California Health and Safety Code §113948 requires all OC restaurant employees handling unpackaged food to obtain an ANSI-accredited food handler card within 30 days of hire and renew every three years.
Statewide California law enforced locally by OC HCA Environmental Health. Every employee in a permitted food facility who handles, prepares, stores, or serves unpackaged food, ice, food contact surfaces, or utensils must hold a valid food handler card from an ANSI-accredited provider such as ServSafe, StateFoodSafety, or Learn2Serve. Cards cost roughly $15 and require passing a 40-question exam after about 90 minutes of online training. Each facility must also have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) on staff. Inspectors verify cards during routine inspections, and missing cards trigger a violation on the placard.
Operating without certified staff is a placard violation that can downgrade a facility to a B grade and trigger reinspection fees of $200-$400.
See how other cities in Orange County handle food handler certification.
See how Costa Mesa's food handler certification rules stack up against other locations.
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