Food Handler Cards and Food Manager Certification by State
If your staff prepare or serve food in the US, two kinds of credential usually come up. Most kitchens need at least one manager with a food protection manager certification, and some states also want every food worker to hold a food handler card. The rules are set state by state, and sometimes county by county, so a team that works in two states can be held to two sets of rules.
This post covers the manager certification, the card laws in four states with clear published rules, how long each one lasts, and how to keep track of expiry dates for kitchen and event staff in WorkZerk.
Two different credentials
- Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM). A manager-level certification earned by passing an accredited exam. ServSafe Manager is the best-known one.
- Food handler card. A shorter course and test for the people who handle food. A card is not a manager certification, and a manager certification is not a card, though some states let a certified manager skip the card.
The FDA Food Code and the person in charge
The FDA Food Code is a model code. It is not federal law on its own: states and local health departments adopt it, often an older edition and often with their own changes. The current edition is the 2026 Food Code.
Two sections matter here. Section 2-101.11 says the permit holder must make sure a person in charge is present at the food establishment "during all hours of operation". Section 2-102.12 says the person in charge "shall be a certified food protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an accredited program". The regulator can exempt establishments it considers minimal risk, based on the kind of operation and how much food is prepared.
The Food Code also expects the person in charge to make sure employees are "properly trained in food safety, including food allergy awareness" (section 2-103.11). It leaves the form of that training to each state.
Which manager exams count
The Conference for Food Protection writes the standard for manager certification programs, and the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accredits the programs against it. ANAB does not run an exam itself. Its food protection manager directory lists the accredited programs.
The Indiana Department of Health publishes a contact list of accredited providers. It includes ServSafe (National Restaurant Association Solutions), the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, StateFoodSafety, Learn2Serve, Always Food Safe and others.
How long a manager certification lasts depends on the program and the state. California, for example, requires certified individuals to be recertified every five years. The expiry date is printed on the certificate, so that is the date to track.
Food handler cards in four states
These four states have statewide rules with clear published sources. They are examples, not a complete list.
| State | Who needs it | Deadline | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Food handlers in a food facility (Health and Safety Code 113948) | Within 30 days of hire | 3 years from issue |
| Texas | All food employees except the certified food protection manager (25 TAC 228.31) | Within 30 days of employment | Until the date on the card, or 2 years from issue if it has none (DSHS) |
| Illinois | Restaurant food handlers, except holders of a food service sanitation manager certificate (410 ILCS 625/3.06) | Within 30 days of starting | Retrain every 3 years (IDPH) |
| Washington | Anyone who works with unpackaged food, food equipment or utensils, or surfaces where unwrapped food goes (DOH) | Up to 14 days, if the employer provides food safety training | First card 2 years. Renewal 3 years, or 5 with proof of extra training in the last 2 years |
Some details worth knowing:
- California. The card must come from an ANSI-accredited training provider. The facility keeps records showing each food handler holds a valid card and shows them to the inspector on request. Since 2024, the employer pays for the training and exam, counts the time as hours worked, and can't make an existing card a condition of hiring (same section, as amended by SB 476).
- California manager. Separately, each food facility that handles unpackaged potentially hazardous food needs at least one owner or employee with a food safety certificate, with 60 days to comply after opening, a change of owner, or losing the certified person (113947.1).
- Texas. A certified food protection manager must be present during all hours of operation, with exemptions for minimal-risk and temporary food establishments. The establishment keeps each employee's food handler certificate of completion on the premises.
- Illinois. The training must be ANSI accredited or an internal program approved by IDPH. Proof of training has to be available when an inspector asks, and can be kept electronically.
- Washington. Get the card through a local health department or the state's own site, foodworkercard.wa.gov. Cards from other states and other websites are not accepted.
Moving between employers and states
- California. The card is valid for three years even if the person changes employers, and is recognized statewide. The exception is a county that ran its own card program before 2009, which can keep it.
- Texas. Cards from an accredited program are recognized statewide.
- Illinois. The statute says some kinds of this training carry over to a new employer and some do not. Check which applies to your staff.
- Washington. Only a Washington card counts.
So a card from one state usually does not cover work in another. Not every state has a statewide card law either. Where there isn't one, a county or city may still have its own rule.
Events and temporary food stands
Event catering often falls under temporary food rules, which differ again. In Texas, the food handler course and the full-time manager requirement do not apply to temporary food establishments. The Food Code lets regulators exempt minimal-risk operations from the manager rule. Your local health department's temporary event permit sets what applies on the day.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state, county and city, and change, so check with the health department where your staff work.
What WorkZerk does with food handler cards
- Each person uploads their card or manager certificate from a private link on their phone, with no account or password.
- They have to enter the expiry date before they can send it. WorkZerk's AI check reads the date on the document and flags it when it differs from the one they typed.
- You approve or reject each one, and WorkZerk records who did it and when.
- The card is saved to the person's contact record, so it counts on every portal they are on.
- You can ask for the manager certification only from the people who need it.
- WorkZerk emails the person before the card expires, and again after, asking for the new one.
- The Document compliance report lists who is current, expiring, expired or missing, and downloads as a CSV, which is useful when an inspector asks for records.
What it does not do: WorkZerk does not run training, issue cards, or check a card with a training provider or health department. It keeps the copy, the expiry date and the record of who approved it. Whether that meets a particular state or county's rules is for you to check.
Setting it up in WorkZerk
1. Turn on two-factor authentication
Asking people to upload documents needs two-factor authentication on your account. Set it up under Account, then Two-factor authentication (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab).
2. Create the fields
Open Fields (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) in the sidebar and click Add common fields. Tick Food safety certificate, an Upload field with an expiry date already required. Rename it Food handler card if you like. See custom contact fields.
Then add a second Upload field called Food protection manager certificate and tick Require an expiry date.
If your staff work in more than one state, add a Choice field called State card issued in with those states as options.
3. Add the questions to a portal
Open Portals (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) and pick or create one. The Staff onboarding (United States) starter pack covers tax and payroll forms, not food safety, so add these yourself. On the portal's Requests panel, click + Insert, choose Upload, and name it "Food handler card". Pick your field under Document type and make sure Require expiry is on.
Spell out the date in the description, for example: "Upload your food handler card. Enter the expiry date printed on it. If there isn't one, enter the date two years after it was issued."
To use it again on the next portal, save the requests as a request pack.
4. Ask for the manager certificate only where it applies
Add a Choice request called "Will you be a kitchen manager or shift lead?" with the options Yes and No.
Below it, add an Upload for the manager certificate, picking your field under Document type. Under the request, use Show only when, pick the manager question and the answer Yes. Everyone else never sees it.
5. Review and approve
Uploads wait under Needs review on Requests (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab). Check the name, the state and the expiry date against the card. If the date is wrong, click Change date and correct it. Then approve it. See reviewing uploads.
6. Switch on the reminders
Open Automations (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab). Switch on Document expiring reminder and Document expired reminder. Both start switched off.
The expiring reminder goes 30 days before the date. A new card means a course and a test, so you may want to stack a second rule at 60 days. The reminders stop once the new card is uploaded. See automations.
7. Check who is covered
Open Requests (opens in WorkZerk in a new tab) and click Document compliance. Each person shows as current, expiring, needs review, expired or missing.
Tick Only people who aren't compliant for the list to work through before a shift or an event, and use Download CSV for your own records. See document compliance.
Getting started
Start a free WorkZerk trial at workzerk.com, then work through the steps above. The staff onboarding walkthrough covers a whole hire end to end, or email us at [email protected].