Last verified: June 2026. Confirm with the Maryland Department of Health Office of Food Protection or your county before paying.
Maryland is genuinely county-driven: there’s no statewide worker card and no statewide manager mandate. What you need depends entirely on which county you’re in. Here’s the accurate picture.
Quick answer
Maryland’s statewide rules (based on the 2009 FDA Food Code) don’t mandate certification. Instead, several counties require a Certified Food Service Manager (CFSM) for medium- and high-priority establishments. There’s no statewide food handler card.
- No statewide mandate: neither a worker card nor manager certification is required by the state itself.
- Counties that require a certified manager: Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery, Howard, and Prince George’s.
- Validity: typically 3 years — and the certificate is generally valid only in the issuing county.
- Posting: the manager’s photo certificate must be posted in the facility.
Why Maryland is county-driven
Maryland’s statewide regulations are based on an older FDA Food Code that doesn’t mandate certification. Several counties (and Baltimore City) updated their own rules to require a certified food service manager for higher-risk establishments. So the deciding question in Maryland is always: which county are you in?
The counties that require certification
- Baltimore City — each high- and moderate-priority facility must employ a manager who took an ANAB-approved course, passed the exam, and filed a Baltimore City Health Department application. Valid 3 years.
- Baltimore County — each medium/high-priority facility must have a certified manager on-site during all operating hours; the county approves a list of providers. Valid 3 years, and the certificate is explicitly “valid in Baltimore County only.” The manager’s photo certificate must be posted; a 90-day window applies to replace a departed manager.
- Howard County — establishments must employ a certified manager; every 3 years the manager retakes training and exam and files a county application.
- Montgomery County — facilities must be under the immediate control of a certified manager; Montgomery also uniquely requires someone on-site during prep/service who has completed a food allergy course and passed its exam.
- Prince George’s County — requires a certified food service manager for qualifying establishments.
A recurring quirk: these county certificates are generally valid only in the county that issued them — moving across county lines may mean re-certifying.
Other statewide notes
Food handler training and allergen awareness are not statewide mandates (Montgomery’s allergen rule is local). Maryland also has a statewide ban on polystyrene (Styrofoam) food containers — an operational rule unrelated to certification but worth knowing.
Do regular workers need a food handler card?
No statewide card is required. Whether you need anything depends on your county and employer. If a voluntary course helps, an ANAB-accredited food handler program (typically valid 2–3 years) is the standard — but if you’re the certified manager in a CFSM county, you need the county-approved manager certification, not a basic handler card.
What to do
- Check your county first — this is the deciding factor in Maryland.
- In a CFSM county (Baltimore City/County, Montgomery, Howard, PG): get a county-approved manager certification; post the photo certificate; renew every 3 years.
- Montgomery County: also ensure someone on-site has completed an approved food allergy course.
- Regular worker: no statewide card; check your county/employer.
Maryland at a glance
| Statewide worker card? | No |
| Statewide manager mandate? | No — county-driven |
| Counties requiring a certified manager | Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery, Howard, Prince George’s |
| Validity | Typically 3 years; valid in issuing county only |
| Montgomery extra | On-site food allergy course required |
| Regulator | MD Dept of Health + county health departments |
This guide is general information, not legal advice. The Maryland Department of Health and your county are the final word.