Food handlers practice test: free food safety questions with explanations
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Practise for the food handler card or certificate test that restaurant, café and food truck workers take in many US states. The questions cover the five topics every accredited course teaches: personal hygiene, cooking, holding and cooling temperatures, cross-contamination, cleaning and sanitizing, and allergens, with every number taken from the FDA Food Code 2022. Start with 5 free questions, then take two timed tests of 40 questions in 60 minutes, with an explanation for every answer and your score per topic.
- 5 free questions
- 2 timed tests, 80 questions
- FDA Food Code 2022 numbers
- Score per topic
- Practice certificate PDF
Food handler card rules in California, Texas and Illinois
There is no single national food handler exam. States and counties set the rules, and accredited training providers write and run the course and test. Three examples, checked on 25 October 2026:
| California | Texas | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Within 30 days of hire | Within 30 days of employment | Generally within 30 days of hire |
| Test | At least 40 questions, 70% minimum score | Set by the accredited course | Set by the accredited course |
| Provider | ANSI-accredited (ASTM E2659) | A course accredited by Texas DSHS | ANSI-accredited, or an IDPH-approved in-house program (not restaurants) |
| Valid | 3 years, statewide, also with a new employer | Until the printed expiry date, or 2 years | Renew every 3 years |
Sources: California Health and Safety Code section 113948; Texas DSHS food handler FAQ (Texas Food Establishment Rules section 228.31); Illinois Department of Public Health food handler training page. In California, a few counties run their own local program, and since SB 476 (2023) the employer pays for the card and the training time. Rules differ by state and county, so ask your employer or local health department which card you need.
The five topics on a food handler test
- Personal hygiene: handwashing (at least 20 seconds, water of at least 100°F), gloves, cuts, jewelry, and which symptoms and illnesses you must report to your manager.
- Time and temperature: the danger zone of 41°F to 135°F, cooking temperatures (poultry 165°F, ground meat 155°F, steaks, chops and fish 145°F), hot holding at 135°F or above, cold holding at 41°F or below, cooling, reheating, thawing and date marking.
- Cross-contamination: no bare hands on ready-to-eat food, fridge storage order, cutting boards, utensils and ice.
- Cleaning and sanitizing: clean before you sanitize, the three-compartment sink, test strips, wiping cloths, chemical storage and pests.
- Allergens: the 9 major US food allergens, including sesame, cross-contact and what to do when a guest asks.
The temperatures and times come from the FDA Food Code 2022, the model code that health departments adopt for restaurants and stores (fda.gov). Your state may use an older edition or change a number, and your course follows your local code.
What you practise on MyLevel
Every MyLevel question is an original practice question written for this pack, with one correct answer, three wrong ones and a short explanation. Each full test has 40 questions in 60 minutes: 10 on hygiene, 12 on time and temperature, 7 on cross-contamination, 6 on cleaning and 5 on allergens, with your score per topic at the end. The 60 minutes is MyLevel's timer; real provider tests and time limits vary (California's law says the course and exam are designed to take about two and a half hours together). Every cooling, date-marking and time-control calculation was re-checked by script against the Food Code rules.
The pack costs $9.99, a one-time payment with no subscription and no time limit, and also unlocks every other MyLevel job test. It does not replace the accredited course and test your state requires. Supervising a kitchen? The person in charge often needs a food protection manager certificate instead, a harder exam: see our ServSafe Manager practice test.
Key numbers to learn before your test
| Rule | FDA Food Code 2022 |
|---|---|
| Poultry, stuffed food, reheating for hot holding | 165°F |
| Ground beef and pork | 155°F for 17 seconds |
| Steaks, chops, fish, eggs served at once | 145°F for 15 seconds |
| Hot holding / cold holding | 135°F or above / 41°F or below |
| Cooling | 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, to 41°F within 6 hours in total |
| Ready-to-eat food made in-house | Use within 7 days at 41°F (day of preparation = day 1) |
| Time as a control | Serve or discard within 4 hours |
| Handwashing | At least 20 seconds, water at least 100°F |
| Surfaces in constant use | Clean and sanitize at least every 4 hours |
Learn these first: most temperature questions are one of these numbers in a kitchen scenario.
MyLevel is independent and not affiliated with, or endorsed by, ANSI, ANAB, ServSafe, the National Restaurant Association, any food handler training provider or any state or county health department. All questions are original practice questions written by MyLevel on the topics of the FDA Food Code, not real questions or answers from any food handler test, and a practice score is not a food handler card or certificate.
Sample question with explanation
A guest with a peanut allergy orders satay without peanuts. A cook picks the peanuts off a finished plate. Is that OK?
- Yes, if every visible peanut is removed
- Yes, if the plate is heated again first
- No, but a quick rinse of the food fixes it
- No, it must be made again with clean tools
Show the answer
Answer: D. No, it must be made again with clean tools
Tiny traces of peanut stay on the food and can cause a severe reaction. Heat and rinsing do not remove allergens, so the dish must be remade.
Frequently asked questions
Is this food handlers practice test free?
Yes, you can start with 5 free questions with explanations, one from each topic. Two full timed tests of 40 questions cost $9.99 once, with no subscription.
How many questions are on the food handlers test?
It depends on your state and provider. California's law requires at least 40 questions (Health and Safety Code section 113948). Texas and Illinois leave the test to the accredited course. MyLevel's practice tests have 40 questions each.
What score do you need to pass the food handler test?
In California the minimum is 70 percent. Other states leave the pass mark to the accredited provider, so check your course. On MyLevel, aim for at least 70% and 80% for a safe margin.
How long is a food handler card valid?
In California 3 years, also when you change employers. In Texas until the printed expiry date, or 2 years if none is printed. Illinois asks for renewal every 3 years (state sources, checked October 2026).
Can I unlock only this test?
There is one option, so you never have to choose: the $9.99 job pack, one time. It unlocks the 2 full tests on this page and every other MyLevel job test, with no subscription and a full refund within 14 days if it does not help you.
Is a food handler card the same as a food manager certificate?
No. A food handler card is for employees who handle food and is a short course and test. A food protection manager certificate (for example ServSafe Manager) is a longer, proctored exam for the person in charge. Illinois notes that certified food protection managers do not need the food handler training.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. After a full practice test you can download a MyLevel practice certificate (PDF) with your score. It is a personal record of your practice, not an official document and not a food handler card.
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