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Ohio Food Handlers Card Requirements

There are no requirements in the state of Ohio for employees to receive food handlers card according to the current Ohio food safety regulations and food code.

Food Handlers card ohio

IMPORTANT: Counties, on the other hand, have the right to implement their own rules. Ohio County, for example requires all employees in the restaurant, even the dishwashers, to receive a food handlers card even though the state doesn’t require it.

These rules, of course, can often overlap and/or differ from county to county… So it’s always smart to double check with your local health department. Click here for the Ohio Health Department county directory to learn more about county-specific food handler permit requirements.

** For those living in Ohio County, we’ll break down those food handler card details below.

What the state of Ohio DOES require though, pertains specifically for Food & Kitchen Managers… and Persons-In-Charge (PIC), otherwise known as the shift leads.

⭐ Every food establishment MUST have at least one Manager with an Ohio Manager’s Certification. This is also known as the Ohio LEVEL TWO Food Safety requirement.

⭐ In addition, Ohio requires every shift leader (PIC) to obtain the Ohio Person-in-Charge Certificate. This is also known as the Ohio LEVEL ONE Food Safety requirement.

More details are shown below.

Some US states require everyone in the food facility to receive a food handlers card. But Ohio’s food safety regulations are fairly lenient in comparison to the rest of the country.

The state of Ohio believes that if one person in a restaurant certifies as a Food Manager (LEVEL TWO certification)… on top of the LEVEL ONE food safety requirement… there will be enough in place to pass their knowledge of food safety on to the other employees in the restaurant.

So although you may not be required to receive an Ohio food handlers card in your country… or a level one or two Ohio food certificate… It still may be in your best interest to become certified as every restaurant needs them.

So What is the Ohio Food Handlers Card?

The Ohio food handlers card, also known as the Ohio food handlers permit and/or license, is a document that proves that you have the necessary knowledge to safely handle food in a restaurant or other food service establishment.

👌 Listen up: Searching the internet for Ohio food handler cards will lead to many sites claiming that you must have one, and that the site can help certify you. Please be careful with these websites as sometimes they are trying to convince you to pay for something that you do NOT need.

Ohio County Food Handlers Card

All food employees working for a restaurant or food facility inside Ohio County are REQUIRED to have an Ohio County food handlers permit.

This means that everyone who directly deals with unpackaged food products served to the general public in Ohio County will have to obtain a permit. This includes dishwashers, servers, and bussers – not just the cooks.

You must obtain a card within 30 days of employment… and a copy of the card must be kept at your food facility.

Ohio County Food Handler Course Details

Food Handler training and testing in Ohio County can be done both online and offline.

The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department has partnered with the following online Food Handler Programs:

For those that wish to take the course offline, in a classroom environment, please click here to learn more or call (304) 234-3682 for more information.

Ohio County Food Handlers Cards Fees:

  • 2 Year: $10.00
  • 2 Year Statewide Card: $20.00
  • Volunteer Free (1 year): FREE (These cards cannot be used in a paid food service positions.)
  • Replacement Card: $5.00

Ohio Level One Food Safety

The Ohio LEVEL ONE food safety certification is a statewide requirement for all Persons-in-Charge (PIC) or shift leaders. Each PIC will have to take a county approved food safety course, and successfully pass the test.

The LEVEL ONE certification should cost only $10-$20.

To save any headaches on finding courses, we wanted to share this really neat tool for all those who want an Ohio LEVEL ONE certification.

Since LEVEL ONE food safety requirements vary depending on which county you’re working in, use this search query to find exactly what course to take.

Other than that, all other valuable information regarding the Ohio Level One Food Safety Requirement can be found here.

Ohio Food Safety Level Two

The Ohio LEVEL TWO food safety certification is a statewide requirement for all food facility managers. Each food establishment must have at least one person on staff with a Food Manager’s Certificate… also known as the food safety LEVEL TWO certificate.

The LEVEL TWO certification is fairly expensive, averaging around $80-$100.

To save any headaches on finding courses, we wanted to share this really neat tool for all those who need the Ohio LEVEL TWO certification.

Since LEVEL TWO food safety requirements vary depending on which county you’re working in, use this search query to find exactly what course to take.

Other than that, all other valuable information regarding the Ohio Level TWO Food Safety Requirement can be found HERE.

Ohio currently recognizes and accepts certifications from the following National ANSI Certified Food Manager programs:

Keep in mind, local county health departments are the regulatory bodies that oversees all food safety laws. Each county’s regulations may vary or evolve over the years. 

It is important to ALWAYS double check with your local health department on food handler regulations, in addition to other retail food establishment specifics.