Illinois Food Handler Practice Test

Illinois gives food handlers 30 days from hire to complete training, and it lasts three years. This free practice test mixes questions on Illinois rules (restaurant and non-restaurant courses, who's exempt, and why Chicago can't add its own card) with the food safety questions every approved course asks.

Want to review away from the screen? "Food Handler Card Audio Cram," our own roughly 57-minute audio session from Kanti Press, walks through the same topics as this test, so you can study on the bus or the walk to work.

Illinois questions and answers

Take the test first: this section gives the answers away. Here is every Illinois-specific question in the test, with the rule behind it. The rest of the test comes from our core bank, and Food Handler Test Questions and Answers lists all of those.

1. 1How soon after being hired must an Illinois food handler complete training?

   1. Within 14 days
   2. Within 60 days
   3. Within 90 days
   4. Within 30 days

   Answer: D. Within 30 days

   The Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act gives food handlers 30 days from hire, in restaurants and non-restaurant settings alike. Review this in the Illinois guide

2. 2How long is Illinois food handler training valid?

   1. 2 years
   2. 5 years
   3. 1 year
   4. 3 years

   Answer: D. 3 years

   Restaurant food handlers retrain every three years, as do workers at nursing homes, day cares, hospitals, schools, and long-term care facilities. (A Certified Food Protection Manager certificate is a separate credential.) Review this in the Illinois guide

3. 3What kind of course must an Illinois restaurant food handler take?

   1. An ANSI (ANAB) accredited course
   2. An in-person class only
   3. A course from the Chicago health department
   4. Any course, as long as it is free

   Answer: A. An ANSI (ANAB) accredited course

   Restaurant food handlers need a course from an ANSI-accredited program; accreditation now runs through ANAB. Review this in the Illinois guide

4. 4What food handler training can a hospital kitchen worker in Illinois use?

   1. Only a course the hospital writes itself, with no approval needed
   2. Any program approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health
   3. Only a Chicago-issued card
   4. None; training is required only in restaurants

   Answer: B. Any program approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health

   Workers at non-restaurant food establishments, such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and grocery stores, can take any IDPH-approved program. ANSI-accredited courses count as approved too. Review this in the Illinois guide

5. 5Which of these Illinois food workers is exempt from food handler training?

   1. An unpaid volunteer
   2. A restaurant server
   3. A paid cook who only fills in occasionally
   4. A food truck worker

   Answer: A. An unpaid volunteer

   Unpaid volunteers are exempt, along with certified food protection managers and workers at temporary food establishments. Paid staff who fill in only occasionally still need training. Review this in the Illinois guide

6. 6Can Chicago require its own separate food handler card?

   1. No; food handler training is an exclusive function of the state
   2. Only for restaurants downtown
   3. Yes, every Chicago food worker needs one
   4. Yes, but only for workers under 18

   Answer: A. No; food handler training is an exclusive function of the state

   Illinois law makes food handler training an exclusive function of the state, so no city can add its own handler card. (Chicago does require its own sanitation certificate for managers.) Review this in the Illinois guide

7. 7What does Illinois law require about the price of food handler training?

   1. Employers must pay for it
   2. It must cost exactly $10
   3. Every course must be free
   4. At least one approved option must cost $15 or less

   Answer: D. At least one approved option must cost $15 or less

   Illinois requires at least one training option at $15 or less. The law doesn’t make employers pay, and the certificate belongs to you. Review this in the Illinois guide

8. 8You leave one Illinois restaurant for another. What happens to your ANSI-accredited food handler certificate?

   1. Your new employer must retrain you within 7 days
   2. It expires when you leave
   3. You must re-register it with IDPH
   4. It goes with you; it’s valid statewide until it expires

   Answer: D. It goes with you; it’s valid statewide until it expires

   Restaurant (ANSI-accredited) certificates are valid statewide and move with you. Training from a non-restaurant employer’s own program generally does not transfer. Review this in the Illinois guide

How the real Illinois exam works

Restaurant workers take an ANSI (ANAB) accredited course; workers at hospitals, schools, grocery stores, and other non-restaurant businesses can use any program approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health. At least one approved option must cost $15 or less, and the certificate is valid for three years. Our Illinois Food Handler Training: How to Get Certified Step by Step walks through each step, with sources.

Want more practice away from the screen? The Food Handler Practice Exam Pack has 100 questions on the core food safety rules every state tests, as four printable exams of 25 with an answer key at the back. It doesn't cover state-specific rules; this page's test does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this the official Illinois food handler test?

No. Your certificate comes from an ANSI-accredited or IDPH-approved training program and its assessment. This practice test covers the Illinois rules and the FDA Food Code topics those programs teach.

Do I need a separate Chicago food handler card?

No. Food handler training is an exclusive function of the state, so Chicago can't require its own handler card. Chicago does require its own sanitation certificate for managers and the person in charge, which is a different credential.