Texas Food Handler and TABC Certification Cost
This page tracks current prices for the Texas food handler card, TABC seller-server certification, the combined bundle, and the Certified Food Manager (CFM) credential. Every price below links to the provider page that publishes it, with a verification date alongside it; where a row shows no price, it links to that provider so you can check its current rate directly. This site may earn a commission on the marked affiliate link below; see our affiliate disclosure for the full statement. Neither the Texas Department of State Health Services nor TABC sets or caps the price a provider charges for either course. See the Texas food handler and TABC certification guide for what each credential covers before comparing prices.
How Much Does a Texas Food Handler Card Cost?
A Texas food handler card typically costs $7.95 to $15 from a DSHS-accredited or ANSI-accredited online provider, and the state itself charges the worker nothing, since Section 438.046(c) bars a separate local fee. Providers compete on price in what is a genuinely low-cost, low-margin market, and the course content required to earn accreditation is largely standardized across providers, so a higher price does not necessarily mean a more thorough course.
| Provider | Price | Notes | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eFoodHandlers | $7.95 | DSHS-accredited (TXDSHS 40) | txfoodhandlers.com | 2026-09-20 |
| Learn2Serve (360training) | $8.99 | DSHS-accredited (TXDSHS 9); en/es | 360training.com | 2026-09-20 |
| StateFoodSafety | $10.00 plus $0.99 processing fee ($10.99 total) | DSHS-accredited; multilingual | statefoodsafety.com | 2026-09-20 |
| Always Food Safe | $10.00 (drops to $6.00 at 251+ cards for employers buying in bulk) | ANAB-accredited; online + some classroom | alwaysfoodsafe.com | 2026-09-20 |
| ServSafe | $15.00 | ANSI/ANAB-accredited; Texas-specific course | servsafe.com | 2026-09-20 |
How Much Does TABC Certification Cost?
TABC seller-server certification typically costs $8.95 to $12.99 online, set entirely by the TABC-approved school rather than by TABC itself, and TABC charges the student no separate government fee for the certificate. In-person classroom pricing varies by school and region and is not uniformly published, so contact a classroom provider directly for its current rate. See TABC certification and the food handler + TABC bundle for what the credential covers and how long it lasts.
| Provider | Price | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| TABCpermit.com | $8.95 | tabcpermit.com | 2026-09-20 |
| SSC Seller Server Classes | $9.00 | sellerserverclasses.com | 2026-09-20 |
| Food Service Prep | See provider site for current price | foodserviceprep.com | - |
| Responsible Training | $12.99 | responsibletraining.com | 2026-09-20 |
Two notes on this table. Food Service Prep is on TABC's approved schools list, but this page carries no price for it, so check its own course page for the current rate before enrolling. And a site that sells TABC training is not necessarily the approved school behind the course: some resell another school's approved program at a markup. TABCpermit.com and the other three schools above each appear on TABC's own approved schools list, which is the list worth checking before you pay anyone.
Can You Get a Bundled Food Handler + TABC Course, and What Does It Cost?
Yes, 360training's Learn2Serve brand sells a bundled Texas food handler plus TABC seller-server course listed at $16.99, and its own checkout adds a further $3.25 on top of that, for $20.24 all in. 360training labels that $3.25 a state filing fee. TABC's own certification page and certification FAQ list no charge of any kind to a worker, so treat the $3.25 as part of this provider's price rather than as a government charge, and judge the bundle on the $20.24 total.
Against that $20.24, buying separately from the two cheapest providers on this page, eFoodHandlers at $7.95 and TABCpermit.com at $8.95, comes to $16.90. Several other pairs you could assemble from the two tables above also land under $20.24, so the bundle is not the cheapest route to both credentials; it wins on price only against pairings that include a course near the top of its range. What it does buy is a single checkout, a single account, and both certificates in one sitting. The $16.99 is also a discounted price against a $17.99 list price, so confirm the total on the checkout page before you pay. This site may earn a commission if you enroll through the link below, which does not change the price you pay.
View the Learn2Serve food handler + TABC bundle
What Does a Texas Certified Food Manager (CFM) Credential Cost?
A Texas Certified Food Manager credential costs roughly $28 to $35 for an exam-only option or $79 to $152 for a bundled study course and proctored exam, depending on the provider chosen. The CFM is a separate, higher-tier credential from the food handler card, requiring a proctored exam rather than simple course completion, which is reflected in the higher price. See food handler card vs. food manager certificate for which credential your role actually needs before you pay for either one.
Watch the proctoring line when you compare these. Always Food Safe's $28.00 exam-only option adds $48.00 for a remote proctor unless an employer proctors the exam in-house, while 360training's Texas food manager page states that an online video proctor is included. Check what proctoring costs at whichever provider you pick before judging it on the headline price.
| Option | Price | Source | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| CFM exam-only, Always Food Safe | $28.00, plus $48.00 for a remote proctor | alwaysfoodsafe.com | 2026-09-20 |
| CFM exam-only, Learn2Serve | $35.00 | 360training.com | 2026-09-20 |
| CFM bundled course + exam, Learn2Serve | $79.00 | 360training.com | 2026-09-20 |
| CFM bundled course + exam, Texas Restaurant Association (ServSafe), member rate | $152.15 | txrestaurant.org | 2026-09-20 |
Does the State or TABC Charge Any Government Fee to the Worker?
Neither DSHS nor TABC charges the individual worker a government fee for either credential; the only government fees involved are paid by businesses applying to become accredited providers or approved schools. For food handler programs, DSHS charges providers $600 for a 2-year accreditation license, a $300 amendment fee, and a $100 late fee. For TABC schools, TABC charges a $1,000 new-school application fee, a $50 online branch fee or $200 classroom branch fee, and a $100 trainer application fee plus a $34 Train the Trainer fee if needed. None of these provider-side fees are billed to the student.
That is worth holding next to the $3.25 line item 360training adds at its checkout and calls a state filing fee. TABC's certification page and its certification FAQ list no fee charged to a worker, and the fees TABC does publish are the school and trainer fees above. What the $3.25 is for, and who ultimately receives it, is a question for 360training; what matters at the till is that the bundle costs $20.24 rather than $16.99.
Which Provider Is the Cheapest?
Among the providers priced above, eFoodHandlers at $7.95 is the cheapest food handler course and TABCpermit.com at $8.95 is the cheapest TABC course, and buying both of those separately comes to $16.90. That $16.90 undercuts the $20.24 all-in bundle, so a worker who needs both credentials and does not mind two separate checkouts pays less that way today; the bundle is a convenience purchase, not the cheapest one. A worker who needs only one of the two credentials should simply start at the bottom of the relevant table above. Prices in this market move often and sit within a few dollars of each other, so check the price on the provider's own page before you enroll, whichever route you take. See the approved providers list for the full roster this comparison draws from.
Sources
| Fact | Value | Authority | URL | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food handler card price, low end of the range | $7.95 | eFoodHandlers | https://www.txfoodhandlers.com/ | 2026-09-20 |
| Food handler card price, high end of the range | $15.00 | ServSafe | https://www.servsafe.com/access/ss/catalog/productdetail/ssect6tx | 2026-09-20 |
| No local fee and no local food handler card | Texas Health and Safety Code Section 438.046(c), as amended by Senate Bill 1089 (2017) | Texas Department of State Health Services | https://www.dshs.texas.gov/licensing-food-handler-training-programs/frequently-asked-questions-food-handler-education-or-training-programs | 2026-09-20 |
| TABC certification price, low end of the range | $8.95 | TABCpermit.com | https://www.tabcpermit.com/ | 2026-09-20 |
| TABC certification price, high end of the range | $12.99 | Responsible Training | https://www.responsibletraining.com/products/TABC-Training.aspx | 2026-09-20 |
| Bundled food handler + TABC price | $16.99 course price plus a $3.25 checkout charge the provider labels a state filing fee ($20.24 total) | 360training/Learn2Serve | https://www.360training.com/learn2serve/alcohol/texas | 2026-09-20 |
| No TABC charge to the worker | TABC's certification FAQ states no fee charged to a certificate holder | Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission | https://www.tabc.texas.gov/faqs/tabc-certification-faqs/ | 2026-09-20 |
| CFM credential price, low end of the range | $28.00 exam only, plus $48.00 for a remote proctor | Always Food Safe | https://alwaysfoodsafe.com/en/food-manager-certification/texas | 2026-09-20 |
| CFM credential price, high end of the range | $152.15 course plus proctored exam, member rate | Texas Restaurant Association | https://txrestaurant.org/Pub/Pub/Training/ServSafe-Manager-Training---Testing-Options.aspx | 2026-09-20 |
| DSHS provider accreditation license fee | $600 per 2-year license; $300 amendment; $100 late fee | 25 Texas Administrative Code Section 229.178(g) | https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/texas/25-Tex-Admin-Code-SS-229-178 | 2026-09-20 |
| TABC school startup fees | $1,000 application; $50/$200 branch; $100 + $34 trainer | Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission | https://www.tabc.texas.gov/services/tabc-certification/information-for-trainers-schools/ | 2026-09-20 |
Frequently asked questions
Does the state cap what a provider can charge for these courses?
No. Texas Health and Safety Code Section 438.046 prohibits a local jurisdiction from charging a separate recognition fee, but it does not set a price ceiling on what training providers charge for the course itself.
Can my employer pay for my food handler card or TABC certification?
Yes. Many employers cover the cost as part of onboarding, given the inexpensive price and the 30-day compliance deadline that applies to both credentials.
Is the bundled course lower quality than buying each course separately?
No. A bundled food handler + TABC course must still cover the full required content for both credentials to be accredited or approved; the bundle is a pricing and convenience choice, not a reduced-content option.
Does this site offer any discount codes for these providers?
No. This site does not offer discounts or promotions. It may earn a commission from a marked link, which does not affect the price a provider charges. See the affiliate disclosure.
Are there hidden fees beyond the listed course price?
For the food handler card, no; the state prohibits a separate local recognition fee. For TABC certification, TABC itself does not bill the student, and its certification FAQ lists no charge to a worker. Some schools do add a line item at checkout on top of the course price: 360training adds $3.25 to its bundle and calls it a state filing fee, which takes the $16.99 bundle to $20.24. Always confirm the final total on the provider's own checkout page before enrolling.
Why do CFM credentials cost so much more than the food handler card?
The CFM credential requires a proctored exam, standardized national exam development, and ANSI-CFP or DSHS oversight of the exam infrastructure, which is reflected in a higher price than the simple course-completion model used for the food handler card.