Free Food Handler Test practice test (10 questions)
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Question 1Which of these foods needs time and temperature control to stay safe?
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Answer: D — Cooked rice.
Cooked rice is a time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food: its moisture and nutrients let bacteria grow, or let some form toxins, if it is left at the wrong temperature. Dry pasta, sealed cans and whole uncut fruit do not need temperature control until they are cooked, opened or cut.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10 Definitions, Time/temperature control for safety food
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Question 2A cook notices that a delivery of chicken smells sour and the box is wet. What should the cook do first?
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Answer: C — Tell the person in charge before the chicken is accepted or used.
Food that shows signs of spoilage or temperature abuse should not be accepted or used, and the person in charge decides what happens to it. Rinsing, cooking or freezing does not make spoiled food safe: some bacteria leave toxins that cooking does not destroy.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 2-103.11(E) Person in Charge; 3-202.11(F) Temperature; 3-202.15 Package Integrity
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Question 3How long should the whole handwashing process take, from wetting your hands to rinsing?
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Answer: D — At least 20 seconds.
The Food Code asks food employees to clean their hands and exposed parts of their arms for at least 20 seconds, including 10 to 15 seconds of vigorous rubbing with soap, before rinsing and drying.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 2-301.12 Cleaning Procedure
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Question 4You are making a salad that will be served without cooking. How should you handle the lettuce and toppings?
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Answer: B — With tongs, deli tissue or single-use gloves, not bare hands.
Ready-to-eat food, such as a salad, will not be cooked again, so it may not be touched with bare hands. Use a utensil such as tongs or deli tissue, or single-use gloves, after washing your hands.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 3-301.11 Preventing Contamination from Hands
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Question 5In a refrigerator, where should raw chicken be stored?
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Answer: A — On a shelf below ready-to-eat foods such as salads and cooked dishes.
Raw animal foods must be kept away from ready-to-eat food. Storing raw chicken below ready-to-eat food stops its juices from dripping onto food that will not be cooked again.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 3-302.11 Packaged and Unpackaged Food - Separation
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Question 6Which of these is one of the 9 major food allergens named in the FDA Food Code?
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Answer: D — Sesame.
The 9 major food allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans and sesame. Sesame was added to the list, which is why the 2022 Food Code names it.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 1-201.10 Definitions, Major food allergen
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Question 7At what temperature must cold time/temperature control for safety food be held?
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Answer: A — 41°F or below.
Cold TCS food must be kept at 41°F (5°C) or less. Between 41°F and 135°F, bacteria can grow quickly, which is why this range is often called the temperature danger zone.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.16 Hot and Cold Holding
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Question 8What is the minimum internal cooking temperature for chicken?
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Answer: B — 165°F, instantaneous.
Poultry must reach 165°F (74°C) in all parts. 145°F for 15 seconds is the rule for fish and intact cuts of meat, and 155°F for 17 seconds is the rule for ground meat.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.11 Raw Animal Foods
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Question 9You have finished cutting raw chicken and now need to slice tomatoes on the same board. What must be done first?
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Answer: A — Wash, rinse and sanitize the board, or use a different clean board.
Food-contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized between raw animal food and ready-to-eat food. Wiping or rinsing does not remove the bacteria left by raw chicken.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 4-602.11 Equipment Food-Contact Surfaces and Utensils, Frequency
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Question 10What is the correct order for cleaning dishes in a 3-compartment sink?
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Answer: B — Wash, rinse, sanitize, then air-dry.
Dishes are washed in detergent, rinsed in clean water to remove the soap, then sanitized and left to air-dry. Sanitizer only works on a surface that is already clean, and towels can put germs back on the dishes.
Checked against: FDA Food Code 2022, 4-301.12 Manual Warewashing, Sink Compartment Requirements; 4-603.16 Rinsing Procedures; 4-901.11 Air-Drying Required
Official passing standard: 75% on the ServSafe Food Handler assessment (30 of 40). Other accredited providers set their own passing score, and some jurisdictions set a different one.
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Food Handler Test format
| Food Handler Test | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Number of questions | ServSafe Food Handler: a 40-question assessment (ServSafe's Knowledge Center gives 40 to 45 multiple-choice questions). Other providers' tests differ. source |
| Time limit | None for the ServSafe Food Handler assessment: you work at your own pace (ServSafe says that, on average, test-takers finish within 90 minutes) source |
| Passing score | 75% for the ServSafe Food Handler assessment; some jurisdictions set a different score source |
| Attempts | ServSafe Food Handler: 3 attempts to pass the assessment; after a third fail you buy a new course source |
| Topics | ServSafe Food Handler covers basic food safety, personal hygiene, cross-contamination and allergens, time and temperature, and cleaning and sanitation; you finish each section before the assessment opens source |
| Proctoring | The ServSafe Food Handler assessment is not proctored (unlike the food protection manager exam) source |
| Validity | ServSafe Food Handler certificate: 3 years (may vary by state). Texas: a card without an expiration date is valid 2 years. California: 3 years. source |
| California | Food handlers must get a California Food Handler Card within 30 days of being hired; the card is valid 3 years; only providers listed by ANSI may offer the course; a valid food manager certificate replaces it source |
| Texas | All food employees must complete an accredited food handler course within 30 days of employment (Texas Food Establishment Rules § 228.31); accredited = approved by Texas DSHS or by ANSI source |
| What the questions are based on | Food handler courses teach the rules of the FDA Food Code, the model that most states adopt (current edition: 2022, with a Supplement); your state or county may have adopted an older or modified version source |
Checked on the official sources on October 31, 2026. Rules change: always confirm on the official site before test day.
Practice by section
Food safety basics: food handler practice questions
6 free questions with explanations
Personal hygiene practice questions for food handlers
6 free questions with explanations
Cross-contamination and allergens: food handler quiz
6 free questions with explanations
Time and temperature practice questions
6 free questions with explanations
Cleaning and sanitizing practice questions
6 free questions with explanations
What the food handler test is
A food handler card (also called a food handler certificate) shows that you finished a short food safety course and passed its test. It is meant for the people who prepare, serve and store food: cooks, prep cooks, servers who handle food, bartenders, dishwashers who handle clean dishes and the like. It is not the same as the food protection manager certification, which is a longer, proctored exam for the person in charge (see our food manager practice test).
There is no single national food handler test. Each training provider writes its own assessment. Many are accredited through the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), and some states accept only accredited courses. One of the best known is ServSafe Food Handler, run by the National Restaurant Association: its assessment has 40 questions, no time limit and a 75% passing score, and you have three attempts. ServSafe's own Knowledge Center gives 40 to 45 questions and notes that passing scores can vary by jurisdiction.
Who needs a card, and by when
The rule comes from your state, and sometimes your county:
| Where | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| California | California Food Handler Card within 30 days of being hired, valid 3 years; only providers listed by ANSI may offer the course; a valid food manager certificate replaces it | Fresno County Environmental Health |
| Texas | Every food employee completes an accredited food handler course within 30 days of employment; a card without an expiration date is valid 2 years | Texas DSHS |
| Elsewhere | Rules differ by state and county; many employers require a card even where the law does not | Ask your local health department |
A ServSafe Food Handler certificate is valid for 3 years, which may vary by state.
What the test covers
ServSafe lists five learning outcomes, and other courses cover the same ground: basic food safety, personal hygiene, cross-contamination and allergens, time and temperature, and cleaning and sanitation. All of them come from the FDA Food Code, the model code that most states adopt. The current edition is the 2022 Food Code, updated by a Supplement. Your state may still use an older edition or its own changes: where your local code differs, it is the one that counts.
The numbers that come up again and again are worth learning by heart. All are in the Food Code 2022:
| Rule | Food Code 2022 |
|---|---|
| Cold holding: 41°F or below; hot holding: 135°F or above | 3-501.16 |
| Cooking: poultry and stuffed foods 165°F; ground meat 155°F for 17 seconds; fish and steaks 145°F for 15 seconds | 3-401.11 |
| Cooling: 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, and to 41°F within 6 hours in total | 3-501.14 |
| Reheating for hot holding: 165°F for 15 seconds, within 2 hours | 3-403.11 |
| Handwashing: at least 20 seconds, with 10 to 15 seconds of scrubbing | 2-301.12 |
| Ready-to-eat food made in-house: 7 days at 41°F, the day it was made is day 1 | 3-501.17 |
| Food stored at least 6 inches above the floor | 3-305.11 |
| The 9 major allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, sesame | 1-201.10 |
How to prepare
- Take the course first. The test follows the course, and on ServSafe you must finish every section before the assessment opens.
- Learn the numbers above. Most wrong answers on food handler tests are close-but-wrong temperatures and times.
- Think "what reaches the food?" Many questions are situations: a dropped utensil, a sick coworker, raw chicken above a salad. Ask yourself how germs, allergens or chemicals could get into the food, and the answer usually follows.
- Practice with explanations. Take our free questions above, read why each answer is right, then try a full 40-question test untimed, like the real assessment, and aim for at least 30 correct.
Official free material
The FDA Food Code 2022 is free to read. FDA also publishes free employee materials, such as its handout on cooling cooked food. Your local health department's website is the place to check which course your county accepts.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the food handler test?
It depends on the provider. The ServSafe Food Handler assessment has 40 questions (ServSafe's Knowledge Center says 40 to 45), with no time limit and a 75% passing score. Other accredited providers write their own tests, so check the course you are taking. Source
What score do I need to pass?
75% on the ServSafe Food Handler assessment, which is 30 correct answers out of 40. ServSafe notes that passing scores can vary by jurisdiction. Source
How long is a food handler card good for?
A ServSafe Food Handler certificate is valid for 3 years, though this may vary by state. In California the card is valid 3 years. In Texas, a card or certificate without a printed expiration date is valid 2 years from the date it was issued. Source
How soon after I am hired do I need the card?
In California, within 30 days of being hired. In Texas, within 30 days of employment. Other states and counties have their own rules, or none: ask your local health department or your manager. Source
Will any online course do?
Not always. California accepts only class providers listed on the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) website, and Texas accepts programs approved by Texas DSHS or ANSI. Check that your course is accepted where you work before you pay for it. Source
Are the rules the same in every state?
The core rules come from the FDA Food Code, a model code that states and counties adopt, sometimes in an older edition or with changes. Our questions follow the 2022 Food Code; if your local code differs, your local code wins. Source
More free practice tests
Sources
- FDA Food Code 2022 (with the Supplement to the 2022 Food Code) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (checked October 31, 2026)
- Food Code 2022 (full text, PDF) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (checked October 31, 2026)
- Supplement to the 2022 Food Code (PDF) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (checked October 31, 2026)
- ServSafe Food Handler: Get Your Certificate (course content, exam details, attempts) — National Restaurant Association (checked October 31, 2026)
- What are the passing scores for ServSafe exams? (ServSafe Knowledge Center) — National Restaurant Association (checked October 31, 2026)
- How many questions are on the ServSafe exams? (ServSafe Knowledge Center) — National Restaurant Association (checked October 31, 2026)
- How long are ServSafe certificates valid for? (ServSafe Knowledge Center) — National Restaurant Association (checked October 31, 2026)
- Frequently Asked Questions: Food Handler Education or Training Programs — Texas Department of State Health Services (checked October 31, 2026)
- California Food Handler Card (Health and Safety Code 113790 and 113948) — Fresno County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health (checked October 31, 2026)
ServSafe is a registered trademark of the National Restaurant Association. passmock is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Restaurant Association, ANAB/ANSI, the FDA, any state health department or any food handler training provider. Our questions are original practice questions written from the official test description and study materials; they are not questions from the real test.
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