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County-by-county Last reviewed July 26, 2026

Food Handler Card Requirements in Virginia

There is no statewide food handler card law in Virginia — each county decides whether food workers need one. This page lays out which counties require a card, which courses count, and how a card transfers between counties — every fact checked against the official sources cited below.

Virginia Food Handler Card at a Glance

Card required?
Decided county by county — no statewide law
Cost
No statewide fee - there is no state card. In the localities that require one: Norfolk charges a $15.00 non-refundable administrative fee due at registration (cash or money order preferred; credit card accepted, no Discover or American Express). Portsmouth charges $15.00 for the in-person class, or $15 for the online StateFoodSafety course for Portsmouth City. Manager courses run far higher in the same offices - $175.00 for the Certified Professional Food Manager course in both Norfolk and Portsmouth.
Valid for
Where a local card exists, 2 years (Norfolk: 'Food Handler Cards are valid for two years'; Portsmouth: 'The Food Handler's card is valid for two years'). A Certified Professional Food Manager certificate, which Portsmouth accepts in place of the handler card, is valid 5 years.
Who runs it
Virginia Department of Health, Office of Environmental Health Services - Food Safety Program (state regulations); local VDH health districts (e.g. Norfolk Department of Public Health, Portsmouth Health District) run the local food handler card programmes and issue food establishment permits
Approved courses
Official Virginia approved-provider list

This table shows only facts we could verify from official pages or Virginia law. If a detail you need is missing, confirm it with the agency above before you rely on it.

FoodHandlerTest is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) or any certifying organization.

Does Virginia Require a Food Handler Card?

Every state writes its own food safety rules. Of the 25 states we have published so far, 8 require food handler training statewide, 6 leave the decision to counties, and 11 require no individual card at all. Virginia sits in the county-by-county group: whether you need a card depends on where the establishment is, so check the county before you pay for any course.

Accepted Food Handler Training in Virginia

Statewide there is nothing to take - VDH does not require food handlers to earn a card, certificate or licence, and the Virginia Food Regulations (12VAC5-421) put the training duty on the establishment via the person in charge. Where a Hampton Roads locality requires a card, the local health department's own class is the accepted route: Norfolk issues a Food Handler Card at the end of an approximately 90-minute in-person class taught by Environmental Health Specialists at the Norfolk Department of Public Health. Portsmouth teaches the same class in person on the first Wednesday of each month and additionally accepts an online course delivered through its named partner StateFoodSafety for the Portsmouth jurisdiction, which prints a card on completion. A Certified Food Protection Manager certificate substitutes for the handler card in Portsmouth, which states that the CPFM certificate 'takes the place of a Food Handler's card which is required by Portsmouth.' Because the accepted course is jurisdiction-specific, a generic national online food handler card should not be assumed valid - confirm with the locality first.

Open the Official Virginia Course List

FoodHandlerTest is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) or any certifying organization.

Statewide vs. County Rules in Virginia

Virginia has no statewide food handler card, but a cluster of Hampton Roads and Peninsula localities impose one by local ordinance - this is the detail national pages miss. A VDH guidance document listing local food handler permit and training requirements names the cities of Franklin, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk and Williamsburg and the counties of James City, Southampton and York, with the note that all food employees in those jurisdictions must have a food handler permit and training. That document is old (last updated August 2, 2011), so it establishes the pattern rather than today's exact roster; two entries were re-verified as live for 2026 - Norfolk publishes a full 2026 food handler class calendar and Portsmouth publishes a 2026 schedule and states the card 'is required by Portsmouth.' The remaining eight localities on the list were NOT re-verified and should be confirmed with the local health department before being asserted on a page. Everywhere else in Virginia, including Northern Virginia (Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria) and Richmond, no food handler card requirement was found, and VDH's own guidance is that food handler training is recommended but not required.

Food Manager Certification in Virginia

The food handler card is not the only training rule — Virginia also has a separate requirement for certified food protection managers:

Yes, statewide since July 1, 2018. Under 12VAC5-421-55, Virginia food establishments - including temporary food establishments - must have at least one employee with supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service who is a Certified Food Protection Manager, demonstrating proficiency by passing a test that is part of an accredited programme. An establishment with an employee certified by a food protection certification programme evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection-recognised accrediting agency is deemed to comply. Only facilities meeting the exemption criteria in 12VAC5-421-55 B or Va. Code sec. 35.1-25 are excused; VDH summarises the practical exemption as establishments serving only non-TCS foods and/or doing no food preparation or handling. A CFPM serving as the person in charge also satisfies the Demonstration of Knowledge requirement in the Virginia Food Regulations.

Preparing for a manager exam?

Manager exams go deeper than food handler courses — HACCP, active managerial control, and temperature rules in detail. Our free practice test mirrors that format, with an explanation for every answer.

Free Food Manager Practice Test

Virginia Food Handler Card FAQs

Do you need a food handler card in Virginia?

Not under a statewide law — in Virginia, each county decides whether food workers need a card.

How much does a food handler card cost in Virginia?

No statewide fee - there is no state card. In the localities that require one: Norfolk charges a $15.00 non-refundable administrative fee due at registration (cash or money order preferred; credit card accepted, no Discover or American Express). Portsmouth charges $15.00 for the in-person class, or $15 for the online StateFoodSafety course for Portsmouth City. Manager courses run far higher in the same offices - $175.00 for the Certified Professional Food Manager course in both Norfolk and Portsmouth.

How long is a Virginia food handler card valid?

Where a local card exists, 2 years (Norfolk: 'Food Handler Cards are valid for two years'; Portsmouth: 'The Food Handler's card is valid for two years'). A Certified Professional Food Manager certificate, which Portsmouth accepts in place of the handler card, is valid 5 years.

What food handler training does Virginia accept?

Statewide there is nothing to take - VDH does not require food handlers to earn a card, certificate or licence, and the Virginia Food Regulations (12VAC5-421) put the training duty on the establishment via the person in charge. Where a Hampton Roads locality requires a card, the local health department's own class is the accepted route: Norfolk issues a Food Handler Card at the end of an approximately 90-minute in-person class taught by Environmental Health Specialists at the Norfolk Department of Public Health. Portsmouth teaches the same class in person on the first Wednesday of each month and additionally accepts an online course delivered through its named partner StateFoodSafety for the Portsmouth jurisdiction, which prints a card on completion. A Certified Food Protection Manager certificate substitutes for the handler card in Portsmouth, which states that the CPFM certificate 'takes the place of a Food Handler's card which is required by Portsmouth.' Because the accepted course is jurisdiction-specific, a generic national online food handler card should not be assumed valid - confirm with the locality first.

Does Virginia require a certified food manager?

Yes, statewide since July 1, 2018. Under 12VAC5-421-55, Virginia food establishments - including temporary food establishments - must have at least one employee with supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service who is a Certified Food Protection Manager, demonstrating proficiency by passing a test that is part of an accredited programme. An establishment with an employee certified by a food protection certification programme evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection-recognised accrediting agency is deemed to comply. Only facilities meeting the exemption criteria in 12VAC5-421-55 B or Va. Code sec. 35.1-25 are excused; VDH summarises the practical exemption as establishments serving only non-TCS foods and/or doing no food preparation or handling. A CFPM serving as the person in charge also satisfies the Demonstration of Knowledge requirement in the Virginia Food Regulations.

Sources

Last reviewed July 26, 2026. Every fact on this page was checked against the primary sources below on the dates shown.

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FoodHandlerTest is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) or any certifying organization.