Tennessee Food Handlers Card: What's Actually Required (2026)
Quick answer
- Required?
- No — there is no government mandate in Tennessee
- 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 Tennessee Department of Health
No — Tennessee does not require a food handler card at the state level, and official Nashville (Davidson County) and Memphis (Shelby County) health department pages do not support the card mandates some training sites claim. Tennessee does not even mandate a certified food manager.
Tennessee does not require food handler cards — and it is worth being direct about the misinformation, because several commercial training sites claim Nashville (Davidson County) and Memphis (Shelby County) mandate individual food handler permits. The official county health department pages we reviewed do not support that claim. What those counties issue are establishment-level food service permits — licenses for the business, handled by the owner, not cards for workers. If you want to be certain about your specific workplace, a quick call to the county health department settles it.
Tennessee is also unusually light at the top: the Department of Health's food rules (Chapter 1200-23-01, modeled on the 2009 FDA Food Code) do not mandate a certified food protection manager. The person in charge only has to demonstrate food safety knowledge — a clean inspection, an ANAB-accredited manager certification, or correct answers to an inspector's questions all count. For line workers, training is purely an employer matter, and a voluntary ANAB-accredited course ($7–$15, about two hours online) covers any reasonable request.
Who needs a food handler card in Tennessee?
No Tennessee food worker needs a card under state law. Some commercial training sites claim Davidson County (Nashville) and Shelby County (Memphis) require individual food handler permits, but the official county health department pages we reviewed do not corroborate that — the county-issued permits are business permits for establishments, not worker cards. Training is an employer decision. Tennessee also skips the certified manager mandate: the person in charge just has to demonstrate food safety knowledge.
Why get certified anyway?
Even without a legal mandate in Tennessee, 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 Tennessee establishments also need a certified food manager?
No. Tennessee Department of Health rules (Chapter 1200-23-01, modeled on the 2009 FDA Food Code) require only a person in charge who can demonstrate food safety knowledge — via a clean inspection, an ANAB-accredited food protection manager certification, or correctly answering inspector questions. A CFPM credential is one accepted option, not a mandate.
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.
Tennessee food handler card FAQ
Do I need a food handlers card in Tennessee?
No. Tennessee has no state food handler card, and we found no official source supporting the individual permit mandates some training websites claim for Nashville or Memphis. Employers may require training as their own policy — voluntary ANAB-accredited courses run about $7–$15.
Don't Davidson County and Shelby County require food handler permits?
Several commercial training sites say so, but the official Davidson County and Shelby County health department pages we reviewed do not corroborate it. The permits those counties issue are establishment-level food service permits — business licenses, not worker cards. If you want certainty for your workplace, ask the county health department directly.
Does Tennessee require a certified food manager?
No — Tennessee is one of the minority of states without a CFPM mandate. Under TDH rules (Chapter 1200-23-01), the person in charge must simply demonstrate food safety knowledge, which can be shown through a clean inspection, an ANAB-accredited manager certification, or answering an inspector's questions correctly.
Who issues food service permits in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Department of Health, or delegated county health departments like Davidson and Shelby, issue establishment-level food service permits. These are permits for the business itself; no worker-level card program exists at either the state or county level.
Official sources
Every requirement on this page traces to one of these official sources.
- Rules of Tennessee Department of Health — Food Service Establishments (Chapter 1200-23-01) — Tennessee Department of Health
- Environmental Health & Food Safety Program — Shelby County Health Department