Food handler card in Spain

The key points

• No official exam and no official cardReal Decreto 109/2010 repealed the old rules

• Employers must train and supervise their staff (Regulation (EC) 852/2004)
• Whoever gives the training issues the certificate, in any format
• It is valid across Spain and has no national expiry date
• There is no official fee; private courses set their own prices
• 14 allergen groups worth knowing (Regulation (EU) 1169/2011)

Is there a food handler card in Spain?

Not any more. Real Decreto 202/2000, which governed food handler training, was repealed by Real Decreto 109/2010. Since then training centres need no prior authorisation and no course needs official approval. AESAN, the Spanish food safety agency, says there is no national requirement on content, exam, teachers or format, and no official certificate model. Andalusia, the Valencian Community and the Community of Madrid no longer apply their old regional rules, and the Balearic Islands have no rules of their own.

What the law requires

Regulation (EC) 852/2004 requires food businesses to make sure their food handlers are supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene to suit their work, and that staff running the HACCP system are trained in it. Since 2021 it also requires a food safety culture, with adequate staff training and supervision. Ley 17/2011 leaves the design of the training to the business.

Who issues the certificate and how long it lasts

It can be issued by the employer, by any training company (no authorisation is needed) or by a public vocational training centre. The format is free: signed and stamped, listing the contents covered. It is valid across Spain, has no national expiry date, and there is no longer an official "high risk" or "low risk" class. The issuer may set a validity period, and the employer must review and update staff knowledge. No training company may present its courses as approved by AESAN or the Ministry.

Do I need it before I start work?

Not as a formal step. But your employer must make sure you have the training you need from day one and be able to prove it. Inspectors check the training plan, the certificates and working practices, and may ask food handlers questions directly.

What training covers

There is no official syllabus. AESAN's guidance suggests four areas: basic food hygiene, correct practices and why they matter, incorrect practices and their consequences, and the food handler's role in the business's own checks. Training must fit each job, and allergen information is now an essential part.

How to practise

Our questions cover personal hygiene, hazards and contamination, temperatures and storage, cleaning and pests, allergens, HACCP and the law. FreeExamPath writes them from EU and Spanish law and official guidance. FreeExamPath issues no certificates, and practising here does not replace the training your employer must give you. FreeExamPath is not affiliated with AESAN or any training company.

Official information

• AESAN: food handlers (in Spanish)
• AESAN: note on food handler training (2013, in Spanish)
• Regulation (EC) 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs
• Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on food information and allergens
• Community of Madrid: food handlers (in Spanish)

Questions about food handler training in Spain