Getting a food handlers card in San Bernardino is way more complicated than it should be…
But that’s why we’re here.
Today we’ll be taking a deep dive into the word of food handling for residents and food-related employees located in San Bernardino county.
If you’re wondering why San Bernardino has it’s own rules and regulations when it comes to food handler cards, it’s because the county already had it’s own food safety program long before the state of California implemented a state-wide food safety law back in 2011.
Simply put, food facilities in San Bernardino county must play by the county rules instead of the states.
San Bernardino Food Handler Card Requirements
All food-related employees working in San Bernardino county are required to receive food safety training. But unlike the rest of the state – that requires training from ANSI-accredited course providers – San Bernardino requires food-related employees to receive training ONLY from their own Environmental Health Services.
This means that all other food handler cards – even if you have successfully completed their training and examination – are not applicable and are considered a non-acceptable substitute inside San Bernardino county.
San Bernardino food handler card training is accessible online 24/7. To access the San Bernardino food handler online portal, just click here.
Once you successfully complete the training and examination given, you will then be granted your San Bernardino food handlers card. But keep in mind, once you receive your food handler card, it expires exactly three years later.
Training & Exam Details
The San Bernardino food safety training and exam are both accessible through the county’s online portal. Everything you will need pertaining to your San Bernardino food handlers card will be found there. The first thing you need to do is purchase and create an account.
The training and test altogether cost a one-time payment of $22. And only debit and credit card payment are accepted.
The training/course is followed by a 40-question multiple-choice quiz on all things food preparation and safety.
San Bernardino food handler testers are required to make AT LEAST an 80% on the exam in order to pass. This means you can only get 8 questions wrong! But everything provided via their training portal should be more than enough to make things easy.
You are also allowed to take the San Bernardino County Food Handlers Test over again, just in case you don’t pass the first time. That’s right, you get two attempts to pass the test. Otherwise, you will have to repurchase the training and take the quiz again!
To summarize the San Bernardino county food safety course and exam details, we provided list below. Hopefully this helps clear everything up:
- 100% online course
- 100% county approved (The ONLY course you should be taking as a food handler in the county of San Bernardino)
- $22 one-time purchase for the both course and quiz
- 2 test attempts
- 40-question multiple choice quiz
- 80% to pass (can only get 8 questions wrong max)
- The card expires after 3 years
- Can access training portal anytime before card expires
San Bernardino Food Handlers Training Content
Inside the San Bernardino county training portal, you will learn all things food safety. Course objectives include food hazards, personal hygiene, cleaning and sanitizing, and time & temperature controls!
Here are a bit more details though, provided by the county-approved course provider, StateFoodSafety.
Steps to get a San Bernardino Food Handlers Card
- Click on this link to visit the official San Bernardino County Food Handlers Card online portal
- Purchase the course and training (one-time purchase of $22)
- Follow the course steps successfully complete training (TIP: Since it’s an online course, we suggest you take notes along the way1)
- Take the 40-question quiz
- Print out your San Bernardino food handlers certification 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
How long does the San Bernardino County Food Handlers training and test take?
The San Bernardino county food handlers training and test takes 1.5 to 2 hours 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.
Is your San Bernardino Food Handler Card Expired or Lost?
If you lost your San Bernardino food handlers card, simply log back into your training portal using the same username and password as before and print another copy. We always suggest students to print duplicate copies of your food handlers card initially.
In San Bernardino, your food handlers card expires 3 years after it is issued. To renew your San Bernardino food handlers card, you must sign up and purchase the county course and pass their test all over again! This ensures that everyone in the county of San Bernardino is refreshed and up to date with proper food safety procedures and practices!
What else will I need in order to take the course online?
The county requires you to provide first and last name, address, date of birth, gender, and name of employer. In addition, you will need a valid email address in order to take the course.
Do I have to take the San Bernardino food handlers course online? What if I don’t have a computer?
You can only take the San Bernardino food handlers course online. That means you must find a computer that has good enough internet access. If a computer is not available to you, the following San Bernardino county resource centers have computer for you to use, free of charge:
Hesperia
15555 Main St. Suite #G-4
Hesperia, CA 92345
Rancho Cucamonga
9650 Ninth St.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
San Bernardino
658 E. Brier Dr. Suite #100
San Bernardino, CA 92408
For additional details pertaining to the San Bernardino County food handlers training, please visit their FAQ page.
For additional details on the state of California’s food handler laws, please click here!