Moving to a Different County: Is Your Food Handler Card Still Valid?

The Core Rule: Food Handler Cards Are County-Specific

In Kentucky, food handler cards issued by county health departments are generally valid only within the issuing county. A card issued by the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is valid for employment in Fayette County. It is not automatically valid if you take a job in Jefferson County (Louisville) or Madison County.

This creates a real practical issue for food workers who frequently change jobs or live near county lines. A worker in Nicholasville who commutes to a Lexington restaurant needs a Fayette County card. The same worker taking a second job in Richmond needs a Madison County card. These are separate certifications from separate health departments, each with its own process and fee.

Counties That May Accept Other County Cards

Some Kentucky counties with online-accepted programs (Madison County, Franklin County, Montgomery County) accept ANAB-accredited certifications broadly — which means a nationally-recognized online certificate from an approved vendor may satisfy their requirement regardless of which county originally issued it. This is different from accepting another county's specific card.

Fayette County (Lexington) is the most restrictive: it only accepts cards issued by the LFCHD through their own in-person testing program. No other county's card — no matter how recently issued or how rigorous the original testing — satisfies the Fayette County requirement.

What to Do When You Change Jobs Across County Lines

1. Identify your new county's requirementUse the County Lookup Tool or your new county's page in our directory to confirm whether a card is required in your new county.
2. Ask your new employer what they acceptSome employers in counties that accept ANAB-accredited online cards may accept your existing card if it's current and from an accredited provider. Others want the county-issued card specifically. Ask before assuming.
3. Contact the new county health departmentCall and ask specifically: "I have a food handler card from [previous county]. Does your county accept that card, or do I need to obtain one from your department?" This 2-minute call is definitive.
4. Obtain the new county's card if requiredIf your existing card isn't accepted, obtain the new county's card before your first day of food-handling work, or within the county's new-hire grace period (typically 10–30 days).

Moving to Ohio: Different Rules Apply

If you move from a Kentucky required-card county to an Ohio county, you'll find that no Ohio county in our directory currently requires an individual food worker card. Your Kentucky card is not needed — and since Ohio doesn't require one, there's nothing to obtain either. The only Ohio requirement that affects you is whether your new establishment has a Certified Food Protection Manager on staff (an employer responsibility, not an individual worker one).