Baytown, TX Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)

Sec. 42-177(a) requires the original food manager certificate to be posted in a location conspicuous to consumers, and (b) requires a certified food manager to be present during all hours of operation unless the health department decides the establishment poses minimal foodborne-illness risk, such as places that only handle prepackaged food or never prepare exposed time/temperature-control-for-safety foods. Temporary food establishments are exempt from that presence requirement under (c). The training mandate for line staff sits in Sec. 42-177(d): all food employees other than the certified manager must successfully complete an accredited food handler training course within 30 days of employment, though this again does not apply to temporary establishments.

Subsection (e) requires every food establishment to keep, on premises, a certificate of completion of that training course for each employee so an inspector can verify compliance on site. The requirement was most recently amended by Ord. No. 16,449, Sec. 4, adopted April 23, 2026, which updated the training-course language. This sits within Article IV, Division 1 of Chapter 42, alongside the permit application process in Sec. 42-176 and the fee schedule in Sec. 42-178, both of which apply to every food service or food processing establishment that files for a permit.