Exam fact
How much does a food handler card cost?
The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) sells its Professional Food Handler (PFH) online course for $15.00, in English or Spanish, as of October 2026, with the assessment included. What your card costs depends on where you work: a few places run their own card at a set price, and everywhere else you pay the provider you pick.
- ExamPFH
- CheckedOct 13, 2026
- UpdatedOct 14, 2026
On this page 3 sections
NEHA PFH online course
$15.00
NEHA's store lists the Professional Food Handler online certificate course at $15.00 in English and $15.00 in Spanish, online assessment included (as of October 2026). The price is the same in both languages.
Source: NEHA store, PFH online course · checked Oct 13, 2026
Prices we checked, with dates
| Option | Price | Where it counts | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEHA PFH online course, English | $15.00 | Depends on your state or county | NEHA store |
| NEHA PFH online course, Spanish | $15.00 | Depends on your state or county | NEHA store |
| ServSafe Food Handler online course and assessment | $15.00 | Depends on your state or county | ServSafe |
| StateFoodSafety Food Handlers Essentials | $10.99 | Depends on your state; $10.00 plus a $0.99 fee, and the price varies by state | StateFoodSafety |
| Washington Food Worker Card | $10 | Washington only | Washington Department of Health |
| Oregon food handler card | $10.00 | Oregon only | Oregon Health Authority |
| Southern Nevada Health District card, first card | $25 | Southern Nevada only | SNHD |
| NEHA study guide, Professional Food Handler, 5th Ed. | $10.00 | A book, sold separately | NEHA store |
Prices change without notice. Each figure is as shown on the linked page, as of October 2026.
Why your state changes the price
In Washington, Oregon and Southern Nevada, a public health agency sets the card and its price. Washington's Department of Health (DOH) says the only authorized online training is foodworkercard.wa.gov. Oregon takes cards only from Oregon Health Authority-approved providers and says cards from other states aren't valid there. In the Las Vegas area, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) gives its own in-person test. A $15 course from a provider outside those programs doesn't replace those cards. The details sit on the Washington food worker card, Oregon food handlers card and Nevada food handler health card pages.
Where the rule asks for an accredited course, as California's statute and the Texas Department of State Health Services do, you pick a provider and the provider sets the price. Two of the $15 options are lined up in PFH vs ServSafe Food Handler, and more providers are in food handler courses compared.
Before you pay anything, ask your manager who's paying. In California the law makes the employer cover it, upfront or by paying you back; whether a food handlers card can be free has the section and what it says.
Paying for it
Is there a food handler card under $15?
Among the prices we checked, as of October 2026: Washington's and Oregon's state cards are $10, and StateFoodSafety's Food Handlers Essentials was $10.99 with its fee. The two state cards count only in their own state, and StateFoodSafety notes its price varies by state.
Is a food handlers permit or license priced differently from a card?
The name changes with the place: Utah says permit, Washington says food worker card. The price is set by whoever issues it, which is why the table above lists each one with its source.
Does the $15 include the test?
For NEHA, yes. The NEHA store lists the online assessment as included with the $15.00 course, as of October 2026. One attempt comes with each purchase.
Do I pay again when it's time to renew?
For the NEHA certificate, yes. Renewing means taking, and paying for, the course again, per NEHA's online course handbook (as of October 2026). At today's price that's another $15.00 every three years.