your employer to keep on file. They will
have to show the cards during health
inspections.
Where?
California Food Handler Cards are
accepted everywhere in California
except Riverside, San Bernardino
and San Diego counties where local
programs already exist.
How?
Go online at www.foodhandlerusa.com
for the National Restaurant Association’s
ServSafe California Food Handler
Program course and test. It’s simple and
affordable at $15. The registration and
payment process is in English, but the
course and assessment is available in
English and Spanish. You need a major
credit card to pay.
How long is the card valid?
Cards are valid for three years from the
date of issuance and are accepted everywhere
except Riverside, San Bernardino and
San Diego counties where local programs
already exist.
Who enforces the law?
Contact the ServSafe hotline with questions at 866.901.7778.
Local health departments enforce the law.
After passing the test, you can download and print an electronic certificate
and card immediately to provide to your
employer.
Some foodservice employees are exempt
from the California Food Handler Card law
requirement, including food handlers in
Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego
counties, where local requirements exist.
Also food facilities that are subject to a
collective bargaining agreement with its
food handlers and food handlers who are
employed farmer’s markets and more.
Go to www.calrest.org/training for
a schedule of classroom-style ServSafe
California Food Handler trainings and
tests offered across the state.
Who is exempt from the law?
For a complete list of exemptions, go to
www.calrest.org/foodhandler.
Questions?
The National Restaurant Association
has a Spanish-speaking customer service
hotline for workers who have questions
about the ServSafe California Food Handler
Program. Call 866.901.7778, or e-mail
[email protected].
621 Capitol Mall, Suite 2000 Sacramento, CA 95814 T: 800.765.4842 F: 916.447.6182 www.calrest.org