Last verified: June 2026 against Utah DHHS, Utah Admin. Rule R392-103, and county health departments. Confirm with your local health department before paying.
Utah works differently from most states, and the difference matters. In Utah, the online course does not give you your official permit. It gives you a temporary certificate; your real permit is issued by your local (county) health department. Miss that step and you’re not actually compliant. Here’s how it really works.
Quick answer
Utah requires every food handler to hold a food handler permit, issued by a local health department, after completing an approved training course and exam. The course gets you a temporary certificate good for 30 days; the official permit follows from your county health department.
- Who needs one: anyone handling food served to the public.
- Training deadline: complete the certificate within 14 days of starting work.
- Permit deadline: obtain the official permit within 30 days of starting work.
- Permit fee: $15, set by the state — the same in every county, collected on top of any course fee.
- Valid for: 3 years, statewide.
- Issued by: the health department for the county where you live.
The two-step process (this is the part people miss)
Step 1 — Take an approved course and pass the exam. This gets you a Certificate of Completion. That certificate works as your temporary permit for up to 30 days.
Step 2 — Get your official permit from your local health department. The training provider sends your certificate data to the health department in the county where you live, and the official permit is issued (and, for online courses, typically mailed to you) within 30 days. The $15 permit fee is separate from the course price — approved online providers usually collect it and forward it to the health department for you.
So your total cost is roughly: the course fee (varies by provider) plus the $15 state permit fee.
Critical: only state-approved providers count
Utah local health departments will only accept training from providers on the official Utah approved-provider list. Under Utah Administrative Rule R392-103, a card from a course that isn’t on that list will not be accepted, and you’ll have paid for nothing. Before you buy, check the provider against the Utah DHHS approved list.
Recommended: Use an online provider that appears on Utah’s approved list and collects the $15 permit fee for you. Remember the official permit arrives by mail within 30 days. See Utah’s approved provider list here.
Utah food handler permit by county
Because your permit is issued by your county of residence, the practical steps differ slightly depending on where you live. What never changes: the $15 state permit fee and the approved-provider requirement. What varies: which office issues your permit, and whether in-person classes exist near you.
Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County does not run in-person food handler classes — you cannot walk in and take the class at the county office. The county directs all applicants to approved online providers. After you pass, your official card is mailed to you.
- Training: Online only, through a Utah-approved provider.
- Lost or never-received card? Replacement cards are $15. Pay by calling 385-468-3820 (Visa/Mastercard), or by mail/cash/card to: Salt Lake County Health Department, ATTN: Food Handler Card Replacement, 788 East Woodoak Lane, Murray, UT 84107.
Utah County (Provo, Orem, Lehi area)
Utah County routes food handlers through state-approved providers and manages permits through its official online health-department portal. The county publishes its own current list of approved food handler trainers and handles replacement cards through an online application.
- Training: Through a provider on Utah County’s approved-trainer list.
- Permits & replacements: Handled via the county’s official MyHealthDepartment portal (utah-utahcounty), including the Application for Replacement Food Handler Card.
Other counties
The same rule applies everywhere in Utah: complete a state-approved course, then your permit is issued by the health department for the district where you reside. Availability of in-person classes varies — some districts (for example, Weber-Morgan) have offered same-day in-person classes (often around $25), while others are online-only like Salt Lake County. The $15 state permit fee and approved-provider rule are constant; only the issuing office and class format change.
Replacing a lost permit
Replacement permits are handled by your local health department, not the online provider, and the fee is set locally (in Salt Lake County it’s $15). If you took an online course, you may be able to reprint the temporary certificate from your account, but the official replacement comes from the health department.
Utah at a glance
| Required? | Yes, statewide |
| Issued by | Your county health department (not the course) |
| Certificate deadline | 14 days after hire |
| Permit deadline | 30 days after hire |
| State permit fee | $15 (same in every county, plus course cost) |
| Valid for | 3 years |
| Approved providers only | Yes — unlisted courses rejected (R392-103) |
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Utah’s local-permit step and approved-provider rule are strict — your county health department is the final word.