Food Handler Identification Card

El Paso City Code tit. 9, ch. 9.12, art. III

in effect

El Paso City Code § 9.12.130 Required.

9.12.130 - Required. A. An individual desiring to work in an establishment as a food handler, as defined in Section 9.12.010, must obtain from the director or designee, a food handler certificate or other proof of course completion of the director's food handler classroom course within thirty days from the date of employment or successfully complete and provide proof of completion of a food handler course approved by the director. 1. The requirements of this section do not apply to: a. An individual working in an establishment that sells or offers only prepackaged foods; b. An individual working in a produce stand that only offers whole, uncut fresh fruits and vegetables; and c. An individual working in a food processing plant, as provided in 25 Texas Administrative Code § 228.2(58). 2. The requirements of this section do not apply to individuals who are not food handlers as defined in this chapter. B. A person may opt out of the course described in Section 9.12.130A. by taking the director's online food handler course and corresponding examination and must score at least seventy percent proficiency on said examination. The required fee for the online course registration and examination shall be submitted prior to the time that the person takes the online course. A person who fails to score at least seventy percent on said exam may pay the fee and retake the exam. C. A person who does not take the director's food handler classroom course or the online course and corresponding exam, may fulfill the training requirements of this chapter by providing to the director or designee, within the timeframe described in Section 9.12.130A., proof of completion of a food handler course approved by the director. A food handler course shall be approved by the director if said course is accredited by the American National Standards Institute or by the Department of State Health Services and is listed on their registry. No fee shall be charged by the director for completion of a food handler training course that is not provided by the director and that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute or by the Department of State Health Services and is listed on their registry. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009; Ord. No. 17649, § 1, 9-20-2011; Ord. No. 18202, § 4, 7-1-2014; Ord. No. 18450, § 4, 12-15-2015; Ord. No. 18732, § 1, 10-3-2017)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.140 Application—Contents.

9.12.140 - Application—Contents. To obtain a food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion provided by the director or designee, an individual must register on an application furnished by the director or designee and as part of the application must: A. State name, address, sex, date of birth and any other information reasonably required; B. Pay the training course fee identified in the adopted budget resolution for the current fiscal year or other appropriately adopted resolution by the city council; and C. Sign the application. D. This section shall not apply to an individual who has proof of completion of a food handler training course described in Section 9.12.130C. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009; Ord. No. 17649, § 2, 9-20-2011; Ord. No. 18732, § 2, 10-3-2017)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.150 Application—Issuance of food handler's receipt—Completion of required course prerequisite to issuance of food handler certificate or other proof of completion.

9.12.150 - Application—Issuance of food handler's receipt—Completion of required course prerequisite to issuance of food handler certificate or other proof of completion. After an applicant complies with Section 9.12.140, the applicant shall be issued a food handler's receipt and be registered to attend the next available classroom course, or the applicant shall comply with Section 9.12.130B or 9.12.130C. The receipt is valid as a food handler's identification only until the applicant attends the classroom course. The director or designee shall issue to the applicant a food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion provided the applicant: A. Attended the director's classroom course; or B. Successfully passed the examination given by the director or designee, on the online course content. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009; Ord. No. 17649, § 3, 9-20-2011; Ord. No. 18732, § 3, 10-3-2017)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.160 Required instruction.

9.12.160 - Required instruction. The required instruction shall consist of sanitary handling of food and applicable regulations of establishment operations. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.170 Term.

9.12.170 - Term. The food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion is valid for a two-year period from the date of issuance by the director or designee. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009; Ord. No. 17649, § 4, 9-20-2011; Ord. No. 18732, § 4, 10-3-2017)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.180 Renewal.

9.12.180 - Renewal. An individual desiring to renew an expired food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion must: A. Comply with the provisions of Sections 9.12.140 and 9.12.150. B. Register for a food handler course no more than forty-five and no less than thirty days prior to the expiration of the current food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion. C. Comply with the provisions of Section 9.12.130C. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009; Ord. No. 17544, § 3, 4-26-2011; Ord. No. 17649, § 5, 9-20-2011; Ord. No. 18732, § 5, 10-3-2017)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.190 Maintained.

9.12.190 - Maintained. The food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion is to be maintained in the food establishment at all times in a location readily accessible and available for inspection in either hard copy or electronic format, and not solely placed in an employee file. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009; Ord. No. 17649, § 6, 9-20-2011; Ord. No. 18732, § 6, 10-3-2017)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.200 Fees nonrefundable.

9.12.200 - Fees nonrefundable. All fees paid to the director under this chapter are nonrefundable. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009)

El Paso City Code § 9.12.210 Duplicate issuance.

9.12.210 - Duplicate issuance. An individual who has misplaced a valid food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion provided by the director or designee or who needs more than one certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion resulting from a course provided by the director, must obtain a food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion duplicate from the director or designee by paying the fee identified in the adopted budget resolution for the current fiscal year or other appropriately adopted resolution by the city council for each certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion. In the event an individual who requires a duplicate food handler certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion that was issued upon completion of a food handler course not provided by the director or designee and that was certified by the American National Standards Institute or by the Department of State Health Services, that individual must follow the requirements of the issuer in order to acquire a duplicate certificate or other proof of food handler training course completion. (Ord. 17162, § 1, 8-11-2009; Ord. No. 17649, § 7, 9-20-2011; Ord. No. 18732, § 7, 10-3-2017)

Source: City of El Paso, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/el_paso/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT9HESA_CH9.12FOFOHAES_ARTIIIFOHAIDCAFetched: 10/28/2026