Alabama Food Handler Cards: What Mobile and Birmingham Require

Alabama does not require a food handler card statewide. What the state does require is a certified person in charge: most full-service food establishments must have someone with a valid certification from an accredited program on duty during all hours of operation. Worker cards are a local rule, and the two counties that enforce one are Mobile County and Jefferson County (Birmingham).

That is why a search for "Alabama food handlers card" returns a page of vendors selling a generic online certificate for a few dollars. Some of those certificates are worthless where you actually work. Mobile County says in writing that cards from other providers will not be recognized. This page explains what the state requires, what the two county programs require, and how to avoid paying for the wrong card.

Does Alabama require a food handlers card?

Not at the state level. Alabama's retail food rules are the Alabama Department of Public Health's food establishment sanitation rules, Chapter 420-3-22 of the Alabama Administrative Code. The chapter adopts Chapters 1 through 8 of the 2013 edition of the FDA Food Code by reference, then adds Alabama's own amendments. The chapter was most recently replaced by a new rule that took effect on February 14, 2025, and it still references the 2013 Food Code.

The rule sets a manager-level requirement. It does not create a card for line staff. Inspections are carried out by environmental health staff at county health departments, and the state rule leaves room for local requirements on top of the baseline.

So the honest answer for most of the state is: you do not need a card, but your employer may require training, and if you work in Mobile or Jefferson County the county does require it.

Which Alabama counties require food handler training?

The two county programs look similar and work very differently.

Mobile County is the strict one. The Mobile County Health Department requires the card before you start work, not within a grace period. Cards are issued online only, through the department's own Mobile County program. The department states that cards issued for other counties, or by other food handler training providers, are not valid in Mobile County. Mobile cards are valid for one year and must be renewed annually. If you serve alcohol, you also need a Food and Beverage Handler upgrade, which the department runs as an in-person class.

Jefferson County gives you three routes. The Jefferson County Department of Health requires all food employees to complete food safety training, and new employees must be certified within 21 days of their hire date. You can do it in a classroom class at the department, through the county's approved online course, or through a Certified Food Safety Manager who is on duty at all times. Classroom and online options run in several languages, including Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese and Mandarin.

Fees for both county programs are set by the health departments and change. Check the county sites for the current figure rather than a price quoted by a vendor.

The rule every Alabama kitchen has to meet

The requirement that actually gets establishments written up is the manager rule, not the worker card.

Under Rule 420-3-22-.02, Alabama sorts establishments into four Priority Categories by risk. For Priority Category 3 and 4 establishments, the permit holder or their designee must hold a valid certification from an accredited program or verification of attendance at one. Since January 1, 2020, a designated person in charge with that certification or verification must be present during all hours of operation.

Category 3 covers most restaurants. It includes any establishment that handles unpackaged raw animal food, cooks TCS food to reduce pathogens, reuses customer utensils, or cools and reheats food. Category 4 is a Category 2 or 3 operation that also runs a process requiring a variance or a HACCP plan.

Priority Category 1 and 2 establishments and temporary food establishments are exempt from that certified-person requirement. Category 1 sells only prepackaged TCS food. Category 2 is a limited operation that does not use raw animal food, does not cool heated food and does not reuse tableware.

The permit rules add a timing detail. When a permit is issued, the certification must have been issued within the previous five years (60 months), or the accredited program must have been completed within the previous twelve months.

The reason the rule targets the person in charge is that this person controls the risks that cause outbreaks: time and temperature, cross-contamination, and ill workers. The FDA builds its Food Code around that idea of active managerial control. Alabama puts a certified person in that role on every shift.

Food handler card versus a certified food protection manager

ServSafe's Food Protection Manager Certification is one accredited option for the state rule. The exam passes at 70%, which means at least 56 of the 80 scored questions. Prep sites often say 75%, but that is the Food Handler threshold. Check servsafe.com for current exam formats and pricing, which change without notice.

A ServSafe Food Handler certificate is a different product. It is a good course, but it does not replace the Mobile County card, because Mobile recognizes only its own.

Does a food handler card from another state work in Alabama?

In Mobile County, no. The department is explicit that cards from other providers and other counties are not recognized, so a Texas, Florida or Georgia card will not count.

In Jefferson County, the department accepts its own classroom training and its approved online course. Jefferson County does say its food handler cards transfer between establishments inside the county, so you do not need a new one each time you change jobs there. A card from outside the county is a different matter. Ask the department before you start.

Everywhere else in Alabama there is usually no worker card to satisfy, so an out-of-state card is simply not needed. A manager certification from an accredited program is the credential that tends to travel between states.

Temporary events, festivals and food trucks

Mardi Gras in Mobile, football weekends in Tuscaloosa and Auburn, and county fairs all generate short-term food vendors, and event organizers often ask for proof of training.

A temporary food establishment still needs a permit from the local health department. Under the state rule, temporary food establishments are exempt from the certified person-in-charge requirement. That does not mean anything goes. The county running the event can still inspect you, and its own worker rules can still apply. If the event is in Mobile County, assume the Mobile card rule applies to anyone handling food.

Ask the organizer and the host county's health department what they require before the event date. The rule follows the location of the event. For more on mobile operations, see our guide to food truck health inspections.

What this means for you

If you work in Mobile County, get your Mobile County card through the health department's online program before your first shift, and give your employer a copy. Do not buy a cheaper generic card first. The county has said it will not recognize it.

If you work in Jefferson County, you have 21 days from your hire date. Ask your manager whether a certified manager covers you or whether you need the class, then take the county class or its approved online course.

If you work anywhere else in Alabama, you probably do not need a card. Ask your employer before paying for anything, because many operations require training on their own.

If you run a kitchen, the certified person-in-charge rule is the one that matters. A certified person has to be on duty during all hours of operation. One certified manager cannot cover a seven-day, double-shift schedule, so certify at least one backup.

The knowledge behind the card matters more than the card. The practices inspectors look for are the same in every county: handwashing and personal hygiene, keeping food out of the temperature danger zone, and knowing when a sick worker must stay home.

Frequently asked questions

Is a food handlers card required in Alabama?

Not statewide. Alabama's food rules, Chapter 420-3-22, require a certified person in charge at most full-service establishments but create no card for line staff. Mobile County and Jefferson County add their own worker training rules, so whether you need a card depends on the county where you work.

Can I get my Mobile County food handler card online?

Yes, and online is the only way now. The Mobile County Health Department no longer runs food handler classes in person. Mobile cards come only through the department's own Mobile County online program, and the department says cards from other providers or other counties are not recognized. The card is valid for one year.

Are ServSafe and a food handler card the same thing?

No. A food handler card is a basic credential for line staff, and in Alabama it is issued by county programs. ServSafe offers a Food Handler course and a separate Manager certification. The Manager certification satisfies Alabama's certified person-in-charge rule. A ServSafe Food Handler certificate does not replace the Mobile County card.

How long do new hires have to get trained in Jefferson County?

Twenty-one days. The Jefferson County Department of Health requires new employees to be certified within 21 days of their hire date. Training can be done in a classroom at the department, through the county's approved online course, or through a Certified Food Safety Manager who is on duty at all times.

What FDA Food Code does Alabama use?

Alabama's rule adopts Chapters 1 through 8 of the 2013 edition of the FDA Food Code, with state amendments. The rule was replaced by a new version effective February 14, 2025, still citing the 2013 edition. The ServSafe Manager exam follows the 2022 Food Code, so managers study the newer edition.

Do temporary food vendors in Alabama need a certified manager?

Not under the state rule. Alabama exempts temporary food establishments, along with Priority Category 1 and 2 establishments, from the certified person-in-charge requirement. Vendors still need a temporary permit from the local health department, and county worker rules may still apply, so check with the host county before the event.

Want to learn the material rather than just pass a county quiz? Start with the free Food Handler track, or move up to the ServSafe Manager course if you will be the person in charge.

Sources

• FDA Food Code and Food Code 2022, the model Alabama's rule is built from
• Adoption of the FDA Food Code by State and Territorial Agencies
• CDC: Foodborne Germs and Illnesses
• FoodSafety.gov
• ServSafe, current manager and food handler program details and pricing
• Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 420-3-22, Food Establishment Sanitation
• Alabama Department of Public Health: Food Safety
• Mobile County Health Department: Food and Beverage Handler Training
• Jefferson County Department of Health: Food Handler Classes