How Much Does a Food Handler Card Cost? Prices by State and Provider

Quick answer: An online food handler course from a major accredited provider usually costs about $7 to $15; for California, Texas, and Illinois, our check of nine providers found $7.00 to $15.00, and the cheapest was Food Handler Classes (EduClasses) at $7 (paid link). In a few states the state itself sets the price: Washington's food worker card is $10, and Oregon caps its card fee at $10. And in California, your employer has to pay. The bigger risk isn't the price, it's paying for a course your state or county doesn't accept.

Provider prices were rechecked on October 6, 2026, on each provider's own website; state fees come from state and county rules. Prices change, so confirm on the checkout page before you pay.

What the Big Online Providers Charge

These are each provider's prices for its California, Texas, and Illinois courses, from the providers' own websites on October 6, 2026. Apart from the Texas DSHS-only versions noted, every course listed is ANAB-accredited, which California and Illinois restaurant jobs require.

• Watch the checkout. StateFoodSafety adds a $0.99 processing fee, and so does eFoodcard in Texas and Illinois. eFoodHandlers pre-ticks a $2 unlimited print-and-download add-on; you can switch to the included 30-day download. 360training's California price, eFoodHandlers' price, and Food Handler Solutions' price are shown as sale prices.
• Texas has two kinds of course. Texas accepts both DSHS-licensed and ANAB-accredited courses, and some providers sell a cheaper DSHS-only version. It's fine for a Texas job, but an ANAB course is more likely to count if you move to another state.
• Riverside, San Bernardino, or San Diego County? These counties run their own programs, and an ordinary California course may not count there. See our guides for Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties.

We may earn a commission if you buy through some of these links, at no extra cost to you; they're marked “(paid link)”. Before you pay, check that the course is accepted where you work: your state or county's approved list beats any provider's claim.

Pros and Cons by Provider

Food Handler Classes (EduClasses)

Pros: $7 in California, Texas, and Illinois, the lowest price we found; ANAB-accredited, and approved by Texas DSHS; three tries at the test; English or Spanish. Cons: not valid in Riverside, San Bernardino, or San Diego counties, and failing three times means buying the course again. See EduClasses' course (paid link)

Premier Food Safety

Pros: unlimited test attempts (after two fails you rewatch the course), four languages, and a Texas DSHS license (#51) on top of ANAB accreditation. Cons: not accepted in Riverside, San Bernardino, or San Diego counties, and a mailed card costs $9.99 extra.

eFoodHandlers

Pros: $7.95 on sale, a free retest, and, by its own county list, approved in San Diego County. Cons: the pre-ticked $2 print add-on makes it $9.95 unless you switch it off, and it isn't approved in Riverside or San Bernardino counties.

eFoodcard

Pros: $7.99 in California with no processing fee, and English or Spanish. Cons: a $0.99 processing fee in Texas and Illinois, $10.98 for the Texas ANAB course, and not accepted in Riverside, San Bernardino, or San Diego counties.

Learn2Serve (360training)

Pros: a big name, $7.49 on sale in California, and both DSHS and ANAB courses in Texas. Cons: the course is in English, with Spanish sold as a separate course; its pages disagree on the passing score (72% or 80%); and it doesn't cover Riverside or San Bernardino counties.

Always Food Safe

Pros: English or Spanish, a separate San Diego County course ($13), and bulk prices for employers. Cons: $10, and after two failed attempts you rewatch the whole course; not approved in Riverside or San Bernardino counties.

Food Handler Solutions

Pros: $10 with no processing fee, and unlimited attempts available for $4.50. Cons: two attempts unless you pay for more, and the sale price is measured against a $15.97 list price.

StateFoodSafety

Pros: the most languages in California (seven, including American Sign Language), short courses, and an $8.99 Illinois card when bundled with BASSET alcohol training. Cons: the $0.99 fee brings it to $10.99, and Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties need a special course.

ServSafe

Pros: the best-known name in food safety training, from the National Restaurant Association, with three test attempts. Cons: the most expensive here ($11.99 in California, $15 in Texas and Illinois); San Diego County needs its own $14.99 course, and Riverside and San Bernardino aren't covered.

Food Handler Card Cost by State

Here's what you'll pay in the states we cover, and what sets the price:

Colorado and Georgia don't require a card for every food worker, though employers may; see our Food Handler Card Requirements by State: The 2026 Guide for the full picture.

Who Pays: You or Your Employer?

In California, your employer does. Since January 1, 2024, Senate Bill 476 requires California employers to pay for the food handler course, pay you for the time you spend on the training and exam, and relieve you of other duties while you take it. They also can't make an existing card a condition of hiring you. If you paid out of pocket after that date, ask about reimbursement.

Elsewhere, ask before you pay. Outside California, check your state's rules. Illinois, for example, doesn't require employers to pay and treats the certificate as the worker's property. Many employers pay anyway, reimburse you, or have a preferred provider they send every new hire to. Ask your manager first: it costs nothing to ask, and you won't buy a course they then tell you to redo with their provider.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

• Buying the wrong course. This is the most expensive mistake. Washington accepts only its official $10 course, Oregon only its approved programs, San Bernardino County only its own card, and San Diego County only its authorized providers. A cheap generic card that isn't accepted means paying twice.
• Retake fees. Oregon lets providers charge each time you take or retake the test, and the Southern Nevada Health District charges $5 to retest. Ask about retakes before you pay.
• Separate permit fees. In Utah, the course and the health department's permit fee (up to $15) are separate charges, though some courses collect both.
• Late and replacement fees. In Las Vegas, a card that expired within the last two years can be renewed with a $15 late fee. In New York City, a lost Food Protection Certificate costs $16 to replace.
• Renewal. In most states, renewing means taking the course and test again at the full price, every two or three years. See our renewal and lost-card guide.

How to Pay Less

1. Ask your employer first. In California they have to pay, and elsewhere many do.
2. Use the official program where one exists. Washington's $10 course and Oregon's capped fee are already the cheapest route.
3. Check the accepted list before you buy. Your state or county health department lists what counts; our state guides link to each one.
4. Pass the first time. Retakes cost time and sometimes money. Warm up with our free Free Food Handler Practice Test, which uses the same topics as the real test.
5. Skip anything that charges far more than the prices on this page for a basic food handler course, or that promises a card without a test.

Want to review away from the screen? "Food Handler Card Audio Cram," our own roughly 57-minute audio session from Kanti Press, covers the topics every food handler test asks about, so you can study on the bus or the walk to work.

What About Food Manager Certification?

A food manager certificate is a different, higher-level credential: a longer course and a proctored exam, required in many states for the person in charge. It costs considerably more than a food handler card: see our food manager certification cost comparison for exam and course prices. Our Food Manager Certification: How to Pass the Exam covers which exams count and how to pass.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a food handler card?

In our October 2026 check of nine major providers, online courses for California, Texas, and Illinois cost $7.00 to $15.00. Washington's card is $10, Oregon caps its fee at $10, and in California your employer pays.

Can I get a food handler card for free?

In California, yes in practice: your employer must pay for it. Elsewhere, many employers pay or reimburse the cost, so ask before you buy. Be wary of "free card" sites that aren't on your state or county's approved list.

Does my employer have to pay for my food handler card?

In California, yes, under SB 476, and they must pay for your training time too. Elsewhere it depends on the state; Illinois, for example, doesn't require it. Many employers pay anyway, so ask.

How much does it cost to renew a food handler card?

Usually the same as a new card, because renewing means taking the course and test again. Some programs add late fees, such as Southern Nevada's $15 fee for cards that have already expired.

Is a cheaper food handler card still valid?

Price doesn't decide validity; acceptance does. A $7 course is fine if your state or county accepts it, and a $30 course is worthless if it doesn't. Check the approved list for where you work.

Bottom Line

A food handler card is one of the cheapest credentials you'll ever buy, and in California it's free to you. The way to overpay is buying a course your state or county doesn't accept, or failing and paying to retake. Ask your employer, check the accepted list, and walk in prepared: start with our free Free Food Handler Practice Test.

Sources