California has county-specific food handler programs. If you work in San Bernardino County, San Diego County, or Riverside County, you need that county's card — not the statewide California card.
Best California Food Handler Card Courses (2026)
California requires food handlers to obtain an ANAB-accredited food handler card within 30 days of hire under California Health & Safety Code §113948, with cards valid for three years. Effective January 1, 2024, Senate Bill 476 made California the first state to require employers to pay both the cost of the training course and the employee's wages for the time spent completing it — training counts as compensable working hours, and employers cannot make an existing food handler card a condition of employment. State law requires that at least one ANAB-accredited course be available at $15 or less. Three counties — Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego — operate pre-existing local food handler programs and are exempt from the statewide card law; food handlers working in those counties need their county-specific card instead, and food handlers who work in both an exempt county and elsewhere in California need both. California operates outside the FDA Food Code under its own California Retail Food Code (CalCode).
California Food Handler FAQ
Does my employer have to pay for my California food handler card?
Yes, since January 1, 2024. Under Senate Bill 476, which amended California Health & Safety Code §113948, employers must pay the full cost of the food handler training course and exam, AND must compensate the employee for the time spent on training and testing as regular working hours. Employees must also be relieved of all other work duties while taking the course. Employers cannot require job applicants or current employees to already have a food handler card as a condition of employment.
Does my California food handler card work in Riverside, San Bernardino, or San Diego county?
No. These three counties operated their own food handler programs before California's statewide law was enacted, so they are exempt from California Health & Safety Code §113948 and require county-specific cards instead. If you work in any of these three counties, contact the local county environmental health department for their requirements. If you work in one of these counties AND in another part of California, you need both the county-specific card and a statewide California food handler card. Note that Los Angeles County is NOT exempt — the LA County requirement is the standard California card.
How long is a California food handler card valid?
Three years from the date of issuance. The card is the property of the employee and transfers with them between employers during that period — your employer cannot keep it when you leave. Employers must keep a copy of each employee's card on file and make it available to local enforcement officers upon request. Cards from Riverside County are an exception: local Riverside County cards expire after two years rather than three.
How long is the California food handler training course?
The course is designed under HSC §113947.2 to be completable in approximately 2.5 hours, including the exam. The exam must contain at least 40 questions, and you need to score at least 70% to pass. Training and testing can be delivered in-person or fully online; online courses must include security measures to prevent fraud but do not require a live proctor. Most ANAB-accredited online courses can be completed in a single sitting or paused and resumed as needed.
Who is exempt from California food handler training?
Several categories of food workers are exempt from the California Food Handler Card law: certified Food Protection Managers, employees of grocery stores (including convenience stores), public and private school cafeterias, certified farmers' markets, licensed health care facilities, mobile support units, snack-bar venues at admission-ticket events, employees of food facilities subject to a collective bargaining agreement, employees at food facilities with approved in-house food safety training, and food handlers in correctional or rehabilitation facility settings. Volunteers (unpaid food workers at soup kitchens, food banks, and similar) are also exempt. Note that 'volunteer' specifically means unpaid — family members who work in a family-owned business and benefit financially do not qualify.
Will my food handler card from another state work in California?
Sometimes. A food handler card from another state is accepted in California only if the issuing program is ANAB-accredited. Cards from non-ANAB-accredited state-specific programs (such as the Texas DSHS-only path) are NOT recognized in California — you would need to take a California or ANAB-accredited course to work as a food handler in California. ANAB-accredited cards transfer in either direction, which is why most food handlers who may move between states choose ANAB-accredited training over state-only programs.