Austin Food Handler Card: What Austin Public Health Requires

Quick answer: Austin doesn't issue its own food handler card, and you no longer register your certificate with the city. Every food employee needs an accredited food handler certificate within 30 days of starting work, from a course accredited by ANSI or the State of Texas. Most cost about $6 to $15 online, there's no city fee, and the certificate is good for 2 years anywhere in Texas.

This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with Austin Public Health or your employer.

What Changed in Austin

Austin used to keep its own records of who was trained. Food handlers and food managers registered their course completion with the city, and the city issued its own food manager certificate, for a fee set by city ordinance. In December 2023, City Council repealed the sections of the city code on applying for and issuing that certificate (Ordinance 20231214-057). A 2023 state law now bars Texas cities from making a certified food manager hold or pay for a local card.

Austin Public Health's page now says it directly: food handlers and food managers are no longer required to register their course completion with the City of Austin.

What You Need Now

• Who: every food employee who prepares or handles food: cooks, prep cooks, servers, bussers, bartenders, dishwashers. The certified food manager and workers at temporary food events are exempt, and so are workers at the smallest (Category 1) charitable feeding organizations.
• Deadline: within 30 days of starting work. Austin's page for mobile food vendors still says 60 days, but the state rule and the city's page for restaurants say 30. Plan on 30.
• Which course: a classroom or online course accredited by ANSI or the State of Texas (DSHS). Nothing from the city is needed.
• Proof: your employer keeps a record of your training, and on request must give the city a list of every food handler with each person's current certificate.
• How long it lasts: 2 years, and it works in every Texas city.

How to Get Your Certificate

1. Pick an accredited course

Austin Public Health's page sends you to DSHS-licensed and ANSI-accredited providers, in a classroom or online, rather than to a city class. Our How Much Does a Food Handler Card Cost? Prices by State and Provider compares online prices; most Texas courses run about $6 to $15, and most major providers offer them in Spanish. Ask your manager before you buy, since many employers pay or have a preferred provider.

2. Study, then take the test

Courses take about two hours and end with a short multiple-choice test on handwashing, cooking and holding temperatures, cross-contamination, and cleaning. Try our free Texas Food Handler Practice Test first: it mixes questions on Texas rules with the core food safety questions every course asks.

Prefer to study by listening? "Food Handler Card Audio Cram," our own roughly 57-minute audio session from Kanti Press, walks through the core topics every food handler test covers.

3. Download it and give your manager a copy

Save the certificate on your phone and email yourself a copy. Your employer needs it for their records, and inspectors can ask to see it. Put the expiration date in your calendar: you renew by taking an accredited course again.

Food Managers and Food Trucks in Austin

Austin's code requires each person in charge of a food business to hold a current, original certified food protection manager certificate from a state-accredited program, with a certified manager on site during all hours of operation and the certificate posted prominently. Businesses that sell only drinks or prepackaged food that isn't potentially hazardous, and temporary food events, are exempt. A food truck that sells only prepackaged food can instead rely on a certified manager at its central preparation facility. See our Texas food manager guide and How Much Does Food Manager Certification Cost? Exam and Course Prices Compared, and check yourself with our free Food Manager Practice Test.

"ServSafe Manager Audio Cram," also from Kanti Press, covers the manager-level material from the 2022 FDA Food Code in a listen-anywhere format.

Serving Alcohol Too?

A food handler certificate doesn't cover alcohol. If you'll pour or serve drinks, most Austin bars and restaurants will also want you TABC certified: see our TABC Certification: How to Get Your Texas Seller-Server Certificate and try the free TABC Practice Test.

Working Elsewhere in Texas

The state rule is the same everywhere in Texas: no city or county can require its own handler card, or charge you for one, if you have an accredited certificate, so your certificate moves with you to any Texas job. Our Texas Food Handler Card: How to Get Certified Step by Step covers the full state rules, and it's also available in Spanish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an Austin food handler card?

No. Austin doesn't issue its own card. You need a food handler certificate from a course accredited by ANSI or the State of Texas, which is valid anywhere in Texas.

Do I have to register my food handler certificate with the City of Austin?

No. Austin Public Health says food handlers and food managers are no longer required to register their course completion with the city. Just give your employer a copy.

How long do I have to get a food handler card in Austin?

30 days from the day you start work. You may see 60 days on Austin's mobile food vendor page, but the state rule is 30.

How much does a food handler card cost in Austin?

There's no city fee. You pay only for the course, usually about $6 to $15 online, and many employers pay for it.

Can I take the Austin food handler course in Spanish?

Yes. Most major accredited providers offer the Texas course in Spanish, and your certificate counts the same as the English one.

Bottom Line

In Austin, you don't need anything from the city: take an accredited Texas food handler course within 30 days of starting, give your manager a copy, and renew every 2 years. Warm up first with our free Texas Food Handler Practice Test.

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