Individual Food Worker Cards in Ohio
Ohio does not have a statewide food handler card program for individual employees. Unlike some states where every food worker must be certified, Ohio leaves this to individual counties — and none of the 15 counties covered in this directory currently mandate individual worker cards. If a vendor website tells you that "Ohio requires" a food handler card for all workers, that is inaccurate.
What Ohio Does Require
Every Ohio food establishment must have (1) a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) on staff — ServSafe or ANAB-equivalent — and (2) a Person-in-Charge demonstrably knowledgeable about food safety present during all hours of operation. These are state requirements under the Ohio Food Code and cannot be waived by county policy.
Ohio County Directory
All 15 Ohio counties in our directory. None currently require an individual food worker card at the county level.
| County | Major Cities | Worker Card Required? | Health Department | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County | Cincinnati | No | Hamilton Co. Public Health | (513) 946-7800 |
| Franklin County | Columbus | No | Columbus Public Health | (614) 645-7417 |
| Cuyahoga County | Cleveland | No | Cuyahoga Co. Board of Health | (216) 201-2000 |
| Montgomery County | Dayton | No | Public Health — Dayton & Montgomery Co. | (937) 225-5700 |
| Summit County | Akron | No | Summit County Public Health | (330) 926-5600 |
| Butler County | Hamilton, Middletown | No | Butler County General Health Dist. | (513) 863-1770 |
| Warren County | Mason, Lebanon | No | Warren County Health District | (513) 695-1220 |
| Clermont County | Batavia, Milford | No | Clermont County Public Health | (513) 732-7499 |
| Lucas County | Toledo | No | Toledo-Lucas County Health Dept. | (419) 213-4100 |
| Stark County | Canton, Massillon | No | Stark County Health Dept. | (330) 493-9904 |
| Licking County | Newark, Pataskala | No | Licking County Health Dept. | (740) 349-6535 |
| Greene County | Xenia, Beavercreek | No | Greene County Public Health | (937) 374-5600 |
| Delaware County | Delaware, Powell | No | Delaware General Health District | (740) 368-1700 |
| Lorain County | Lorain, Elyria, Avon | No | Lorain County Health Dept. | (440) 322-6367 |
| Fairfield County | Lancaster, Pickerington | No | Fairfield County Health District | (740) 652-2800 |
Don't See Your Ohio County?
Ohio has 88 counties. We're expanding coverage regularly. For counties not listed, contact your local health department. The Ohio Department of Health's Environmental Health section at odh.ohio.gov can help you find your district health department.
County Lookup Tool →