Louisiana Food Handlers Card: What's Actually Required (2026)
Quick answer
- Required?
- No — there is no government mandate in Louisiana
- Employers
- May still require food safety training as a job condition
- Voluntary
- An ANAB-accredited course typically costs $10–$15 online
Requirements verified July 17, 2026 against Louisiana Department of Health
No — Louisiana does not require food handler cards for food workers, in New Orleans or anywhere else. State law instead requires one person per retail food establishment to hold and post an LDH Food Safety Certificate — a $25 manager-level credential under La. R.S. 40:5.5.
Louisiana does not require food handler cards — not statewide, and no parish mandate turned up in our research, including for New Orleans. For cooks, servers, and bartenders, any food safety training requirement comes from the employer, and a voluntary ANAB-accredited course ($7–$15, about two hours) covers it.
Louisiana's actual law is distinctive: under La. R.S. 40:5.5 and LAC 51:XXIII-305, every retail food establishment must have one person — owner, manager, or any employee — who holds the Louisiana Department of Health's Food Safety Certificate, and the certificate must be posted where customers or inspectors can see it. Earning it means an approximately 8-hour LDH-approved manager course, an approved written proctored exam (ANSI/CFP programs like ServSafe qualify), and a $25 state certificate fee, with renewal and retest every 5 years. It is a manager credential, not a handler card — one per establishment, not one per worker.
Who needs a food handler card in Louisiana?
No Louisiana food worker needs a handler card — training for line staff is employer discretion. The legally required credential is per-establishment: one person (owner, manager, or employee) must obtain the Louisiana Department of Health's Food Safety Certificate, which requires an approved manager-level course and proctored exam, costs $25 for the state certificate, and must be posted in the establishment.
Why get certified anyway?
Even without a legal mandate in Louisiana, many employers require food safety training as a hiring condition, and a completed ANAB-accredited food handler course is a real advantage when applying for restaurant jobs. Online courses typically cost $10–$15 and take under two hours.
Recognized training options
Do Louisiana establishments also need a certified food manager?
Yes, in Louisiana's own format. Under La. R.S. 40:5.5 and LAC 51:XXIII-305, each retail food establishment must have one person — owner, manager, or employee — who holds the LDH Food Safety Certificate. Getting it takes an approximately 8-hour LDH-approved manager course plus an approved written proctored exam; the state certificate costs $25, renews every 5 years with a retest, and must be posted or displayed in the establishment.
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.
Louisiana food handler card FAQ
Do I need a food handlers card in Louisiana?
No. Louisiana has no food handler card mandate for line workers, and no parish-level mandate was found either — including in New Orleans. Employers may require training on their own; a voluntary ANAB-accredited course costs about $7–$15.
What is the Louisiana Food Safety Certificate?
It is the state's per-establishment manager credential under La. R.S. 40:5.5. One person at each retail food establishment must complete an LDH-approved manager course (about 8 hours), pass an approved proctored exam, and pay $25 for the state certificate, which must be posted in the establishment and renewed every 5 years with a retest.
Does New Orleans require its own food handler permit?
We found no Orleans Parish or City of New Orleans handler card requirement — the LDH Food Safety Certificate rule is the operative one there, as everywhere in Louisiana. Parishes and cities can add local requirements, so if you work in food service it is reasonable to confirm with your local health authority.
Does ServSafe work for the Louisiana certificate requirement?
ANSI/CFP-accredited manager programs such as ServSafe are accepted toward the LDH Food Safety Certificate's course-and-exam requirement. The establishment still applies for the $25 LDH certificate itself. Note this is the manager-level ServSafe program, not the cheaper ServSafe Food Handler course.
Official sources
Every requirement on this page traces to one of these official sources.
- LDH Food Safety Certification — Louisiana Department of Health
- La. Admin. Code tit. 51, XXIII-305 Food Safety Certification — Louisiana Administrative Code (via Cornell LII)
- La. R.S. 40:5.5 — food safety certificates — Louisiana Revised Statutes (via Justia)