A Washington food worker card costs $10, and the only online course the state accepts is foodworkercard.wa.gov. You can work up to 14 days before you have it, but only if your employer trains you in food safety first. Your first card lasts two years; renewal cards last three years, or five with extra training. Cards from other states and other websites aren’t valid in Washington (Washington DOH food worker card).
The card is also called a Food Handler Permit. It’s issued under chapter 246-217 WAC by local health departments, works in every county, and goes with you when you change jobs. Washington DOH pages checked October 24, 2026.
Who needs a Washington food worker card
You need one if you work with unpackaged food, food equipment or utensils, or any surface where unwrapped food is placed. Keep the card or a copy at work: the health inspector can ask to see it.
How to get the card online or in person
- Go to foodworkercard.wa.gov and choose your language. Sites that look similar and sell a “Washington food handler card” are the main trap; DOH says they aren’t valid.
- Study the Washington State Food Worker Manual, available in 13 languages.
- Watch the training and pass the Washington exam.
- Pay $10 and print the card. Give your employer a copy and keep the original.
- Prefer a class? Every local health department offers training, the test and the card, in person or through the same online system.
DOH sends problems with the online course to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department: FoodWorkerCard@tpchd.org or 1-800-204-4418.
How long a Washington food worker card lasts
| Card | Valid for | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| First card | 2 years | Training and exam |
| Renewal | 3 years | Training and exam again, before the current card expires |
| 5-year renewal | 5 years | Renewal training and exam, plus proof of approved additional training of 4+ hours in the past 2 years |
Approved additional training includes any ANSI-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager course (ServSafe Manager, for example), Washington local health department manager classes, and listed college and workplace courses (DOH additional food safety training list). The online system may issue only a two-year card, so to get the five-year card, email your proof to foodworkercard@tpchd.org or ask your local health department.
Lost card, new job or moving from another state
- Lost card: sign back in at foodworkercard.wa.gov as a returning user and choose “Replace My Valid Food Worker Card.” A fee may apply. Cards from an in-person class are replaced by the local health department that issued them.
- New job or new county: your valid card goes with you anywhere in Washington.
- Card from Oregon, California or anywhere else: it doesn’t count here. Get a Washington card within 14 days of starting, with employer training in the meantime. The rule runs both ways: Oregon also requires its own food handler card within 30 days.
How King County inspections treat a missing card
In King County, which includes Seattle, a missing food worker card is a red critical violation, so it makes the inspection Unsatisfactory. From October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 inspectors cited it on 217 of 10,605 routine inspections, about 2%, by our count from King County Open Data. Compare that with Chicago, where missing food handler training was cited on 11% of routine restaurant visits; Illinois rules are in our Illinois food handler card guide.
The person-in-charge item, which also covers having a certified manager on staff, was cited at 6% of King County’s routine restaurant inspections in the past year. Our King County inspection results by city and Seattle ZIP code show how the other red violations rank.
To see a restaurant’s inspection history, use our guides for Seattle and King County, Tacoma-Pierce County and Spokane County. Washington’s rules next to Florida, California, Texas and three other states are in food handler card requirements by state.