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.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Irvine, CA
Leaf blowers in Irvine must comply with the construction/maintenance equipment hours: 7:00 AM-7:00 PM weekdays, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Saturdays, and prohibited on ...
Irvine, CA
Outdoor music in Irvine is subject to IMC noise zone standards. Organized events with amplified outdoor music require city permits. Music must comply with th...
Irvine, CA
Amplified music in Irvine is regulated under IMC Title 6, Division 8, Chapter 2 (Noise). Sound must not exceed the exterior noise standards for the receiving...
Irvine, CA
Aircraft noise in Irvine is primarily from John Wayne Airport (SNA), regulated by federal FAA rules and the county's access and noise plan. The IMC noise ord...
Irvine, CA
Irvine regulates street parking under IMC Title 6, Division 3 including the 72-hour limit, street sweeping compliance, and red zone prohibitions per Section ...
Irvine, CA
Irvine restricts parking of commercial vehicles in residential areas under IMC Title 6, Division 3 and the Irvine Zoning Ordinance. Large commercial vehicles...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Orange County.
See how other cities in Orange County handle food handler certification.
See how Irvine's food handler certification rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.