Texas Food Handler and TABC Certification FAQ

Yes, if the course was completed through an ANSI-accredited program; Texas recognizes ANSI-accredited programs from any state under Section 438.046 reciprocity. A card from a non-accredited out-of-state program does not qualify, and the worker would need to complete a Texas-accredited course instead.

DSHS sets the statewide requirement, and local health jurisdictions enforce it during routine inspections of food establishments in their area. Both must accept a card from any DSHS-accredited or ANSI-accredited provider; a local jurisdiction cannot reject a valid accredited card.

There is no attestation or short-form renewal: you complete a full accredited food handler course again before your current 2-year card expires. The process is identical to earning the card the first time, through any DSHS-accredited or ANSI-accredited provider.

Renewal means completing a new full TABC-approved seller-server course before your current 2-year certificate expires under 16 TAC Section 50.28(b). There is no abridged renewal exam, and early renewal does not carry over any remaining time from the old certificate.

DSHS does not publish a minimum age for the food handler course. For TABC certification, there is no minimum age for a student taking the course; the 21-year minimum in 16 TAC Section 50.25 applies only to trainers and instructors, not to students seeking certification.

Contact the original training provider, not the regulator directly, since the provider holds your completion record. Most providers can reissue a lost card or certificate on request, sometimes for a small fee. TABC-certified workers can also verify status through the TABC Certificate Inquiry tool using their Social Security number and date of birth.

Yes, a city or county may add stricter local rules, such as requiring a manager to be on-site during certain hours, but no city may charge a separate fee or require its own local food handler card on top of an accredited one, under Section 438.046(c).

Many hospitality workers do. If your role involves handling unpackaged food, food-contact equipment, or food-contact surfaces, you need the food handler card. If your role also involves selling or serving alcohol, your employer will typically require TABC certification as well, to maintain its Section 106.14 safe harbor.

If a delivery driver only transports pre-packaged, sealed food and does not otherwise handle unpackaged food or food-contact surfaces, the food handler requirement may not apply to that specific role; confirm with the employer, since this depends on the exact duties involved. For alcohol delivery specifically, a separate Texas Responsible Alcohol Delivery (TRAD) certification applies instead of standard TABC seller-server certification.

Yes. The requirement reaches any establishment where employees handle unpackaged food, food-contact equipment, or food-contact surfaces, which includes food trucks, catering operations, and mobile food units, not only fixed-location restaurants.

TABC's suspension and cancellation authority under 16 TAC Chapter 50 targets School Certificates (and trainer certificates) issued to TABC-approved schools, not the individual seller-server certificate issued to a worker. TABC's own seller-training school application language states the School Certificate may be suspended or cancelled for a Chapter 50 violation; it does not describe a parallel suspension or cancellation process for an individual's certificate. An individual certificate is not revoked in that sense; it simply expires two years after issuance under 16 TAC Section 50.28(b), and the worker retakes the course to get a new one.

Some providers offer Spanish-language options. Learn2Serve (360training) offers English and Spanish for its food handler course, and several other DSHS-accredited providers, including StateFoodSafety, offer multiple languages. Availability varies by provider, so check the specific course page before enrolling if language support matters to you.

The compliance obligation under Section 438.046 (food handler) or Section 106.14 (TABC safe harbor) runs primarily to the employer, but working without the required credential still exposes you and your employer to risk during an inspection. If your employer has not addressed this, raise it directly, since both credentials are inexpensive and quick to complete.

Yes, but only for you personally. A Certified Food Manager (CFM) holder is exempt from separately holding a food handler card, but that exemption does not extend to any other employee at the same establishment; they each still need their own food handler card. See food handler card vs. food manager certificate for the full comparison.

No. Neither DSHS nor TABC charges the individual worker a government fee for either credential. The only government fees involved (DSHS provider accreditation fees, TABC school application fees) are paid by the businesses that operate the training programs, not by the student.

Every page on this site includes a ## Sources table with the source URL and the date each fact was verified. Start with the DSHS food handler FAQ or the TABC certification FAQ directly for the regulator's own current answer.