In the state of West Virginia, obtaining a food handlers card WV can become an overwhelming ordeal. Finding clear directions, specific county requirements, and other details can start to feel impossible without rigorously surfing old government websites.
But thats where Food Handlers Card Help comes in…
Today we’re going to take a closer look at all of the important, accurate, and updated information on all things food handlers card WV. This includes state-wide WV food handler card laws, course providers, study materials, and more.
We hope this post helps clear up some of your potential confusion! So throw on your apron and let’s get started.
WV Food Handlers Card Requirements
The state of West Virginia REQUIRES all food workers to receive a county-approved Food Handlers Card. This state-wide food safety law was implemented only a couple years ago, so it’s fairly new. Although some states in the nation don’t have this requirement, West Virginia’s food safety laws are a little more intense.
Important Note: Another food handlers card that West Virginia enforces state-wide is called the Certified Food Protection Managers (CFPM*) card… and it’s specifically for restaurant and/or food facility managers and other supervisory positions. There must be at least one CFPM holder per shift, on-premise, at all times.
If you are a supervisor looking to get a CFPM card, please check with your employer or local health department on where to get certified.
*A CFPM card is also known as a Food Managers Card or Food Manager Certification, etc.
Despite the state-wide food handlers card legislation, counties still have the right to pose their own food safety regulations and guidelines upon registered food establishments.
As a result, the process of obtaining a food handlers card in WV depends on which county or local jurisdiction you’re in.
Some WV counties require food safety training from one specific online course provider…
While other WV counties allow you to choose from a batch of course providers…
As you can imagine, this means that WV food handler card costs, applications, training or even expiration dates will all vary county to county. Your local Health Department is the regulatory body behind every food handler card requirement in WV.
Nevertheless, the food handler card requirement means that if you work in a restaurant, you will HAVE to take to a county-approved food safety course. After successful completion of the course, you will then be granted an official WV food handlers card by the course provider.
Most West Virginia counties require all new food workers to receive a card within 30 days of employment. Additionally, most food handler cards in WV expire after 3 years.
What type of employees are considered a food handler in West Virginia?
In most West Virginia, any PAID employee working for a restaurant, who deals directly with unpackaged food product(s) is considered a food handler.
This means that all employees that are directly involved in the storage, preparation, or service of unpackaged foods is a food handler. Simply put, nearly everyone in a food facility and/or restaurant will need a food handlers card in West Virginia.
Many times, restaurant owners will even require the host or hostess to receive training!
And if someone working in a facility is not a food handler on a regular basis, but fills in as a food handler when needed, they will most likely need a food handlers card as well.
To break it down even further, here’s a list of job positions that will HAVE to take get a food handlers card in WV:
- Busser
- Chef
- Line Cook
- Food Prep
- Meat Cutter
- Bartender
- Expo
- Food Runner
- Server
- Supervisor (if they don’t already posses a food managers card)
- Kitchen Manager (if they don’t already posses a food managers card)
- Host/ Hostess who handle food
- Food-truck workers
- Storage workers who deal with unpackaged foods
- Dishwasher
Who does NOT need a food handlers card in West Virginia?
Those that are NOT required to receive a food handlers card WV are mainly (1) unpaid volunteers, (2) those who already posses a Certified Food Protection Managers card, and (3) workers in food establishments that only serve pre-packaged items.
**Keep in mind, if you work in a non-restaurant facility (nursing homes, hospitals, schools, retail food stores, etc.) in WV but directly work with unpackaged food products, you may STILL be required to receive a food handlers card. If you are unsure, please be sure to double check with your employer or manager.
Where to get your WV Food Handlers Card:
To find out where to receive your food handlers card in WV, you will have to contact your local Health Department. As mentioned before, all food handlers card regulations in WV are determined by your county’s Health Department. Some departments will have different costs and/or different required food handler training programs from the others so it’s important to double check.
For your convenience, here’s contact information for EVERY county health department in West Virginia.
NOTE: We noticed a common theme in West Virginia pertaining to food handlers card training…
Most WV county health departments have partnered up with StateFoodSafety – a popular food handler card program. For example, all food handlers in Kanawha-Charleston and Monongalia County must take StateFoodSafety food handlers card course.
WV Food Handlers Card Training & Exam Details
Most West Virginia food handler card training and examinations are 100% online. For your convenience, in the section below, we provide some common training and exam details of food handler courses throughout the state.
Keep in mind, the following details may not be entirely accurate. Instead. the information will recap whats commonly required.
Most WV food handler programs (training and test) will altogether cost a one-time payment ranging between $10 – 30. Once again, food handler card costs depends on what your county you are located in.
After the food handler course/training a 40-50 multiple-choice question examination will be given.
WV food employees will be required to make AT LEAST a 70% or 75% on the exam in order to successfully earn the food handlers card WV. But, everything provided on the training portal should be more than enough to make things easy. Also, please be sure to check out the study guide and resources we’ve provided below!
Are you nervous yet? …Well, you shouldn’t be! A person who fails the exam – those who get less than a 70% – will most likely get to retake the exam once or twice.
West Virginia Food Handlers Training Content
In almost all West Virginia counties, food handler card trainees will learn a lot about general food safety practices. Course objectives include food hazards, personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing, and time & temperature controls!
By the end of most West Virginia food handlers card courses, you should be able to:
- Identify how to keep the hands, body and attire clean to protect food and food-contact surfaces from contamination.
- The ability to recognize populations that are highly susceptible to food-borne illness and symptoms and illnesses that must be reported to a manager
- Identify time and temperature control methods and requirements to prevent bacterial growth in food.
- Identify processes and procedures necessary for maintaining a clean and sanitary work environment.
Here are a bit more details though, provided by a popular county-approved course provider, StateFoodSafety.
Steps to get a West Virginia Food Handlers Card
- Contact or visit your local county’s Health Department website to learn about what they require for food handlers.
- Purchase the course and training online (Most WV counties will suggest/ require an online course)
- Follow the course steps successfully complete training (TIP: Since it’s an online course, we suggest you take notes along the way!)
- Take the 40-50 question quiz
- Print out your county-approved WV food handlers card at home (TIP: print multiple copies of your certification or save the file to your desktop at home. This is just a safety measure, just in case you lose you original copy)
- Provide your employer with a copy of your certificate
West Virginia Food Handlers Practice Test and Study Resources
For your convenience, we’ve put together the best West Virginia food handlers card practice tests. We’ve heard from many sources that these tests nearly replicate the questions that you’ll be receiving on the final exam!
- Premier Food Safety practice test
- Food handlers quiz flash cards
- ProProfs practice test
…And don’t overlook the YouTube video as well! There will be a copule exam questions and answers seen in the educational video.
How long does the West Virginia Food Handlers training take?
Most West Virginia food handlers training and test takes around 75 minutes to complete. But training can take longer for those who wish to spend time to study and review in order to be better prepared for the final exam.
Has your Food Handlers Card Been Lost?
If you lose your West Virginia food handlers card, simply log back into your training portal – or where you originally took your exam – using the same username and password as before and print another copy. We always suggest students to print duplicate copies of their food handlers card.
Did your Food Handlers Card in WV expire?
Food Handler Cards in WV have different expiration dates depending on your county or the course you took. Most counties in WV will require food handlers to renew their food handlers card every 2-3 years. In some counties, however, you have to renew your card every year.
To renew your food handlers card in WV, many times you will have to sign up and purchase the county-approved course and pass their test all over again! This ensures that everyone in the wonderful state of West Virginia is refreshed and up to date with proper food safety procedures and practices!
For additional details pertaining to food handlers card WV, please visit the Environmental Health Departments homepage.
For additional details on food handler requirements nationwide, please click here.