US Food Handler Card Requirements by State (Verified 2026)

If you run a Japanese restaurant in the United States, every cook, sushi chef and kitchen hand you hire may need a food handler card within days or weeks of starting. Whether they do depends on the state, and sometimes the county. There is no federal requirement.

This guide lists the states where we could confirm a food handler requirement from state government or legislative sources in September 2026, with the deadline and validity each source gives. It is deliberately not a 50 state table: many lists online include states whose rules we could not confirm from an official source, and we have left those out rather than guess.

1. Food handler card versus manager certificate

Two different credentials are often confused:

• Food handler card (also called food handler permit, food worker card or food handler certificate). A short course and test for staff who handle unpackaged food, equipment or food contact surfaces. Required for each employee in the states below.
• Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM). A longer, proctored exam for a manager or person in charge; ServSafe Manager is one accredited example. Usually one or more per establishment. In several states a valid CFPM exempts that person from the food handler card. See food safety certification by country.

2. States we verified

All entries were checked in September 2026. Local health departments can add requirements, and rules change, so confirm with the health department that inspects your restaurant.

3. California: the employer pays

California deserves a closer look because it has many Japanese restaurants and specific employer duties. Health and Safety Code section 113948 says:

• A food handler must obtain a food handler card within 30 days after the date of hire, and keep a valid card for as long as they work as a food handler.
• The card is valid for three years from issue, even if the food handler changes employer.
• The employer must treat the time spent on the training and exam as compensable hours worked, and pay for any necessary expenses of obtaining the card (by reference to Labor Code section 2802).
• The employer must relieve the employee of all other duties while they take the course and exam.
• The employer must not make employment conditional on the applicant or employee already having a food handler card.

The payment and non conditioning rules came from Senate Bill 476, effective 1 January 2024. In practice: do not write "food handler card required" as a hiring condition in a California job ad. Schedule the course in the first weeks, pay for it and pay the time.

4. States not in the table

If your state is not listed, that does not mean there is no requirement. It means we did not confirm one from an official state source for this guide. Some states set requirements only at county or city level, and some require training without a card. Check:

1. Your county or city health department's food safety pages.
2. The state health or agriculture department that licenses restaurants.
3. The inspection report form your inspector uses, which usually lists training and certification items.

Separately, the FDA Food Code, the model many states base their food rules on, has a new 2026 edition published in September 2026. States adopt new editions on their own schedules, so it does not change your state's rules until the state acts.

5. A checklist for each new kitchen hire

1. Confirm the state and local requirement and the deadline in days.
2. Choose an accredited or state approved provider. Ask whether a Japanese language version exists if the hire's English is limited; do not assume it does.
3. Schedule the course during paid working time where required (California requires this).
4. Keep a copy of each card or certificate on file with its expiry date. Some states require it on site for inspection.
5. Set renewal reminders 60 days before expiry.
6. If the person will be your certified manager, schedule the CFPM exam too, and make sure a second person is certified in case they leave.

For state by state pay and hiring conditions, see the city guides, for example hiring a sushi chef in Los Angeles, Texas and Seattle.

General information, not legal advice. Food handler rules are set by states and localities and change; confirm with your local health department before relying on this table.