Georgia Food Handler Certification Cost Guide

Cost Breakdown at a Glance

Georgia Food Handler Cost Estimator

Use this quick calculator to project certification expenses for your team over the next three and five years. Default figures reflect 2025 statewide averages—adjust as needed.

Prices may vary by provider; always confirm before purchasing.

What Makes Up the Total Cost?

Training Provider Fee

Most Georgia food service workers choose an online course between $12 and $15 because it is self-paced, mobile-friendly, and bundled with the exam. If you prefer a classroom experience—common for large hospitality groups—expect $25 to $35 per seat to cover instructor time and printed workbooks. Bulk voucher codes can drop each licence by 10 % or more.

Proctor / Exam Fee

StateFoodSafety and 360training include the test in their sticker price. ServSafe® Food Handler, however, sells the proctor code separately ($8 in 2025). Workers who overlook this line item often arrive on “exam day” without a valid code—doubling trips and sometimes incurring overnight shipping for a last-minute voucher.

State & County Processing

Georgia does not levy a statewide card fee, but every county requires a filing charge so inspectors can confirm status during site visits. Fulton County tops the list at $15, while DeKalb and Cobb collect $10. Students under 18 can request waivers in several districts.

Printing & Replacement

Downloading the PDF is free at most vendors, and managers often print in-house. If you want a long-wear plastic badge mailed, budget $8 and a week of shipping. Lost cards cost roughly the same—see our replacement guide.

Renewal

Georgia cards expire every three years. Renewal courses run 40 – 60 minutes and cost under $20. Scheduling renewals a month before expiry avoids priority deductions.

Online vs In-Person Price Comparison

Need deeper pros and cons? See our full comparison: online vs in-person food handler training.

How Employers Can Cut Expenses

Smart operators bake training fees into onboarding budgets rather than treat them as ad-hoc expenses. Bulk vouchers from StateFoodSafety start at ten seats and reduce per-employee cost to roughly $11. Another tactic: schedule staff in cohorts every quarter so missed employees can jump into the next group without ordering a one-off seat.

To reclaim costs quickly, payroll departments typically add the receipt amount to the next paycheck. Attach your PDF certificate, proof of payment, and a short memo such as “Food Handler Training – Reimbursement per employee handbook §4.2”. More options appear in our training resources guide.

Hidden & Opportunity Costs

Certification does not exist in a vacuum. Factor in staff wages for test time, mileage to a classroom site, and equipment such as probe thermometers for practice. Failing to certify on time can be far pricier: Georgia inspection reports list $100–$500 fines per uncredentialed food employee.

“The average operator in Atlanta spends just $28 per employee per year when training is integrated into new-hire onboarding.”

For common penalty amounts tied to record-keeping lapses, review our list of common food safety violations in Georgia.

Low-Cost & Free Options

Several Georgia Workforce Development boards fund food safety courses for job seekers—ask about Individual Training Accounts (ITA). Public libraries in Fulton and Gwinnett Counties offer free computer labs for course completion, eliminating hardware barriers. Larger chains integrate food handler lessons into existing learning-management systems, dropping the marginal cost near zero. If you operate a non-profit kitchen, contact your county Environmental Health office for possible fee waivers.

Frequently Asked Questions