Last verified: June 2026 against the Texas DSHS Food Handler Program and Texas SB 1089. Always confirm current rules with DSHS before you pay for anything.
| Required | Get it within | Valid for |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 30 days from hire | 2 years |
Law: Texas HSC § 438.046; TAC 228 · Authority: Texas DSHS · Verified: June 2026
Required statewide within 30 days of hire. One accredited card works in every Texas city and county.
If you’ve just been hired at a restaurant, bar, grocery deli, or food truck in Texas, you’ve probably been told to “get your food handler card.” Here’s exactly what that means, what it costs, and how to avoid wasting money on a course your employer can’t accept — or on a local “registration fee” you don’t actually owe.
Quick answer
In Texas, anyone who handles food, utensils, or food-contact surfaces must complete a food handler training course accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) or licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). You finish the course, pass a short exam if your provider sets one, and download a certificate the same day. There’s no separate trip to a government office for most people.
- Who needs one: cooks, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, bussers, deli and counter staff — essentially anyone touching unpackaged food or the things that touch it.
- Deadline: within 30 days of being hired (25 TAC § 228.31(d)).
- Cost: roughly $6–$15 online.
- Time: about 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Valid for: 2 years, then you retake the course to renew.
- Where it’s valid: statewide — a DSHS-accredited card is recognized in every Texas city and county, with no extra local fees.
Most people just want this handled today: this ANAB-accredited online course (Food Handler Classes, DSHS licence TXDSHS 80) covers everything above, takes about two hours, and gets you a printable certificate the same day.
What it’s called: Texas DSHS calls it a food handler card, and your provider issues it as a certificate you download. The same credential gets searched as a food handler certification, food handlers permit and food handlers license — Texas issues no separate permit or license to workers, so all of these refer to the accredited training described here.
One card, every city: what SB 1089 means for you
If you searched for a “San Antonio food handlers card” or a “Fort Worth food handlers card,” here’s the good news: there’s no such thing as a separate city card you have to buy. Under Texas Senate Bill 1089, a state-approved (DSHS-accredited) food handler certificate is valid in every city and county in Texas — Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, and everywhere else.
This matters because it used to be different. Before SB 1089, some cities and counties made workers pay additional local “registration” or “health card” fees on top of their training. SB 1089 eliminated that practice for state-approved certificates. So if anyone tells you to pay your city a separate fee to “register” a valid DSHS-accredited card, that’s no longer a requirement — your state card already covers you.
The one exception worth knowing: SB 1089 also lets a single employer in a local health jurisdiction train its own employees with an in-house (unaccredited) course. That course only counts for that employer’s staff and does not transfer if you change jobs. For a card that works anywhere in Texas, you need one from a DSHS-accredited or ANAB-accredited program.
Who has to get one (and who doesn’t)
Texas defines a “food employee” broadly. If your job involves preparing, storing, or serving food, or handling the utensils and surfaces that contact food, the requirement applies to you — full-time, part-time, and seasonal alike.
There are two exemptions written into the rule itself. First, if you already hold a Certified Food Protection Manager credential, you don’t also need a separate food handler card — 25 TAC § 228.31(d) excepts the CFPM by name, and the manager certification covers the same ground. Second, the requirement does not apply to temporary food establishments. If you are working a weekend festival stand rather than a permanent kitchen, the 30-day rule does not reach you.
How to get your Texas food handler card, step by step
- Pick an accredited provider. This is the step people get wrong. The card is only valid if the course is ANAB-accredited or DSHS-licensed. A legitimate Texas card or certificate must show the program’s name, address, and either a TXDSHS Accreditation License Number or “ANSI/ANAB” on it. If a course can’t show that, walk away.
- Take the course online. Most people do this from a phone or laptop in one sitting. The content covers handwashing and hygiene, the temperature “danger zone,” cross-contamination, and allergen awareness.
- Pass the exam, if your provider uses one. This step is optional as a matter of state law — Texas lets each program decide whether to test. Most do: multiple choice, passing score around 70%, with retakes usually allowed.
- Download and print your certificate. You can usually print it the moment you pass. Give a copy to your employer — Texas requires employers to keep proof of training on site.
What it really costs: Texas food handler courses compared
Any course licensed by Texas DSHS or accredited by ANAB gives you a valid Texas food handler card, so the price and the language are the real differences. Most cost $8–$15 and take under an hour. Prices below are as listed by each provider in October 2026; check the checkout page before you pay.
| Provider | Price | Length | Spanish | Approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eFoodHandlers (txfoodhandlers.com) | $7.95 | about 30 min | Yes | ANAB-accredited |
| Premier Food Safety | $7.95 | — | — | ANAB-accredited |
| Learn2Serve (360training) | from $7.99 | — | Yes | ANAB-accredited |
| eFoodcard | $9.99 | about 30 min | Yes | DSHS-approved and ANAB versions |
| StateFoodSafety | $10.99 ($10 + $0.99 fee) | about 40 min | Yes | DSHS-approved |
| ServSafe Food Handler | $15 | self-paced, short sections | Yes, plus Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese | ANAB-accredited |
| Texas A&M AgriLife Extension | $15 | under 2 hours | Spanish version offered | DSHS-accredited |
Can I take the Texas food handler course in Spanish? Yes. Most of the providers above offer the full course and test in Spanish (curso de manipulador de alimentos en español), and the card is the same Texas card you would get in English.
Watch for: courses that are neither DSHS-licensed nor ANAB-accredited, and “free” cards that charge to download the certificate. If your employer sends you to a specific provider, use that one; the card is valid statewide either way.
Renewal
Your card is valid for 2 years. To renew, you retake the full course and exam — Texas doesn’t offer a shortened refresher. A practical tip: set a reminder about two months before your card expires, especially if you’re changing jobs, because a new employer will want to see a valid card and the 60-day clock can catch people off guard.
The most common mistake
Buying a card from a site that isn’t on the accredited list. Because the cards “vary in size and color,” it’s hard to eyeball whether one is legitimate. The only thing that matters is whether the issuing program is ANAB-accredited or DSHS-licensed. When in doubt, confirm against the official DSHS program page or call the DSHS Food Licensing Group at 512-834-6727.
What the state actually sets — and what it leaves to the provider
Texas regulates food handler courses more lightly than most people assume, and knowing where the limits sit protects you from being oversold.
Two hours is a ceiling, not a floor
This is the detail that surprises everyone. 25 TAC § 229.178(c)(2) says of an accredited food handler course:
The course length may not exceed two hours.
The same cap appears in the statute, at Health & Safety Code § 438.0431(b). So a provider advertising a “comprehensive 8-hour Texas food handler course” is either selling you a different credential — a manager certification — or selling you something the state does not recognise as a food handler course. Two hours is the legal maximum.
Beware one confusion here: § 438.043, the neighbouring section, does list four-hour training blocks. Those govern general program accreditation and are expressly overridden for food handlers by § 438.0431, which opens “Notwithstanding Section 438.043.” The food handler numbers are the ones above.
The exam is optional
§ 229.178(c)(3) provides that a program may require a passing score. It is permissive, and it is addressed to the provider, not to you. Texas does not mandate an exam or a passing mark for a food handler certificate. Most reputable providers use one anyway, which is fine — just know that “state-required exam” is marketing language, not law.
Two years, or whatever the card says
§ 229.178(d)(1) sets validity at two years. DSHS adds a practical gloss: the card is valid up to the expiration date printed on it, and if no date is printed, two years from issue. So read your certificate — if it shows a shorter date, that date governs.
The rule that catches employers: a certified manager during all hours
Texas goes further than the national model code on manager coverage, and this is where establishments get written up. 25 TAC § 228.31(b):
Except as specified in subsection (c) of this section, a certified food protection manager shall be present at the food establishment during all hours of operation as required in Food Code, §2-101.11 and §2-102.12.
“Present during all hours” is a coverage requirement, not a headcount. If you are open across two shifts, one certified manager cannot satisfy it. Many Texas operators discover this at inspection.
Subsection (c) carves out establishments the regulatory authority considers minimal risk based on the nature of the operation and the extent of food preparation — for example, places handling only prepackaged food, those not preparing exposed time/temperature control for safety foods, and temporary food establishments. If you think you fall in that category, get it confirmed by your local authority rather than assuming it.
Texas operates on the 2017 FDA Food Code plus its Supplement, adopted by reference at 25 TAC § 228.1(b) and effective 8 August 2021. The 2017 edition is the one that made the person in charge a certified food protection manager, so in Texas that is live law rather than a recommendation. Texas has not moved to the 2022 edition.
How to check a provider is real
Do not take a provider’s word for accreditation. There are two lists, and a legitimate Texas course is on at least one:
- The DSHS accredited online food handler programs list, where each entry shows a licence number in the form TXDSHS nn.
- The ANAB directory of accredited food handler certificate programs.
For the record, the course linked on this page is on that DSHS list: Food Handler Classes, DSB WorldWide Inc, licence TXDSHS 80, with a Sherman, Texas address. Look it up there before you pay, exactly as you would for any other provider. If you want it handled now, the course is here.
Your certificate should carry the program’s name and address and either a TXDSHS accreditation licence number or the ANSI/ANAB mark. If it carries neither, it is not a Texas food handler card, whatever the seller called it.
Food handler card by Texas city — where your card works
Since SB 1089 took effect, one state-accredited food handler card is valid in every Texas city and county. There is no separate Houston card, Dallas card, or San Antonio card. Here is what that means in the state’s largest metros:
Houston and Harris County
Houston previously ran its own city food handler program through the Houston Health Department. That separate city card is no longer required — a Texas DSHS or ANAB-accredited food handler card satisfies the requirement citywide, including in Pasadena, Baytown, Sugar Land, and the rest of Harris County. Houston Health Department still licenses establishments, but individual workers use the state-accredited card.
Dallas and Dallas County
Dallas, Irving, Garland, Mesquite, and Richardson all accept the state-accredited card. Dallas County Health and Human Services does not issue a separate worker card. The same card works if you move between restaurants anywhere in the Metroplex.
San Antonio and Bexar County
San Antonio Metro Health previously operated its own food handler card program. That card has been superseded — the state-accredited card is what you need, and it is valid across Bexar County including New Braunfels-adjacent areas and Schertz.
Austin and Travis County
Austin Public Health accepts any Texas-accredited food handler card. There is no Austin-specific card. The card is valid throughout Travis County, including Round Rock, Pflugerville, and Cedar Park (though Cedar Park is partly in Williamson County — same rule applies).
Fort Worth and Tarrant County
Fort Worth, Arlington, and the rest of Tarrant County accept the state card. Tarrant County Public Health does not issue separate worker permits.
El Paso
El Paso previously ran a city food handler program. The state-accredited card now covers you throughout El Paso County. If you hold an older El Paso city card, check the expiration — when it lapses, renew with a state-accredited course instead.
Amarillo, Lubbock, and the Panhandle
Amarillo (Potter and Randall counties) and Lubbock accept the state-accredited card. Neither city operates a separate food handler permit system. The card is valid across the Panhandle and South Plains.
Corpus Christi, Laredo, Brownsville, and McAllen
All South Texas and Gulf Coast cities accept the state-accredited card. Corpus Christi-Nueces County Public Health, the City of Laredo Health Department, and Cameron County (Brownsville) do not issue separate worker cards.
Plano, Frisco, McKinney (Collin County)
Collin County cities accept the state card with no local addition. This is one of the fastest-growing restaurant markets in Texas, and the single-card rule makes moving between cities straightforward.
Texas at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Food handler card required? | Yes — 25 TAC § 228.31(d) |
| Deadline | Within 30 days of employment |
| Exemptions | Certified food protection managers; temporary food establishments |
| Valid routes | DSHS-accredited or ANSI-accredited (HSC § 438.046(b-1)) |
| Maximum course length | 2 hours — a ceiling, not a minimum |
| Exam required by the state? | No — each program decides |
| Validity | 2 years, or the date printed on the card |
| Typical cost | $6–$15 online |
| Local city cards or fees? | Prohibited once you show an accredited certificate (HSC § 438.046(c)) |
| Certified manager rule | Present during all hours of operation (25 TAC § 228.31(b)), subject to the (c) minimal-risk exemption |
| Food Code edition | 2017 Food Code plus Supplement, effective 8 Aug 2021 |
Reviewed August 2026 against 25 TAC Chapters 228 and 229, Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 438, the Texas Food Establishment Rules (August 2021), and the DSHS accredited-program lists.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Your city or county health department is the final word on any local question.
Managing or supervising a Texas food establishment? See Texas Food Manager Certification.
Work across a state line?
Food handler rules follow the establishment’s location, not where you live. If you work in a neighbouring state, its requirements may be different:
- Oklahoma — varies by county
- New Mexico — card required
- Arkansas — no card required
- Louisiana — no card required
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