Pass your Texas food handler
exam in one afternoon.
Texas requires a food handler card within 60 days of hire.
What Texas requires
Texas law requires all food employees to complete a food handler training program accredited by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) within 60 days of hire. This applies statewide — every county, every city, from Houston and Dallas to El Paso and Brownsville.
Any DSHS-accredited provider is accepted statewide. There are no county-specific locked programs in Texas. Your food handler card is valid for 2 years statewide and accepted by any Texas food establishment.
What the exam covers
Every DSHS-accredited Texas food handler exam tests the same core topics:
- Personal hygiene and proper handwashing technique
- Time and temperature control for safety foods
- Cross-contamination prevention
- The Big Nine food allergens
- Cleaning and sanitizing procedures
- Foodborne illness — causes, symptoms, and prevention
- Safe food storage and receiving practices
Why practice before you pay
Texas food handler certification costs $7–$15 depending on the provider. Most programs give you only two attempts to pass. A failed attempt means paying to retake the course before your 60-day deadline.
SafePrep’s adaptive questions target exactly the topics most people miss — time and temperature limits, allergen rules, and proper handwashing steps. Twenty minutes of focused practice before your official exam is all it takes. Study until you hit 70% readiness, then go take your DSHS-accredited exam with confidence.