Monterey Park, CA Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)

Section 6.05.090 requires each food establishment to have at least one certified food handler, treating multiple contiguous establishments under the same management or ownership as a single establishment for this purpose even if they hold separate permits. Section 6.05.100 sets the certification path: an applicant files with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services along with an application fee, and provides proof of completing a department-approved food handler's training course, a training certificate from an examination administered by the Center for Occupational and Professional Assessment of the Educational Testing Service, or an equivalent certificate accepted at the director's discretion.

Alternatively, an applicant may pay an examination fee and sit for a department-administered exam, passing only with a score of seventy-five percent or higher. Section 6.05.110 requires the training course itself to run at least four hours and cover microorganisms, sources of foodborne illness, contamination pathways, protective methods, personal hygiene, and proper utensil and equipment sanitizing. Section 6.05.130 exempts establishments dealing exclusively in nonpotentially hazardous prepackaged food and those holding only temporary operating permits. Section 6.05.140 requires the training certificate to be posted conspicuously within the establishment, and Section 6.05.150 lets a certified handler carry the certificate to a new employer, but requires an establishment that loses its certified handler to obtain a replacement within thirty days.