Riverside County Food Handler Card: How to Get Your Certificate

Quick answer: Riverside County runs its own food handler program, and the California state food handler card isn't valid here. You need a Riverside County Food Handler Certificate within 7 days of starting work. The test costs $28 online or in person, you need 70% to pass, and the certificate lasts 2 years, not three like the state card. Your employer has to pay for it.

This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with Riverside County Environmental Health or your employer.

Why Riverside County Is Different

California's food handler card law exempts food handlers covered by a local program that took effect before January 1, 2009. Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties all had one, so they kept their own cards. The county's own page is blunt about it: only the Riverside County Food Handler Certificate is valid to work in Riverside County, and state California food handler cards are not.

One state rule still applies here: the employer-pays rule from SB 476. The law carves it back in for these counties, so your employer must pay for the certificate, count the time you spend on the training and test as paid work, and can't make having a certificate already a condition of hiring you.

Who Needs It and When

All food employees at a workplace that handles food, drinks, or utensils need the certificate, within 7 days of starting work. The county code exempts only a few groups: domestic workers in a private home, volunteers at occasional events run by nonprofit organizations, and students under 16 working in school food operations. Volunteers who work more than 25 days a year do need a certificate.

How to Get Your Certificate

Option 1: Online

Take the county's training and test at Riverside.StateFoodSafety.com, the county's approved online provider, in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, or American Sign Language. You print your certificate yourself when you pass.

Option 2: In person

Study the county manual online or pick up a printed copy, then take the test at a county Environmental Health area office in English or Spanish, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bring photo ID. The county lists offices in Riverside, Hemet, Indio, Palm Springs, Corona, and Temecula.

The test

The test has 50 multiple-choice questions, and you need 70% (35 correct) to pass. Online, you get 3 attempts. In person, you get 2 more attempts within a week at no extra charge. It covers the same food safety basics as any food handler test, so our free California Food Handler Practice Test is good practice.

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.

Cost and Who Pays

The online course and the in-person test both cost $28. Under California's SB 476, your employer has to cover that cost and pay you for the time you spend on the training and test. The statewide rule that at least one course must cost $15 or less doesn't apply in Riverside County; see our How Much Does a Food Handler Card Cost? Prices by State and Provider for other areas.

How Long It Lasts and How to Renew

A Riverside County certificate is valid for 2 years; the county code says it expires at the end of the month two years after it was issued. To renew, pass the county exam again. Put the date in your phone now, because the state card's three years doesn't apply here. Our expiration calculator works out the date and adds a reminder to your calendar.

Lost Your Certificate?

If you took the test online, log back in to your account and print it again; you can print as many copies as you need, and the county can't print it for you. If you took the test in person, any county area office can give you another copy at no additional cost. Our How to Renew a Food Handler Card (or Replace a Lost One) covers other counties and states.

Working Elsewhere in California

Your Riverside certificate is for jobs in Riverside County. Most other California counties use the state food handler card, but San Bernardino and San Diego counties run their own programs too: see our San Bernardino County Food Handler Card: How to Get It and San Diego County Food Handler Card: How to Get It guides. Our California Food Handler Card: How to Get Certified Step by Step covers the rest of the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a California food handler card valid in Riverside County?

No. Only the Riverside County Food Handler Certificate is valid for food handlers working in Riverside County.

How long do I have to get a Riverside County food handler card?

7 days from the day you start working as a food handler.

How much is a Riverside County food handler card?

$28, online or in person. Under California law, your employer must pay for it and for your training time.

How long is a Riverside County food handler card good for?

2 years. It expires at the end of the month two years after it was issued, and you renew by passing the test again.

Can I take the Riverside County food handler test in Spanish?

Yes. The online training and test are available in Spanish and several other languages, and the in-person test is offered in English and Spanish.

Bottom Line

In Riverside County, skip the state card: get the $28 Riverside County certificate online or at an area office within 7 days of starting, have your employer pay for it, and renew every 2 years. Warm up first with our free California Food Handler Practice Test.

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