Missouri Food Handlers Card: Requirements, Cost & How to Get One (2026)
Quick answer
- Required?
- Depends on your county — no statewide law
- Deadline
- Varies by jurisdiction
- Cost
- $20–$25
- Valid for
- 3 years
- Online OK?
- Yes
Requirements verified July 17, 2026 against Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Missouri has no statewide food handler card — whether you need one depends on your city or county. Kansas City and Jackson County require food handler cards, and St. Louis County requires food handlers to be vaccinated against Hepatitis A under its Chapter 807 food code.
Missouri is one of the few states where the state food code requires neither a food handler card nor a certified food protection manager — the Department of Health and Senior Services only asks that the person in charge can demonstrate food safety knowledge. Everything stricter happens at the local level, and the big metros have gone three different directions.
Kansas City issues a 3-year card ($20 in person, $25 online through two approved providers). Jackson County runs its own permit program ($22 classroom, $24.95 online via TAP Series). And St. Louis County took a unique path: instead of a training card, its Chapter 807 food code requires food handlers employed more than 30 days a year to be vaccinated against Hepatitis A — a rule it pioneered in 2000. Find your jurisdiction below for the exact steps.
Who needs a food handler card in Missouri?
In Kansas City and Jackson County, hourly food workers — cooks, servers, prep staff, dishwashers — need a food handler card or permit from an approved course. In St. Louis County, anyone employed as a food handler for more than 30 days in a 12-month period must comply with the county's Hepatitis A vaccination requirement. Elsewhere in Missouri, most jurisdictions require nothing for line workers, though employers can still ask for training.
How to get your Missouri food handler card
- Find your jurisdiction below — Kansas City, Jackson County, and St. Louis County each have different rules, and much of Missouri has none at all.
- Kansas City: take the $20 in-person class or a $25 approved online course (Premier Food Safety or StateFoodSafety), then present your certificate within 30 days.
- Jackson County: sign up for the $22 classroom session or the $24.95 TAP Series online course — the only online option the county accepts.
- St. Louis County: if you'll work as a food handler more than 30 days in a year, get the Hepatitis A vaccine and give your employer the documentation (booster follows 6–12 months later).
- Give your card or paperwork to your employer — local codes make them keep it on file for inspections.
- Renew on your local schedule: 3 years in Kansas City; check your permit's expiration in Jackson County. The Hepatitis A series is one-time.
Which courses count: Each local health department sets its own list. Kansas City accepts its approved online partners (Premier Food Safety and StateFoodSafety) or comparable cards it approves; Jackson County accepts its TAP Series online course and ANSI-accredited training. There is no statewide accreditation rule because there is no statewide mandate.
Approved training options
County differences in Missouri
Requirements are not identical everywhere in Missouri. These counties have their own rules — click through for specifics:
- Kansas City
The City of Kansas City runs its own food handler card program through the KC Health Department: a 3-year card earned through the city's in-person class ($20) or one of two approved online providers ($25).
- Jackson County
Jackson County (the county surrounding much of the KC metro, including Independence and Blue Springs outside KCMO city limits) requires food handler permits through its own Environmental Health program — classroom training for $22 or a single approved online course for $24.95.
- St. Louis County
St. Louis County's food handler rule is different in kind: Chapter 807 of the county code requires Hepatitis A vaccination — not a training card — for anyone employed as a food handler more than 30 days in a 12-month period. It was the first jurisdiction in Missouri to mandate the vaccine for food workers.
Cost and renewal
Kansas City: $20 in-person class or $25 online (the online price includes the city card fee). Jackson County: $22 classroom or $24.95 for the county's approved online course. St. Louis County's requirement is a vaccination, not a paid course — cost depends on your vaccine provider and insurance.
Kansas City food handler cards are valid 3 years; renew by retaking an approved course. Jackson County doesn't publish a validity period prominently — check the expiration on your permit or call the county's Environmental Health Division. Hepatitis A vaccination in St. Louis County is a one-time series (initial shot plus a booster 6–12 months later), not a renewable card.
Do Missouri establishments also need a certified food manager?
No — Missouri DHSS states the current state food code does not require a certified manager; the person in charge just has to demonstrate knowledge of foodborne illness prevention. Some local jurisdictions add their own manager certification rules, so check with your city or county health department.
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.
Missouri food handler card FAQ
Does Missouri require a food handler card statewide?
No. The state food code doesn't require handler cards or even a certified manager. Requirements come from local health departments — Kansas City and Jackson County mandate handler cards, and St. Louis County mandates Hepatitis A vaccination for food handlers under Chapter 807.
What about Jefferson County or other Missouri counties?
Jefferson County is reported by training providers to require ANAB-accredited training for food employees, but we could not confirm that on the county's own pages — confirm locally before relying on it. Springfield-Greene County offers a health-department handler course, but it's optional. When in doubt, call your county health department.
How much does a Missouri food handler card cost?
In Kansas City, $20 in person or $25 online through an approved provider. In Jackson County, $22 in a classroom or $24.95 for the approved TAP Series online course. Some sources say Missouri law caps local handler card fees around $15, but we couldn't verify a statute for that — actual published local fees are what's listed here.
Is the St. Louis County requirement really a vaccine, not a class?
Yes. Chapter 807's food-handler-specific mandate, in force since 2000, is Hepatitis A vaccination for anyone working as a food handler more than 30 days in a 12-month period. It was the first such mandate in Missouri. Training may still be required by your employer or other local rules, but the vaccination is the county-level legal requirement we verified.
How long is a Kansas City food handler card valid?
Three years, whether you took the city's in-person class or an approved online course. Renew by retaking an approved course before it expires.
Official sources
Every requirement on this page traces to one of these official sources.
- Food Safety Training — Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
- Need a Food Handler Card? — City of Kansas City Health Department
- Food Handler Permits — Jackson County, MO
- Chapter 807 — The Food Code — St. Louis County Code of Ordinances