Food Worker Card
All food workers who serve unpackaged food or beverages must have a valid Washington State Food Worker Card. To get a card, take the online food safety training course, pass the test, and pay a $10 fee. CAUTION: A FOOD WORKER CARD MUST BE ISSUED AT www.foodworkercard.wa.gov. Other websites (usually .com sites) do not issue valid Washington Food Worker cards, but they will take your $10.00.
- Food worker cards issued by another state are not valid in Washington.
- Washington State Food Worker Cards are valid anywhere in Washington.
- If you are getting a Food Worker Card for the first time, it is valid for 2 years. Renewed cards are valid for 3 years if renewed before your card expires (60 days or less before it expires).
- You can pay the $10 fee online by credit or debit card.
- You don’t need any additional documentation to complete the food safety course and get your Food Worker Card.
- Start the online course.
Getting your Food Worker Card
To get a Food Worker Card, you must:
- Take the Washington State Food Worker Course.
- Take the course online.
- This is the only approved website for training and testing in Washington.
- You can also review a Food Worker Manual to help you study.
- The training course and test are offered in Cambodian, Cantonese, Closed caption, English, Korean, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
- Pass the test.
- Take the test. You will be directed to the test once you complete the training course.
- Pay the $10 fee.
- You can pay the fee online with a credit card or debit card.
- Print your card.
- Keep your signed Food Worker Card or a copy of it with you at work so that it can be checked during a food safety inspection.
Additional Food Safety Training
You have the choice to complete additional food safety training from a Washington State-approved training course. This training is optional and offers some benefits:
- Provides advanced food safety knowledge for manager-level training and certification.
- Helps you comply with upcoming food code requirements for Certified Food Protection Managers.
- Allows you to get a Food Worker Card that is valid for 5 years when you complete the training before your Food Worker Card expires.
- Includes allergen training.
You can get more information about additional food safety training, including a list of approved training courses, from the Washington State Department of Health.
Additional Information
Food Workers Cards (DOH)
- Who needs to get a food worker card?
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Any person who works in a grocery store, restaurant, school cafeteria, camp kitchen, deli, tavern, or other retail food establishment and anyone who handles unwrapped food products will need to obtain a food worker card.
- How can I get a card that is valid for three years?
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If you have an unexpired Washington State Food Worker Card, bring your old card and the card you received online into your local Health Department within 5 days of passing the test and we will issue you a three year card. If your old card has expired, you will only be able to receive a two-year card. You can receive a five-year card if you have completed an approved advanced training course such as ServeSafe Food Managers Course within 2 years prior to taking the Food Worker test.
- Who do I contact if I have a problem with the online class?
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If you are having a problem, please email [email protected] or call 1-800-204-4418. When sending an email, please include your full name, phone number and a brief description of the problem you are having.
- Can I stop the training and complete it later on?
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Yes, your training session is good for 30 days from the date you start the training. You can log back in and click on the "Complete" button to finish the training at any time during this 30 day period. After 30 days, your training session will expire and you will need to start over. If you stop during the test, you will need to retake the entire test.
- My session has timed out. Now what do I do?
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The online training will time out after about 30 minutes of inactivity. Simply sign out and log back in to complete the training.
- I live outside of Washington state, but will be working as a food worker in Washington state, how do I get my food worker card?
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You can click the "Out of State" button when it displays the Washington state map for residence. You can then choose the county in which you will be working.
- How do I replace or reprint my food worker card?
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You can reprint your card for free from the online course. Go back to the beginning of the online course, select the "Login" button and sign back in. Be sure to use the exact same registration information you originally signed in with (information is case sensitive). If you wish to come into our office, there is a $5.00 charge for reprinting.
- When will my card expire?
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Your first Food Worker card is valid for two years. You may take the test and renew your card up to 60 days before the card expires and receive a renewal card that will be valid for three years.
- Why does my new card cost $10?
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The $10 fee is set in state regulation, Washington Administrative Code 246-217-025. Local health jurisdictions use the fee to cover the costs of food worker training and education, administration of the program, and testing of applicants.