Food Handler Certificate
Food safety basics for food service workers β based on the FDA Food Code. Most jurisdictions pass at 75%.
π What to Bring
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Government-issued photo ID
A driver's license, state ID, or passport to verify your identity for the certificate
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Payment for the course/exam fee
Accredited Food Handler programs typically charge a small fee (often $10β$15)
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A computer or phone with internet
Most Food Handler courses and exams are taken online and can be done from home
π How to Schedule
- 1
Check your local requirement
Confirm which certificate your state, county, or city accepts. Some areas require an ANSI-accredited (ANAB) Food Handler course.
- 2
Take an accredited course online
Register with an accredited provider, complete the short training, and take the exam β usually all in one sitting online.
- 3
Pass and print your card
Score 75% or higher to pass. You can usually download or print your Food Handler card immediately.
π‘ Test Day Tips
- β’Memorize the temperature danger zone: 41Β°Fβ135Β°F (5Β°Cβ57Β°C). Many exam questions test the numbers around it.
- β’Learn the minimum cooking temperatures: poultry 165Β°F, ground meat 155Β°F, whole cuts/seafood 145Β°F. These appear on almost every exam.
- β’Know the two-stage cooling rule: 135Β°F to 70Β°F within 2 hours, then to 41Β°F within 4 more hours (6 hours total).
- β’Remember handwashing: at least 20 seconds with soap and water at 100Β°F, and no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food.
- β’There are 9 major allergens β milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame (added in 2023).
- β’A surface must be cleaned BEFORE it is sanitized, and sanitized items must always air-dry β never towel-dry.
π Study Handbook
All practice questions are based on the sections below. Click any to read the official source.
π― Practice by Topic
Basic Food Safety
Foodborne illness, the temperature danger zone, TCS foods, the FAT TOM growth factors, the major foodborne pathogens, and at-risk populations.
Personal Hygiene
Handwashing, when to wash, glove use, the no-bare-hand-contact rule for ready-to-eat food, reporting illness, and proper work attire.
Time & Temperature Control
Minimum cooking temperatures, hot and cold holding, the two-stage cooling process, reheating, thawing, thermometer use, and time as a public health control.
Cross-Contamination & Allergens
Preventing cross-contamination, refrigerator storage order, separating raw and ready-to-eat foods, the major food allergens, and preventing allergen cross-contact.
Cleaning & Sanitizing
The difference between cleaning and sanitizing, the three-compartment sink, sanitizer concentrations and test strips, dishmachines, chemical storage, and pest control.
π Official Resources
FDA Retail Food Protection β
Official FDA hub for the Food Code and retail food safety guidance
FoodSafety.gov β
Plain-language U.S. government food safety guidance and temperature charts
Find an Accredited Food Handler Program β
ANAB directory of accredited certificate programs your jurisdiction may require
CDC Food Safety β
Information on foodborne pathogens, outbreaks, and prevention