Freehold Township, NJ Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)
Key Facts
- Training required
- 5-hour basic food service course
- License fee, 1-50 seats
- $100
- License fee, 201+ seats
- $300
- Late fee
- 50% of license fee after Jan. 31
- Recertification interval
- Every 3 years, 2-hour refresher
- Certified staff coverage
- Required during all food prep
- Enforcing body
- Township Board of Health
Summary
Freehold Township requires every retail food establishment to hold a food handler's license from the Board of Health and to have certified personnel who completed a five-hour basic food service training course. Fees run $25 to $300 by establishment size, with a 50% late fee for missing the January 31 renewal deadline.
§ 373-5. Food handler's license required; training; regulations. A. Requirement. Any person or entity owning and/or operating a retail food establishment as defined in the New Jersey State Sanitary Code must secure a food handler's license from the Township Board of Health. ... D. Participation in basic course required. The owner and/or manager of a retail food establishment, and/or any full-time employee who shall be the designated representative of either, applying for a retail food establishment license must register for and successfully complete a basic food service training course approved by the Board of Health ("certified personnel"). ... F. Continuing education. Every certified personnel, in order to continue to enjoy that status under this section, shall be required to be recertified by successfully completing at least two hours of additional/refresher basic food service training no less frequently than every three years.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 373, enforced by the Board of Health, requires anyone owning or operating a retail food establishment, as defined in the New Jersey State Sanitary Code, to secure a food handler's license, and ties issuance to a training mandate under § 373-5. That section defines 'basic food service training' as a minimum five-hour course covering sanitation, personal hygiene, equipment handling, food preparation, food microbiology and temperature control, vermin control and garbage disposal, approved by the Board of Health. The owner, manager, or a designated full-time employee able to manage the establishment's operation must register for and complete that course to become 'certified personnel'; establishments with five or more employees on premises at any time had one year from the section's adoption to comply, while all other establishments had two years.
A certified person must be present at all times during food preparation, and available during other operating hours and emergencies, and must pass training information on to the rest of the staff. Certified status must be renewed every three years with at least two hours of refresher training, and the certification must be posted where patrons can see it. Establishments with no food preparation or personal food contact are exempt, and the Board of Health will review equivalent outside training for exemption on a case-by-case basis.
License fees under § 373-3 scale with size: $25 for a temporary establishment open under seven days, $100 for up to 50 seats or under 3,000 square feet, $200 for 51 to 200 seats or 3,000 to 10,000 square feet, and $300 for over 200 seats or more than 10,000 square feet. Anyone who fails to renew by January 31 owes a late fee equal to 50% of the license fee. The Board of Health may suspend or revoke a license after a hearing with at least three days' written notice if the licensee violates the chapter, Chapter 12 of the state Sanitary Code, or runs the business improperly or unlawfully.
Violations & Fines
Violations are punishable under Chapter 361, Article I, General Penalty. A license found in violation may be suspended or revoked only after a Board of Health hearing with three days' written notice; if revoked, the holder cannot get a new license in the Township until the Board approves a new application and all fees and fines are paid in full.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Freehold Township require food handler training?
How much does a food handler's license cost in Freehold Township?
Do I need a certified employee present at all times?
Can the Township revoke a food handler's license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Freehold Township
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Food Handler Certification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle food handler certification.