To check that an online course is legitimate, make sure the provider shows an official accreditation: a Texas DSHS license number for Food Handler training, or a listing on the TABC approved-schools list for seller-server training. You can confirm both directly on the official Texas state websites — the reliable way to know your certificate will be accepted by health inspectors and employers.
Be careful of fly-by-night coupon sites that advertise ultra-cheap or free certificates. No free online course meets the Texas accreditation standards, and an unaccredited certificate can be rejected by a manager or inspector — which means you wasted your time and money and have to retake the course with a legitimate, state-approved provider.
How to verify: for food handler training, look up the provider on the Texas DSHS list of accredited programs; for TABC, check the TABC approved-schools list. Food Handlers of Texas is DSHS-accredited (License #16), which you can confirm on the state registry, so your food handler certificate is accepted statewide.
Do not risk a rejected certificate. Get certified with a state-approved provider.
State-approved and accepted statewide — find food handler details for your city (each page is available in English and Spanish):
