Get your food handler certificate

What it is

A food handler certificate shows you have completed an approved food safety course and passed the exam. In Ontario, food premises need at least one certified food handler on site during every hour they operate, under the Food Premises Regulation (O. Reg. 493/17).

Low-risk-only home businesses are exempt from the certification requirement, and public health units still strongly recommend it. If you sell any potentially hazardous food, such as frozen meals, soups and stews, you should expect to need one.

How to get it

• Take a course from your local public health unit or from a provider on the Ontario government's approved list. Public health units accept certificates from listed providers.
• Courses run online or in person and finish with an exam.
• Check the provider is currently listed before you pay: some providers' approval has end dates.

How long it lasts

Halton Region states certification lasts five years and must be renewed. Check your own unit, since inspectors may ask to see your certificate during an inspection.

What to do with it

• Keep the original, and a photo of it, with your kitchen records.
• Upload a copy when you apply to Guilt Free Takeout. We check it is current and in your name.
• Put the expiry date in your calendar so it never lapses while you are listed.

There is no public database of certificate holders in Ontario. That is why we ask to see yours, and why we check it by hand.

Sources

• Ontario: food handler training and certification
• Halton: food safety education and certification

This guide summarizes public information and is not legal advice. Your public health unit decides what applies to your kitchen.