California Senate Bill 602 requires all SF food employees to obtain a state-approved Food Handler Card within 30 days of hire, and at least one Certified Food Protection Manager must be on staff per facility under Health and Safety Code 113947.
Food handlers must complete an ANSI-accredited course and pass an exam covering safe food handling, allergen awareness, and sanitation. Cards are valid three years. Each food facility must designate at least one Certified Food Protection Manager whose certification is recognized statewide. SF DPH inspectors verify card and manager certificates during inspections. Some facility types like temporary food events and certain non-profits have limited exemptions. SF restaurants typically use providers like StateFoodSafety, ServSafe, or Learn2Serve. Cards are portable across California employers.
Operating without a current food handler card or qualified manager is an inspection violation that may delay permit renewal, prompt reinspection fees, and trigger $25 to several hundred dollar penalties per worker.
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