Exam fact
How long is a food handlers card valid?
Three years for the Professional Food Handler (PFH) certificate from NEHA, the National Environmental Health Association, counted from the day you pass. Your state or county can set its own term, and then that term wins: a first Washington card, for one, lasts two years.
- ExamPFH
- CheckedOct 13, 2026
- UpdatedOct 14, 2026
On this page 5 sections
NEHA PFH certificate term
3years
NEHA's online course handbook says PFH certificates renew on a three-year cycle starting the day you pass the assessment. NEHA's policies add that a different local requirement supersedes NEHA's term (both as of October 2026).
Source: NEHA PFH Online Course Handbook · checked Oct 13, 2026
Places with their own term
| State | What's required | Deadline | Good for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | The state's Food Worker Card; cards from other states aren't accepted | Before you start; up to 14 days in if your employer gives you food safety training | 2 years for the first card; renewals 3 years, or 5 with extra training | Washington Department of Health |
| Texas | An accredited food handler course, approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) or by ANSI, the American National Standards Institute | Within 30 days of employment | To the printed expiration date; 2 years from issue if none is printed | Texas DSHS FAQ |
| California | A card from an ANSI-accredited provider | Within 30 days of hire | 3 years | Cal. Health and Safety Code §113948 |
| Oregon | A card from an Oregon Health Authority-approved provider | Within 30 days of starting work | 3 years | Oregon Health Authority |
| Southern Nevada | The health district's own card, after an in-person test | Ask the Southern Nevada Health District | 3 years | Southern Nevada Health District |
| Illinois | ANSI-accredited training, or an employer program approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH); depends on the type of establishment | Generally within 30 days of hire | May have to renew every 3 years | Illinois Department of Public Health |
Washington, Oregon and Southern Nevada don't take a NEHA certificate at all.
When the clock starts, and what renewing involves
NEHA counts from your pass date. Pass in October 2026 and your three years run into October 2029.
There's no continuing-education shortcut for the NEHA certificate. Renewal means taking the course and the assessment again, and paying for it again, per NEHA's online course handbook as of October 2026. The steps are on renewing a food handlers card.
Texas is the one to read closely. A card with no expiration date printed on it is valid for two years from issue, so look at your certificate before you assume three; the Texas food handlers card page has the rest. In Illinois the term depends on the kind of place you work, covered in Illinois food handler training. Every other state we checked is in food handler card requirements by state.
One certificate, start to finish
Pass day
The term starts
Download and print the certificate. NEHA's policies say it shows your name, the issue date and the term.
Before year 3 ends
Renew
Buy the course again and pass the assessment again; an expired certificate isn't a valid one. When to start and what it costs: the renewal page.
When a card runs out
Do food handlers cards expire?
Yes. NEHA's PFH certificate runs three years. Washington's first card runs two; California's and Oregon's run three (sources in the table above, as of October 2026). The date on your card is the one that counts.
How long does it take to get a food handlers card?
NEHA's course is two hours over seven modules, self-paced, with the assessment at the end (NEHA, as of October 2026); how long the food handler test takes has more. The deadline for having one runs from your first day in Washington (up to 14 days in, if your employer trains you) to 30 days in California, Texas and Oregon.
Does moving to another state reset my card?
It can. Washington and Oregon don't accept cards from other states (as of October 2026), so you'd start over with their card. Check the new state's rule first.
Sources
- NEHA PFH Online Course Handbook — three-year cycle from the pass date; renewal by retaking checked Oct 13, 2026
- NEHA PFH Policies and Procedures — local rules supersede; certificate contents checked Oct 13, 2026