San Bernardino, CA Public Health Rules: Food Handler Certification (2026)
Key Facts
- Card issuer
- San Bernardino County
- Who must hold one
- All food-cart employees
- Applies to
- Stationary, park, and roaming vendors
- Also required
- County health permit + cart decal
- First violation fine
- Up to $100
Summary
San Bernardino's sidewalk vending ordinance requires every food-selling sidewalk vendor, stationary or roaming, to display a county health permit on the cart and have all employees carry a current county-issued food handlers card. The same requirement repeats for stationary, park and roaming vendors in Chapter 5.30.
(3) If the sidewalk vendor is selling food, the sidewalk vendor shall display a valid health permit issued by the county in a conspicuous location on the food cart; (4) If the sidewalk vendor is selling food, all employees shall possess a current food handlers card, issued by the county; (5) Sidewalk vendor food cart shall possess a current decal sticker posted on the food cart.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-2: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. MC-1666, passed 8-5-2026).
Full Breakdown
060(B), governing stationary vendors in non-residential zones, requires that "if the sidewalk vendor is selling food, the sidewalk vendor shall display a valid health permit issued by the county in a conspicuous location on the food cart" and that "all employees shall possess a current food handlers card, issued by the county," plus a current decal sticker on the cart. 070(B), covering vending in city parks and near certified farmers' markets, imposes the identical health permit, food handlers card and decal requirements. 080, governing roaming vendors, likewise conditions food sales on displaying a county health permit, employees holding a current food handlers card, and a current decal on the cart.
030 and the state seller's permit; the city ordinance folds the county's existing food-handler certification and health-permit system into every food-selling vending format it regulates, rather than creating its own separate city-issued food handler card.
Violations & Fines
Selling food from a sidewalk cart without a displayed county health permit or without employees holding current food handlers cards violates Chapter 5.30 and is punishable under § 5.30.120(A) by an administrative fine up to $100 for a first violation, $200 for a second violation within a year, and $500 for each additional violation within that year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do sidewalk food vendor employees need a food handlers card in San Bernardino?
Does San Bernardino issue its own food handler certification?
Is the food handlers card requirement different for roaming vendors?
What happens if a vendor's employee lacks a food handlers card?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Bernardino
California rules heatmap·Compare San Bernardino to another location·View the California public health rules overview
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Food Handler Certification in Nearby Cities
How other cities in San Bernardino County handle food handler certification.