Getting a San Diego food handlers card is not as difficult as it may seem…
For starters, if you’re wondering why San Diego has it’s own rules and regulations when it comes to food handling, 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 Diego county must play by the rules of the county instead of the state.
San Diego Food Handlers Card Requirements
All food-related employees working in San Diego county are required to receive food safety training. But unlike the rest of the state – that requires training from ANSI-accredited course providers – San Diego requires food-related employees to receive training from a specific list of course providers. We’ll be providing this list of county-approved course providers in the sections below.
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 Diego county.
Once you successfully complete the county-approved training and examination, you will then be granted the San Diego food handlers card. But keep in mind, once you receive your food handler card, it expires exactly three years later.
The Best San Diego Food Handler Card Course & Training Providers:
For your convenience, we’ve compiled the top San Diego food handler courses in the section below. All of the course providers that we listed are county approved. But feel free to browse the entire list of county-approved training providers by clicking here (pdf).
123 PREMIER FOOD SAFETY
(800) 676-3121
www.123PremierFoodSafety.com/SanDiegoCounty
360TRAINING.COM
(877) 881-2235
www.360training.com
PREMIERE TRAINING AND EDUCATION
(619) 770-7391
https://www.premierfoodsafety.com/san-diego-county-food-handlers-card
SERVSAFE
(800) 765-2122
www.servsafe.com
Steps on getting a San Diego Food Handlers Card
- Click on this link to select a county-approved online course provider (We always recommend asking the person in charge of your food service which training(s) they accept/prefer)
- Take the training and test online (course details below)
- Once you’ve successfully completed the test you’ll get a certificate from the course provider (not from the county)
- Print out 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 San Diego food handlers certificate.
- Provide your employer with a copy of your certificate
- Pat yourself on the back. That’s all you need to do in order to get CA food handler certified!
Course Details
Nearly ALL San Diego food handler card programs are available online… and are easily accessible through many sources.
The training is followed with a 40-question, multiple-choice quiz. In order to successfully pass the San Diego food handlers quiz, students must answer AT LEAST 30 questions correctly. This means you must get a 75% in order to pass!
Please keep in mind, grade requirements vary depending on which test you take. Most San Diego food safety tests require an 80% score at minimum.
Are you nervous yet? Well don’t be. Most San Diego food safety courses allow you to take the quiz twice. In fact, training providers like ServSafe allow you to take the quiz over as many time as you’d like.
What is Covered in San Diego Food Handler Training?
San Diego county-approved food handler courses will explore and discuss:
- Food Safety
- Food-borne Diseases
- Biohazards
- Food Spoilage/ Temperature Control
- Contamination Prevention
- Food Receiving
- Storage
- Sanitizing
- Pest Control
How much does the California Food Handlers Card cost?
Online food safety courses for San Diego county usually range anywhere between $5-10. If you are taking a food safety course that costs more than $10, we strongly urge you to reconsider as there are cheaper options out there.
San Diego Food Handlers Practice Tests
For your convenience, we’ve put together the best California 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
How long does the San Diego County Food Handlers training and test take?
The training and course itself can take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours to complete. But the training may take longer if you wish to study and review important information in order to be better prepared for the final exam.
Is your San Diego Food Handler Card Lost?
If you lost your San Diego food handlers card, simply log back into your course provider website using the same username and password as before and print another copy. We always suggest students to print duplicate copies of their Sand Diego food handlers card initially.
Is your San Diego Food Handler Card Expired?
The food handlers card in San Diego expires 3 years after it is issued.
This means that a person who was issued a food handler training certificate that is continuing employment at a food establishment will need to obtain a new certificate every three years.
The Director or a person the Director authorizes may renew a food handler training certificate for additional three year periods if the food handler is able to obtain a score of 80% or higher on the proficiency test at renewal time.
If the food handler is unable to achieve a score of 80% on the test, the food handler must sign up and purchase the county course and pass their test all over again!
This San Diego county law ensures that every food handler in the county 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.
For additional details pertaining to the San Diego county food handlers training, please visit their homepage or read the county legislation codes
For additional details on the state of California’s food handler laws, please click here!