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Food Worker Cards
The most important part of food safety is people. Understanding how to handle food safely is important to help keep Snohomish County free from foodborne illness and disease.
Food worker cards help ensure that all workers are knowledgeable about basic food safety practices. The food worker card training covers sanitation concepts like avoiding cross contamination, handwashing, and no bare hand contact with ready to eat food. It also talks about proper food preparation and the temperatures that control germs in food.
You must have a food worker card within 14 days of hire, supported by on-the-job food safety training from your employer.
You are required to get a Washington State food worker card if you:
- Work with unpackaged food, including restaurants and bars.
- Touch food equipment, including washing dishes.
- Work at a surface on which people place unwrapped food, including grocery store cashiers and baggers.
New Card Verify Feature
The Online Washington State Food Worker Card website now provides public access to verify the validity of a food worker card. Go to cardverify.tpchd.org and verify your card by scanning the QR code or entering the card information.
GET A CARD ONLINE
The Washington State Food Worker Card website is the only online training program authorized to provide you with a valid food worker card in Snohomish County and Washington state. Other websites that appear to offer a similar card are not recognized as a valid government-issued permit to work in a food establishment in Washington state.
The online training is available in several languages.
It takes about one hour to go through the online class and take the test. You must pay the $10 fee by Visa, Mastercard or a debit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo. The payment will go to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
CHECKLIST BEFORE YOU LOG-IN TO TAKE THE CLASS
- Use a computer connected to a printer so you can print your own food worker card after the test. The Snohomish County Health Department does NOT mail you a copy of your card.
- Have your Visa or Mastercard ready to pay online. You can also call our office at 425-339-5250 to pay with a credit card over the phone if you feel more comfortable doing that.
- If you have any trouble during the online course, contact the Snohomish County Health Department Food Safety Program at 425-339-5250. You can also email the Tacoma-Pierce Health Department. They oversee the actual site and will be able to help you if the site isn’t working correctly.
ONLINE GROUP PAY
There is a way to pay for multiple food worker cards at once. First you will need to go to the online class Group Payment page and create an account. Once you have an account, you can create a class. This will give you a class code. You give this class code to each person that needs to take the test. After they have taken the class and test, they are given the option to pay or enter the class code. This puts them on the class list. Once you are ready to pay, you go in and pay for the group at once. The cards would then be sent to each person through the email account they enter when they take the class.
GET A CARD IN PERSON
We offer two food worker card classes each month in our Auditorium at 3020 Rucker Avenue, Everett. See schedule below. Classes last about 90 minutes. Cost is $10 and must be paid by cash or debit card. You do not need to register ahead of time. If you are renewing a current food worker card, bring your current card (or a copy) with you to receive a 3-year card. If you have lost your card, you can order a reprint for $10. This can be done in our office or over the phone 425.339.5250.
- 2 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month in English
- 11 a.m. el primer martes de cada mes en Espanol (This class is in Spanish only)
Arrive 15 minutes early to ensure time for parking and signing in. There is no admittance after the class starts. Please leave young children at home.
Food Managers
5-year food worker card
In order to receive an extended 5-year food worker card you must receive approved additional food safety training. For a list of approved courses that qualify for the 5-year card, go to the Department of Health Additional Food Safety Training for Food Workers page.
Certified Food Protection Manager
The new food code requires each food service establishment to have a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM). This CFPM needs to have passed an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved food manager test. This is a list of the ANSI approved courses that will meet the CFPM Requirement. With these courses, you are looking for the FOOD MANAGER options. These companies also provide a Food Handler option. That is not an acceptable way to meet the CFPM requirement.
Six things to note about the new requirement:
- The CFPM does not need to be on-site, although a copy of the certificate does. This means that not all managers need to be certified. You could have one person designated as the CFPM for the food service establishment or even several establishments.
- An establishment will have 60 days to replace a CFPM if their previous CFPM leaves.
- The CFPM will be responsible for implementing a food protection program which helps each Person in Charge (PIC) and any other employees follow the food code.
- The CFPM will be responsible for training each PIC so that they understand food safety concepts and are able to demonstrate knowledge and maintain Active Managerial Control (AMC).
- A CFPM is not required to take a class, although it is encouraged. They are just required to pass one of the ANSI approved food manager tests.
- Low Risk Establishments, Temporary Food Services and Youth Activity Concessions are exempt from the CFPM requirement. It is still encouraged for those operators to have a CFPM, but not a requirement for operation.
STUDY GUIDES
Prepare for the class by reviewing the Food and Beverage Workers Manual in advance. Booklets and tests are available in several languages.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you have any other questions about the food worker card or the classes, see these FAQs or contact the Snohomish County Health Department Food Safety Program at 425-339-5250.