How to Get a Health Card in Las Vegas: Steps, Fees, and Renewal

To get a health card in Las Vegas, book an appointment with the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD), bring a valid government-issued photo ID, pass a short food safety test, and pay the $25 fee. Most people asking about a “health card” mean the Food Handler Safety Training Card, which is required for anyone working in a restaurant, bar, hotel kitchen, food truck, catering company, or similar business in Clark County. The card is issued the same day and is good for three years.¹

Who Needs a Food Handler Card

Nevada law defines “food establishment” broadly, so the card requirement reaches almost every job that touches food meant for the public. Cooks, servers, bartenders, dishwashers, managers, cafeteria staff, convenience store clerks, and catering workers all need one.¹ Childcare workers who handle food are also covered, and some in that group may need to bring TB test results from an outside clinic, since SNHD no longer does TB screening in-house.²

Tattoo artists, piercers, and permanent makeup or microblading technicians need a different credential, the Body Art Card, covered further down.

What to Bring

You need a valid, unexpired, original government-issued photo ID. A U.S. passport, military ID, resident alien card, or state driver’s license or ID card all work. Photocopies and phone photos are not accepted.³

Bring a payment method. SNHD offices take cash, credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), cashier’s checks, money orders, and business checks. Personal checks are not accepted anywhere, and the Laughlin office does not take cash at all.⁴

Booking Your Appointment

First-time applicants must test in person. You schedule through the SNHD online booking page, where you choose a location, date, and time.¹ Only one appointment per person is allowed in the system at a time; booking a second can get both canceled.⁵ Arrive on time. Late arrivals may be told to rebook.

The Test

The first-time exam is 20 multiple-choice questions, and you need 70% to pass.¹ Questions cover personal hygiene, approved food sources, temperature control, preventing cross-contamination, and refrigerated storage. The test is available in multiple languages.

SNHD publishes a free training book that walks through everything on the exam. It’s a free download from the district’s website, and an hour or two with it before your appointment is usually enough if you’re new to food service.⁶ If you don’t pass on your first try, a retest costs $5.

At Your Appointment

You’ll take the test on an iPad, have your photo taken, and pay the fee. Pass and SNHD prints your Food Handler Safety Training Card while you wait. The card is valid for three years.

Current Fees

As of January 1, 2026, SNHD charges the following for food handler cards:¹

First-time card: $25
Renewal, not expired or expired more than two years: $25
Renewal with late fee, expired within the last two years: $40
Duplicate or replacement card: $20
Retest: $5

Where to Go

All testing is by appointment at one of five SNHD locations in Clark County. Days and hours vary by site.⁷

Main Facility (Decatur), 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107 — Monday through Thursday
Fremont Public Health Center, 2830 E. Fremont St., Suite 110, Las Vegas, NV 89104 — Tuesday through Friday
Henderson Public Health Center, 220 E. Horizon Dr., Suite B, Henderson, NV 89015 — Monday through Thursday
Mesquite Public Health Center, 150 N. Yucca St., Suite 5, Mesquite, NV 89027 — Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Laughlin Public Health Center, 55 Civic Way, Laughlin, NV 89029 — Monday through Thursday

Decatur and Fremont are closest to the Strip. Henderson serves the southeast valley. Bring a card or money order to Laughlin.

Renewing Your Card

You can start the renewal process up to 60 days before your card’s expiration date.³ If your card has been expired more than two years, SNHD treats you as a new applicant.

Online renewal is available if you originally tested in person at an SNHD office after July 2018 and your last renewal was not already done online. In practice, that means you can renew online every other cycle. Card numbers starting with 1 through 9 qualify; card numbers starting with 0 do not.⁸ The renewal test is 10 questions, still with a 70% passing score. Pay by credit or debit card and SNHD emails you a certificate that replaces the physical card; employers are expected to accept it the same as a plastic card.

If you don’t qualify for online renewal, book an appointment and take the 10-question renewal test in person.

Body Art Card

Tattoo artists, piercers, and permanent makeup and microblading technicians need a Body Art Card, which is a separate credential with stricter requirements. You must be at least 18 and show a photo ID with your date of birth. You’ll also need proof of completing the American Red Cross Preventing Disease Transmission course (or an equivalent bloodborne pathogens program) and documentation of at least six months of experience as a body artist at a permitted establishment. If you can’t document that, you must enter an apprenticeship with a mentor at a permitted Clark County shop.⁹

The first-time body art exam and card together cost $175, and the retest fee is $150, so preparation matters far more here than with the food handler test. Renewal is $25 if the card isn’t expired (or has been expired more than two years) and $50 if it expired within the past two years.¹⁰

1
Southern Nevada Health District. Food Handler Safety Training Card Program
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Southern Nevada Health District. FAQ – Child Care Employees and Food Handler Safety Training Cards
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Southern Nevada Health District. Health Cards
4
Southern Nevada Health District. Accepted Methods of Payment
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Southern Nevada Health District. Schedule a Testing Appointment
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Southern Nevada Health District. Food Handler Training Book
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Southern Nevada Health District. Locations and Hours of Operation
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Southern Nevada Health District. Online Renewal
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Southern Nevada Health District. SNHD Body Art Regulations
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Southern Nevada Health District. Body Art Card Requirements