Houston Food Handler Card: What You Need Now That the City Card Is Gone

Quick answer: Houston no longer has its own food handler card, class, or fee. Since September 1, 2025, the city follows the state rule: every food employee completes an accredited Texas food handler course within 30 days of starting work. Any DSHS-licensed or ANSI-accredited course counts, most cost about $6 to $15 online, and the certificate is good for 2 years anywhere in Texas.

This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with the Houston Health Department or your employer.

What Changed in Houston

For years, Houston ran its own program on top of the state's. The Houston Health Department taught in-person food handler and food service manager classes, the city issued its own food service manager certificate, and the city code gave new food handlers 60 days to get trained.

That ended in 2025. A new state law, SB 1008, says a city can only require the permits and certifications the state itself would require. To comply, City Council repealed Houston's food service manager and food handler requirements and its certification fees in August 2025 (Ordinance 2025-743), and the city code now adopts the Texas Food Establishment Rules by reference. The Health Department's page says it plainly: effective September 1, 2025, the city will no longer conduct the in-person service manager's or handler's course.

One thing to watch for: some Houston Permitting Center pages still list the old $13.24 city food handler course with a 60-day deadline, and a $92.69 city food service manager certificate. Those pages describe the old program. Under state law, no Texas city can require or charge for a local food handler card if you have an accredited certificate.

What You Need Now

• Who: every food employee who works with unpackaged food, food equipment or utensils, or food-contact surfaces: cooks, prep cooks, servers, bussers, bartenders, dishwashers. The certified food manager and workers at temporary food events are exempt.
• Deadline: within 30 days of starting work. The old 60-day rule is gone.
• Which course: any food handler course licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) or accredited by ANSI. You don't need both, and you don't need anything from the city.
• Proof: your employer must keep a copy of your certificate at the restaurant.
• How long it lasts: 2 years, and it works in every Texas city.

How to Get Your Certificate

1. Pick an accredited online course

The Health Department's page points to online training that is "State of Texas accredited" and links to one private provider's Houston portal, but any DSHS-licensed or ANSI-accredited course is just as valid. Our How Much Does a Food Handler Card Cost? Prices by State and Provider compares prices; most Texas courses run about $6 to $15, and most major providers offer them in Spanish. Ask your manager first, 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 keeps one on file, and inspectors can ask to see it. Put the expiration date in your calendar: you renew by taking an accredited course again.

Food Managers in Houston

Every Texas food establishment needs a certified food protection manager, and one must be present during all hours of operation; places that handle only prepackaged food are among the exceptions. Houston used to require its own city certificate on top of the state one. Since September 2023, state law has barred Texas cities from making a certified food manager hold or pay for a local manager card, and Houston's requirement is now repealed. You need an accredited food manager certificate and nothing from the city. 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 Houston 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 the Houston Area

This page covers the City of Houston, but the state rule is the same across Texas: no city or county can require its own handler card, or charge you for one, if you have an accredited certificate. 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 a Houston food handler card?

No. Houston stopped issuing its own card and running its own classes on September 1, 2025. You need a food handler certificate from any DSHS-licensed or ANSI-accredited course, which is valid anywhere in Texas.

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

30 days from the day you start work. Houston's old 60-day rule was repealed along with the rest of the city program.

How much does a food handler card cost in Houston?

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

Does the Houston Health Department still offer food handler classes?

No. The department stopped its in-person food handler and food service manager courses on September 1, 2025. Take an accredited course online or in a classroom from a private provider instead.

Can I take the Houston 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 Houston, skip anything labeled a city card: 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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