Arizona Food Handlers Card: Requirements, Cost & How to Get One (2026)

Quick answer

Required?
Depends on your county — no statewide law
Deadline
Varies by county — within 30 days of starting work in Maricopa, Pinal, and Santa Cruz c…
Cost
$7–$30
Valid for
3 years
Online OK?
Yes

Requirements verified July 17, 2026 against Arizona State Legislature

Arizona has no statewide food handler card law — each county decides. Most large counties (Maricopa, Pinal, Yuma, Coconino, Mohave, Yavapai, Santa Cruz, La Paz) require training or a card, while Pima County (Tucson) does not require individual handler cards. State law makes online ANAB-accredited courses valid in every county that requires one.

Arizona is a patchwork: there is no statewide food handler card, and each of the 15 counties writes its own rule. The counties do share one piece of state law, though — A.R.S. §11-269.12 — which says that wherever a card is required, online ANAB-accredited courses must be accepted without a proctor, counties can't limit your test attempts, and a card from one Arizona county is valid in every other county that requires one.

In practice, that means an accredited online course (usually $7–$10) covers you almost everywhere in Arizona. The exceptions worth knowing: Pima County (Tucson) doesn't require handler cards at all, Yuma County wants you certified before your first shift, and La Paz County issues an annual card that must be posted on the wall of the establishment. Find your county below for the exact rules.

Who needs a food handler card in Arizona?

In counties that mandate it: anyone who handles food, beverages, utensils, or food-contact equipment for the public — cooks, servers, dishwashers, mobile food unit and special-event workers. Exact scope is set by each county's code. Workers who handle only fully packaged food are generally excluded.

How to get your Arizona food handler card

  1. Find your county below. Rules genuinely differ — Phoenix (Maricopa) and Tucson (Pima) have opposite approaches.
  2. In most card-requiring counties: take an ANAB-accredited online course ($7–$10, about 2 hours). State law guarantees online courses are accepted.
  3. Check whether your county needs anything extra: Yuma and La Paz issue their own county cards ($10 cash and $15/year respectively), while Maricopa, Coconino, Pinal, and others accept the accredited certificate as-is.
  4. Give your certificate to your employer — county codes generally require it to be kept on file (or, in La Paz County, posted on the wall).
  5. Renew on your county's schedule: typically every 3 years, but yearly in Yuma and La Paz counties.

Which courses count: In any county that requires a certificate, state law (A.R.S. §11-269.12) requires the course to meet the ANSI/ASTM E2659-09 standard (ANAB-accredited), expressly allows online unproctored courses, and bars counties from limiting your test attempts. A card issued by one Arizona county is valid in every other county that requires one, until it expires.

Approved training options

Learn2Serve by 360trainingANAB-accredited
ServSafe Food HandlerANAB-accredited
StateFoodSafetyANAB-accredited
eFoodHandlersANAB-accredited
AAA Food HandlerANAB-accredited

County differences in Arizona

Requirements are not identical everywhere in Arizona. These counties have their own rules — click through for specifics:

  • Maricopa County

    Maricopa County (Phoenix) stopped issuing its own food worker cards in 2015 — but training is still mandatory. Every food employee must complete an ANAB-accredited course within 30 days, and the certificate is kept on file at the establishment.

  • Pima County

    Pima County (Tucson) does NOT require individual food handler cards — the only county mandates are a person in charge on premises at all times and at least one ANSI-certified food protection manager per establishment. The county's own food handler class is voluntary.

  • Yuma County

    Yuma County is one of Arizona's strictest: it requires a card before you start work, and the county-issued card lasts only 1 year. Holders of a current ANAB-accredited certificate are exempt for as long as that certificate is valid.

  • Coconino County

    Coconino County (Flagstaff, Grand Canyon) accepts ANAB-accredited certificates directly and dropped its old fee for transferring them to a county card. It also offers a unique Backcountry Specialist certification for river and backcountry guides.

  • Pinal County

    Pinal County requires food service worker certification within 30 days of hire — special-event food workers must be certified before the event starts.

  • Mohave County

    Mohave County requires both food handler and food protection manager certifications, and explicitly accepts three kinds of proof: its own county certificate, any current ANAB-accredited certificate, or a current card from any other Arizona county.

  • Yavapai County

    Yavapai County (Prescott) requires a food worker card for every employee who handles food or food equipment — but its in-person county classes are suspended, so online ANAB courses are the practical route.

  • Santa Cruz County

    Santa Cruz County (Nogales) requires all food-handling employees to hold a Food Handler's Certificate within 30 days of hire, with certificates kept on site for inspections.

  • La Paz County

    La Paz County is the only Arizona county with an annual card: $15 per year, required before you start work, and it must be physically posted inside the food unit during operating hours.

Cost and renewal

Online ANAB-accredited courses generally run $7–$10. County-run options vary: Yuma County's test is $10 cash, La Paz County's card is $15 per year, and Pima County's voluntary class plus exam is $30. Maricopa County charges no county fee at all — you pay only the course provider.

Three years is the most common validity (Maricopa, Coconino, Santa Cruz, and typical ANAB certificates). Exceptions: Yuma County's own card lasts only 1 year (though it accepts unexpired ANAB certificates for their full term), and La Paz County's card renews annually for $15. Renew by retaking an approved course or test before expiration.

Do Arizona establishments also need a certified food manager?

No statewide law, but nearly every major county code requires it: Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Mohave, Coconino, and Santa Cruz all require at least one ANSI/CFP-certified Food Protection Manager (generally a 5-year credential) for establishments serving open perishable food. Coconino requires the CFPM to be physically present during operating hours.

If you're aiming for a supervisor role, see our guide to food manager certification — it's a different credential with a proctored exam and higher pay potential.

Not sure what applies to you? Use the requirements checker or read how to get a food handlers card for the general process.

Arizona food handler card FAQ

Is a food handler card required statewide in Arizona?

No. Arizona leaves food handler cards to county health departments. Most of the state's population lives in counties that require training or a card (Maricopa, Pinal, Yuma, Coconino, Mohave, Yavapai, Santa Cruz, La Paz), but Pima County (Tucson) does not mandate individual handler cards, and some rural counties have no requirement.

Can I take my Arizona food handler course online?

Yes. A.R.S. §11-269.12 guarantees that any county requiring a certificate must accept online, unproctored courses that meet the ANAB (ASTM E2659-09) standard, and counties cannot limit your test attempts.

Does my card from one Arizona county work in another?

Yes. Under A.R.S. §11-269.12, a county-issued food handler certificate or card is valid in any other Arizona county that requires one, until it expires. La Paz County charges $15 to convert an out-of-county card.

How long is an Arizona food handler card good for?

Usually 3 years (Maricopa, Coconino, Santa Cruz, and typical ANAB certificates). Exceptions: Yuma County's own card lasts 1 year, and La Paz County's card renews annually for $15.

Do Phoenix food workers need a Maricopa County-issued card?

No — Maricopa County stopped issuing its own cards in 2015. Instead, you complete an ANAB-accredited course within 30 days of starting, and your certificate is kept on file at the establishment.

Does Arizona require a certified food manager?

Not by state statute, but nearly every major county code does: Maricopa, Pima, Pinal, Mohave, Coconino, and Santa Cruz all require at least one certified Food Protection Manager for establishments serving open perishable food.

Official sources

Every requirement on this page traces to one of these official sources.