Build an online California food handler card program
In California the card comes from an ANSI accredited provider, not a county or a state board. HSC 113948 lets the course and exam run fully online with no proctor, as long as the system guards against fraud. We build that system on your site and hand you the code.
What ANSI requires of an online course
ANSI accreditation under California Health and Safety Code 113948. Summarized from the rule text, with the citation for each so you can check it yourself.
- 01
Only accredited providers issue the card
HSC 113948(b)(2)
Since January 1, 2012 the card can only come from a training provider accredited by ANSI that meets ASTM E2659-09. A classroom trainer without that accreditation teaches under an accredited issuer instead.
- 02
Course length and exam floor
HSC 113948(b)(3)
The course and exam are designed to take about two and a half hours. The exam has at least 40 questions and a passing score of at least 70 percent.
- 03
Online is allowed, fraud controls are not optional
HSC 113948(c)
Training may be trainer led, by computer or internet, or a mix. Online delivery needs sufficient security channels and procedures to guard against fraud. A proctor is expressly not required for a computer or internet exam.
- 04
Three years, statewide, 30 days from hire
HSC 113948
The card is valid for three years and recognized across the state. A food handler must get one within 30 days of hire.
- 05
A $15 option has to exist
HSC 113948(h)(2)
At least one course and exam must be offered for $15 or less, with the card included.
- 06
No card required to get hired
HSC 113948(i)
Employers cannot make an existing card a condition of hire.
How the platform is built to it
Your course, on your site, under your name. Every requirement above is a feature, not a promise in the application.
Exam engine to the statute
A question bank well past 40 items, randomized forms, and a passing line you cannot set below 70 percent. Course and exam are paced to the two and a half hour design.
Fraud controls you can describe
One account per learner, identity checks at sign in, attempt limits and a full session log. The point is to show your accreditor exactly how the system guards against fraudulent activity under 113948(c).
The $15 tier built in
Checkout carries a course, exam and card bundle at $15 or less next to any other offers. With no per student fees on our side, that tier does not lose money to the platform.
Cards with a three year clock
Cards issue on a pass with the three year expiry printed, and a public lookup lets an employer or inspector confirm one.
Employer seats
Employers pay for training, so they get a dashboard to buy seats, assign them and see who passed inside the 30 day window.
The path to ANSI approval
- 1
Pick the route: become an ANSI accredited issuer yourself, or deliver under an accredited issuer and run your own branded training.
- 2
Build the course and exam to HSC 113948(b)(3) and the online security standard in 113948(c).
- 3
Seek ANSI accreditation against ASTM E2659-09, with the platform documentation the accreditor needs.
- 4
Appear in the ANAB directory of accredited California food handler programs.
- 5
Launch with at least one $15 or lower course, exam and card option.
The terms
We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.
- One flat fee
- Quoted per course before any work starts. No hourly billing and no surprise line items.
- Final payment on approval
- The last payment is due when the regulator approves the course, so the platform has to pass review before it is paid for in full.
- No per-student fees
- You keep what every enrollment pays. Nothing is skimmed per seat, per certificate or per month of traffic.
- You own it
- The platform, the code and the student records are yours outright, on your site and under your brand.
Questions schools ask
Can I issue California food handler cards from my own classroom program?
Not without accreditation. HSC 113948(b)(2) limits issuers to ANSI accredited providers that meet ASTM E2659-09. Without it, you teach under an accredited issuer.
Does an online California food handler exam need a proctor?
No. 113948(c) says a proctor is not required for a computer or internet exam. It does require security channels and procedures that guard against fraud, so the platform has to carry that load.
What is the minimum passing score and question count?
At least 40 questions and a passing score of at least 70 percent, with the course and exam designed for about two and a half hours.
Is every California county covered by the state card?
The statute exempts areas that ran their own local program before January 1, 2009. Which counties that covers comes from county guidance, so check yours.
How is the platform priced?
A flat fee per course, quoted before we start, with the last payment due when the course is accredited. No per student fees, and you own the platform outright. We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.
Price your ANSI course
Tell us the course and how you teach it now. You get a flat price back by email, and a list of what the application will ask about the platform.
Or email [email protected]
Sources
- California HSC 113948
- ANAB directory of accredited California food handler programs
- Los Angeles County accredited food handler programs
Read from the sources above on October 15, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current text with ANSI before you apply. This page is not legal advice.