How to Get Your Dallas Food Handlers License
Written by Staff Writer
If you have ever considered working in the food service industry, it's a promising idea. It's an industry with many available jobs and countless opportunities for growth and change.
From aspiring restauranteurs to line cooks, all Dallas, Texas food workers must start with the same training. Specifically, you need a state-issued Texas food handlers license or you won't be allowed to work in this industry.
This article explains the food handler certification process in Dallas, TX. Learn how to get yours online, including when to expect your wallet card and how often you need to renew your training. Just a little reading can open many doors for future jobs and even an entire career path.
What Is a Food Handlers License?
The state government regulates how employees safely handle meals before they can be sold or served at any establishment. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) sets the rules for food safety in the Lone Star State.
The card is designed to ensure a certain level of food safety education among workers who handle unpackaged consumables in the state of Texas.
All restaurant employees in the state must abide by the safety regulations found in the Texas Food Establishments Rules (TFER). A food handlers license, also known as a food handlers card, certifies that an individual is qualified to handle food according to state law.
For applicable workers in the DFW area, the Dallas County health department does not impose any special laws in this regard. Dallas food workers need the same license as any other workers in Texas.
Who Needs the License?
Anyone who handles meals needs to get a license, but the laws are a bit more specific.
If you handle unpackaged food in any capacity for work, you need the certification. Naturally, this applies to restaurants, meal trucks and other places that serve cuisine, but it can apply to more cases.
For instance, a gas station might serve only pre-packaged items like sandwiches or wraps in plastic cartons. In such a case, a food handler certification is not required. But, if that same gas station sells warm burritos or hot dogs, then the card becomes necessary.
If you simply handle food utensils or preparation surfaces, you still need the certification — even if you never directly touch the food yourself.
With all of that covered, there are a couple of exemptions worth noting:
- Anyone who has a valid Texas food manager certification does not also need a Texas food handlers card.
- Employees can work without Texas food handlers certification certification for up to 30 days from their first day of employment.
- Employees with disabilities may qualify for an exemption, but they will need to work under the supervision of someone with a valid certificate.
How Do You Get a Food Handlers License in Dallas?
Now that you know when you might need a food handlers card, it's time to learn how to obtain it.
You must do two specific things to get your card. First, pass a state-approved food handlers certification course. While in-person classes exist, they are often harder to find, strict in scheduling and less convenient overall.
Instead, you can choose an online course that is always available at your convenience. Both routes net you the same certification.
Second, provide your credentials (including proof of your completed training program) to the state for record keeping. That's it!
Certified Training Course
Begin by completing an approved food safety training course. The training must be accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) or certified by DSHS to be valid.
Our training course is approved by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Our DSHS-certified course is entirely online, easy to access and available 24/7. You can work at your own pace anywhere you have an internet connection.
Approved food handler training programs cover:
- Foodborne illnesses and biohazards
- Spoilage and contamination
- Time and temperature controls
- Employee health and hygiene
- Safe practices for handling and storing food
- Cleanliness and sanitization
Best of all, you can pair your new skills with TABC alcohol certification to expand your qualifications. Having all the credentials to work with food and alcoholic beverages will lead to more — and more lucrative — work opportunities. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) certification is required to serve alcohol at any establishment in the state.
Testing Requirements
Texas does not require any official test or examination to get your Dallas food handlers card.
That's why the Seller Server Online Texas Food Handlers course does not have any quizzes or tests. Once you get through the training material, you are done and qualified to work (pending paperwork).
It's that easy.
Receiving Your License
After you complete your course, you must file the information with the DSHS. While it is possible to manually fill out the forms, it's easier to let your professional certification program handle the paperwork.
Our program automatically files your food handlers information with the DSHS. You can download and/or print your certification as soon as you finish the program. You don't need to wait for any type of official response from the state. And you don't have to wait for a license to arrive in the mail.
You must always keep proof of your credentials available at your place of work. That's why we offer both a full-size certificate and a convenient wallet-sized license card. You can simply print a wallet card. Or you can keep a digital copy handy (or both).
License Renewal
Your food handlers card is valid for two years. At the end of that period, you will need to renew. To do that, simply repeat the training course.
Every two years, you must refresh your knowledge. The state updates food safety regulations from time to time. Renewing your certification ensures that you keep up with any such changes.
You can trust that Seller Server Online food safety courses are always up to date.
Get Your License Today
If you are ready to obtain a food handlers license in Dallas, you can get started with Seller Server Online right now. Whether you knock out the whole program in an afternoon or spread it out over a couple of weekends, you can study online to get the official certification you need to work with food in Dallas or any other city in the Lone Star State. Get your Texas food handlers card today!