Food Handler Certification

All food premises, including special event vendors, need at least one certified food handler working during all hours of operation. If you work with food, it’s a good idea to get your Food Handler Certification. This helps keep food safe for everyone.

Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) offers in-person courses and exam only days. Courses can also be taken online. 

How can you get your Food Handler Certification?

In-person courses are taught by certified Public Health Inspectors. SWPH offers the courses as:

• A one-day course (8 hours), or

• A two-day course (each session is 4 hours)

Where and when are the upcoming in-person courses?

St. Thomas Site
1230 Talbot Street, St. Thomas, ON
2025 dates: To be announced

Woodstock Site
410 Buller Street, Woodstock, ON
2025 dates: To be announced

What is the cost of in-person courses?

Cost: $62.15 ($55 + HST)
Registration and payment are required in advance.

Are there courses for high school students?

Yes! Special courses for high school students are offered on one PD Day a year.

St. Thomas Site
1230 Talbot Street, St. Thomas, ON
2025 date: To be announced

Woodstock Site
410 Buller Street, Woodstock, ON
2025 date: To be announced

What online courses are available?

If you want to learn online, you can choose one of these options:

SafeCheck Food Safety Course

• Cost: $24.98 (includes tax and exam fee)

• Available anytime (24/7)

• Offered in many languages

• Take the exam on any device with a webcam and microphone

Register for SafeCheck

In Good Hands Course

• Cost: $34.95 + HST (includes exam fee)

• Learn at your own pace with 15 modules

• Take the certification exam online

Register for In Good Hands

Note: These online courses are not run by Southwestern Public Health

Can you take the exam without taking a course?

Yes! You can take the exam without a course as long as you:

• Have studied the Food Handler Training Manual,
• Have been trained by a third party,
• Have two years of food service experience, and/or
• Had a Food Handler Certification before

Exams are available in English, French, Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, Russian and Punjabi.

How do you sign up for the exam?

You must call to pre-register, as walk-ins are not allowed. Call your preferred location to register today!

St. Thomas Site: 1230 Talbot Street, St. Thomas, ON
Dates: First Wednesday of June, September, and December at 9 AM
Call to register: 519-631-9900 x 1387

Woodstock Site: 410 Buller Street, Woodstock, ON
Dates: First Wednesday of June, September, and December at 1 PM
Call to register: 519-421-9901 x 3520

Cost: $15.00 ($13.27 + HST)

Note: You must pre-register. Walk-ins are not allowed.

Where can you get the Food Handler Training Manual?

You can download the free Food Handler Training Manual in different languages:

• English

• French

• Chinese

• Arabic

• Spanish

• Russian

• Punjabi

Need another option for recognized Food Handler Certification?

You can also get certified through the London Training Centre:

• In-class training and certification

• Exam-only sessions: $15.00 (pre-registration required), you must call ahead to pay for a time slot.

• Register by calling: 519-685-4331

What will you learn in the Food Handler Certification course?

During the Food Handler Certification course, you will learn:

• What Public Health Inspectors do and the rules they follow to keep food safe

• How bacteria can make people sick and how to keep food free from harmful bacteria

• Ways to prevent foodborne illness, like keeping food at the right temperature and avoiding cross-contamination

• Good personal hygiene (like washing your hands), how to keep your workplace clean, and how to control pests like mice and insects

• How to handle food allergens safely and what to do during food recalls

Need special accommodations for your exam?

If you require accommodation for your in-person course or exam, or if you would like to write the exam in French or Chinese (all in-person courses are taught in English), please contact us at 1-800-922-0096.

Looking for Smart Serve certification?

Southwestern Public Health does not offer Smart Serve certification. To get Smart Serve, visit Smart Serve Ontario.