Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 438 requires food handlers to complete an accredited course within sixty days of hire. HCPH verifies cards and Certified Food Manager credentials during inspections in unincorporated Harris County and contract cities.
Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 438 obligates anyone working with unpackaged food, food equipment, or utensils to complete a Texas Department of State Health Services accredited food handler course within sixty days of hire. The card is valid for two years statewide. State rules also require each food establishment to employ at least one Certified Food Manager who has passed an ANSI-accredited exam, with the certificate posted on premises. HCPH Environmental Public Health checks both during routine inspections in unincorporated areas and contract cities, treating missing or expired credentials as critical violations affecting score and triggering reinspection. Mobile food units, school cafeterias, and temporary event vendors must also comply.
Operating without a Certified Food Manager, employing untrained handlers past sixty days, or displaying expired certificates results in critical inspection violations, score deductions, mandatory reinspection fees, and potential permit suspension by HCPH.
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See how Harris County's food handler certification rules stack up against other locations.
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