When Does My Food Handler Card Expire? Expiration Calculator
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Quick answer: most food handler cards last 2 or 3 years, food manager certificates 5 years, and alcohol server certifications 2 to 5 years, depending on your state. Pick your card and the date you got it to see when it expires, how many days you have left, and add a renewal reminder to your calendar. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
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Renewing? Take an accredited course online
In most places, renewing means taking an accredited course and its test again. Both of these courses are ANAB-accredited, which California, Texas, and Illinois accept. They don't count everywhere: Washington, Oregon, Utah, Florida, Ohio, Southern Nevada (Las Vegas), and a few California counties require their own or state-approved programs, so check your state's renewal rule first.
- Food Handler Classes (EduClasses)$7.00Start with EduClasses (paid link)
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How Long Each Card Lasts
These are the rules the calculator uses. Each link goes to our full guide, with the official sources. If your card shows a different expiration date, go by the card.
| Card | Lasts | How to renew |
|---|---|---|
| California food handler card | 3 years | Take an ANAB-accredited course and pass the test again; your employer pays. |
| Riverside County, CA food handler certificate | 2 years, to the end of the month | Pass the county exam again. |
| San Bernardino County, CA food handler card | 3 years | Take the county's online training and test again. |
| San Diego County, CA food handler card | 3 years | Take another 3-hour course and pass the test at a county-authorized school. |
| Texas food handler card | 2 years | Retake a DSHS-licensed or ANAB-accredited course. |
| Illinois food handler training | 3 years | Retake an approved course. Workers outside restaurants and the other listed settings retrain only when they change employers. |
| Washington food worker card (first card) | 2 years | Take the renewal course and test up to 60 days before it expires. Renew on time and you get a 3-year card; renew late and you get a 2-year card. |
| Washington food worker card (renewal card) | 3 years | Take the renewal course and test up to 60 days before it expires. |
| Washington 5-year renewal card | 5 years | Take the renewal test up to 60 days before it expires. You qualify for another 5-year card if you've completed at least four hours of approved extra food safety training in the past two years. |
| Oregon food handler card | 3 years | Pass an approved test again before your card expires. |
| Utah food handler permit | 3 years | Take an approved course again and get a new permit from your health department no later than 7 days after the old one expires. |
| Southern Nevada (Las Vegas) food handler card | 3 years | Take SNHD's shorter renewal test. A card that expired within the last two years costs a $15 late fee. |
| Arizona food handler card (Maricopa, Pima) | 3 years | Take a course again; accredited certificates count in any county that requires one. |
| Florida food employee training | 3 years | Retrain through a DBPR-approved program. |
| Ohio Level One certification | No state expiration | Nothing required by the state, though some employers ask for a refresher. |
| Certificate | Lasts | How to renew |
|---|---|---|
| Food protection manager certificate (ServSafe Manager, NRFSP, and others) | 5 years in most places | Pass an accredited manager exam again before it expires. Some states and counties require renewal sooner. |
| New York City Food Protection Certificate | Never expires | No renewal needed. |
| Certification | Lasts | How to renew |
|---|---|---|
| Texas TABC seller-server certificate | 2 years from the date it's issued | Take a TABC-approved course again. There's no grace period. |
| California RBS certification | 3 years | Renew within 90 days before it expires: pay the fee, take an approved course again, and pass the ABC exam within 30 days. |
| Illinois BASSET certificate | 3 years | Take a BASSET course again before it expires. |
| Washington MAST permit | 5 years, to the first of the next month | Take a new course and exam; the LCB advises starting 45 days before it expires, because there's no grace period. |
| Oregon OLCC service permit | 5 years from the date the OLCC issued it | Reapply and retake the course and test. The course has to be taken within the two years before your permit expires. |
| Nevada alcohol education card | 4 years from the date it's issued | Take a CPE-approved course and pass its in-person exam again before it expires; the card itself can't be extended. |
Where to Find Your Expiration Date
- On the card or certificate. Most show both the issue date and the expiration date. If yours shows the expiration date, choose "The expiration date" above to get a reminder.
- In your email. Online providers usually email the certificate as a PDF when you pass. Search for the provider's name or the word "certificate."
- In your account with the provider. Log back in to the course you took and download the certificate again.
- From the agency, for state and county cards. Washington, Southern Nevada, and the California counties with their own programs can look up or reissue cards. Our card lookup guide lists every official lookup, and our renewal and lost-card guide covers replacements.
- From your employer. Employers usually keep a copy on file for inspections.
Renew Before It Expires
In most states, an expired card simply doesn't count, and a new-hire deadline usually won't cover an expired card at a job you already have. Renewing usually means taking the course and test again, so it's worth starting a few weeks early. The calculator suggests a start date: 30 days ahead for most cards, and earlier where the rules allow or advise it, such as 60 days for Washington food worker cards and 90 days for California RBS.
Before you pay for a renewal course, ask your employer: many pay for it, and in California the employer must. Then brush up with our free Free Food Handler Practice Test, since numbers like holding temperatures fade between renewals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a food handler card good for?
Usually 2 or 3 years. Texas cards last 2 years; California, Illinois, Oregon, Utah, Florida, and Las Vegas cards last 3. A first Washington food worker card lasts 2 years, and renewals last 3 or 5.
Can I renew my food handler card early?
Often, yes. Washington lets you renew up to 60 days before your card expires, and California RBS servers can renew within 90 days. Elsewhere, a new card usually runs from the day you pass, so renewing very early can cost you time; a few weeks ahead is plenty.
What happens if my food handler card expires?
An expired card generally doesn't count, so you take the course and test again. Some programs charge extra or shorten your next card if you're late: Las Vegas adds a $15 late fee, and a late Washington renewal gets a 2-year card instead of 3.
Does a food manager certificate expire?
Yes, in most places after 5 years, the usual maximum for accredited manager exams. New York City's Food Protection Certificate is the exception: it never expires.
Is the information I enter saved anywhere?
No. The calculator runs in your browser, and the calendar reminder is a file saved straight to your device. We don't see your dates.
Bottom Line
Find the date on your card, check it here, and put a reminder in your calendar a month ahead. Renewing on time is cheaper and easier than scrambling after an inspector notices an expired card.
Ready to check yourself?
Our free 30-question practice test grades you instantly and links every miss back to the guide that explains it.