Buffalo, NY Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)
Key Facts
- Certificate required from
- Commissioner of Health (or private physician per Health Dept. regulations)
- Certificate validity
- One year from date of issue
- Who must certify
- All employees handling food or food utensils
- Revocable
- Yes, at any time for cause by Commissioner of Health
- Applies to
- All food preparation, cooking, handling, storage, sale, and service establishments
Summary
No person with a communicable infectious disease may work as a food handler in Buffalo, and food dealers must require each employee to file a medical certificate from the Commissioner of Health confirming they are disease-free. The certificate is valid for one year and may be revoked for cause.
No person who is affected with an infectious disease in a communicable form shall be employed in handling food or food utensils in any place where food or drink is prepared, cooked, mixed, baked, exposed, bottled, packed, handled, stored, manufactured, offered for sale or sold; and no food dealer shall employ any person to handle food or food utensils in any food establishment unless such person files with the employer a proper medical certificate issued by the Commissioner of Health to the effect that said applicant or employee is free from infectious disease in a communicable form. Such persons, however, may, in their discretion, be examined by their own private physician, provided that such examinations are performed in accordance with regulations of the Department of Health. Such certificate shall be operative for one year from the date of issue thereof but may be revoked, for cause, at any time by the Commissioner of Health.
Full Breakdown
Buffalo Code § 193-11 bars any person with an infectious disease in communicable form from handling food or food utensils in any establishment where food or drink is prepared, cooked, stored, offered for sale, or sold. Food dealers must require a medical certificate from the Commissioner of Health before allowing any employee to handle food. Private physician examinations are acceptable if conducted in accordance with Department of Health regulations. Each certificate is valid for one year from issuance but the Commissioner of Health may revoke it at any time for cause.
Violations & Fines
The Commissioner of Health may revoke a food handler certificate at any time for cause. Food dealers employing uncertified handlers are subject to code enforcement action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do food workers in Buffalo need a health certificate?
Who issues the health certificate for food workers?
How long is the food worker health certificate valid?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Buffalo
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