Run your Texas food handler program online, under your own license

DSHS lets an accredited food handler program be delivered over the Internet, and the rule is short. Six topics, two hours at most, a card that holds for two years statewide. We build that course on your site, under your brand, and you own every line of it.

Get a quote for your courseRead the DSHS rules

What DSHS requires of an online course

Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Summarized from the rule text, with the citation for each so you can check it yourself.

  1. 01

    Six required topics

    25 TAC 229.178(c)(1)

    The curriculum must cover foodborne disease outbreaks and employee reporting, good hygienic practices, preventing contamination by employees including bare hand contact with ready to eat food, cross contamination, time and temperature control, and food allergen awareness.

  2. 02

    Two hours is the ceiling

    25 TAC 229.178(c)(2)

    The course length may not exceed two hours. This is a maximum, not a minimum, so a padded course is out of compliance just like a thin one.

  3. 03

    The exam is your call

    25 TAC 229.178(c)(3)

    A program may require a passing score on an examination. The rule does not set a state passing score, so the program sets its own if it uses one.

  4. 04

    Internet delivery is allowed

    25 TAC 229.178(c)(4)

    An accredited program may be delivered through the Internet. The rule adds no identity check, timer or state reporting duty on top of that.

  5. 05

    The card and what it shows

    25 TAC 229.178(d)

    The certificate is valid for two years and recognized statewide. DSHS says each card must show the program name, address and TXDSHS license number or ANSI listing, and wants a watermark or background on it to stop duplication.

  6. 06

    One license per curriculum

    25 TAC 229.178(e) and (g)

    The program license runs two years and does not transfer on a change of ownership or site location. The fee is $600 per two year license, and a separate application is required for each course curriculum.

  7. 07

    Why employers need you fast

    25 TAC 228.31(d)

    Every food employee other than the certified food protection manager must complete an accredited food handler course within 30 days of employment.

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.

Six modules, one per required topic

The course is laid out against the six topics in 229.178(c)(1), allergen awareness included, so the curriculum you submit and the course learners see are the same document.

Built to land under two hours

We time every lesson and the exam together and keep the total under the two hour cap, with the run time written down for your application.

An exam only if you want one

The exam is a switch. Turn it on and you choose the passing score and retake policy. Leave it off and completion is the last module.

Cards that are hard to fake

Each card prints your program name, address and TXDSHS license number on a watermarked background, with the two year expiry, and a sample goes straight into your application packet.

Spanish without a second license

DSHS says an exact translation of an approved curriculum does not need a new license, as long as the translation method and the translators are documented. We build the Spanish course and keep that record.

Group seats for employers

Restaurants buy seats for a crew and see who has finished, which matters when every new hire has 30 days.

The path to DSHS approval

  1. 1

    Write the curriculum against the six required topics and keep the full course under two hours.

  2. 2

    Prepare a sample food handler certificate with the program details and a watermark or background.

  3. 3

    Submit the curriculum, the sample certificate and the $600 fee to DSHS on its initial license application. A separate application is needed for each curriculum.

  4. 4

    Once licensed, get DSHS approval for any curriculum revision before you release it.

  5. 5

    Renew the license every two years.

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 a Texas food handler course be taken completely online?

Yes. 25 TAC 229.178(c)(4) says an accredited program may be delivered through the Internet. The course still has to cover the six required topics and stay at or under two hours.

Does DSHS require identity verification or a timer for online food handler courses?

The rule does not set one. 229.178 has no identity check, seat time clock or completion reporting duty for food handler programs. You can still add account controls if you want them, and we build what you ask for.

How much does a DSHS food handler program license cost?

The rule sets $600 per two year license for each program, $300 for an amendment and $100 for a late renewal, plus Texas.gov fees. Each curriculum is its own application.

Do I need a new license to offer my course in Spanish?

DSHS says an exact translation does not need a new license, but you have to document how it was translated and who did it. Revised curricula, on the other hand, must be approved before release.

What does the platform cost and who owns it?

One flat fee for the course, quoted up front. The final payment is due when DSHS approves it. No per student fees, and the platform and code are yours. We are building one right now for a state-approved online school in Virginia, in English and Spanish, on the same terms.

Price your DSHS 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

Read from the sources above on October 15, 2026. Rules change, so confirm the current text with DSHS before you apply. This page is not legal advice.

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