Modesto, CA Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)
Key Facts
- Grace period before card required
- 30 working days (§5-1.313)
- Card validity
- Expires 1 year after issuance
- Issued by
- City Health Officer
- Applies to
- Eating and drinking establishments
- Employer liability
- Operator liable for permitting uncertified staff
Summary
Modesto Code Section 5-1.313 makes it unlawful for anyone to handle, prepare or store food or drink, or sanitize utensils, in an eating and drinking establishment for more than 30 working days without a food handler's card issued by the City Health Officer. Operators who let uncertified staff keep working past that window are equally liable.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the handling, preparation or storage of food or drink, or the sanitizing of utensils in any eating and drinking establishment for a period of time longer than thirty (30) working days, or for any eating and drinking establishment operator to employ or permit any person to engage in such activities therein for longer than this period of time unless such person holds a food handler's card issued by the Health Officer. All food handler's cards shall expire one (1) year from the date of issuance. As a prerequisite to the issuance of a food handler's card, the Health Officer may require a course of instruction be taken by the applicant, which course shall be provided by the Health Department of the City.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 71).
Full Breakdown
The card requirement is narrow but strict on timing: an employee gets a 30-working-day grace period from the start of handling food, drink, or utensil sanitizing before the card becomes mandatory, and the same clock binds the eating and drinking establishment operator, who commits a separate violation by employing or permitting someone to work past that period without one. Every food handler's card expires one year after issuance, so the requirement recurs annually rather than being a one-time credential. 313 lets the Health Officer require the applicant to complete a course of instruction provided by the City's Health Department, and lets the Health Officer require physical examinations or tests judged necessary to protect public health, though the section is explicit that the Health Officer will not provide or pay for any treatment a resulting exam or test reveals is needed. 102 to inspect premises and issue written notices to appear for violations occurring in their presence.
Violations & Fines
Working past the 30-working-day threshold without a card, or an operator knowingly permitting it, is unlawful under Section 5-1.313. General sanitation enforcement in Section 5-1.102 backs this up: anyone who denies or obstructs an authorized inspector's entry to check sanitary conditions is guilty of a misdemeanor, and enforcement officers may issue a written notice to appear under Penal Code Section 853.6 when they witness a violation of the sanitation title directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a new restaurant worker handle food without a card?
Who can be cited if an employee never gets certified?
How long does a Modesto food handler's card last?
Does the Health Officer have to provide training before issuing a card?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Modesto
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