The Code on Sanitation says no person may be employed in a food establishment without a health certificate issued by the local health authority. It is issued only after the required physical and medical exams and immunizations. Workers must clip it to the upper left front of their clothes while working, and it is renewed at least every year or as often as your city's ordinance requires.[1,2]
Health certificate rules
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who needs it | Anyone employed in a food establishment | PD 856 |
| Who issues it | The local health authority | PD 856 |
| Before issue | Required physical and medical exams and immunizations | PD 856 |
| Fee | Set by the city or municipality | PD 856 |
| How to wear it | Clipped on the upper left front of the garment | DOH rules on food establishments |
| Renewal | At least every year, or as local ordinance requires | DOH rules on food establishments |
Who in your business needs one?
The rule is about people, not the building. PD 856 says no person shall be employed in any food establishment without a health certificate issued by the local health authority. A food establishment is any place where food or drinks are manufactured, processed, stored, sold or served.[1]
In practice, count everyone who touches food, drinks, plates or the counter: cooks, helpers, servers, cashiers who also hand out food, and the dishwasher. Include yourself if you work in the kitchen, and ask whether your health office also wants certificates for delivery riders on your payroll.
Example: a carinderia with the owner cooking, one helper and one server needs three health certificates, one for each person, before the sanitary permit inspection.
What the medical exam involves
The certificate shall be issued only after the required physical and medical examinations are performed and immunizations are administered at prescribed intervals. The local health office decides which tests apply.[1]
Ask your city health office for its exact list of laboratory tests and where to have them done. If it accepts results from outside clinics, ask which ones, so you do not pay for tests twice. Bring a valid ID and a 1x1 or 2x2 photo if asked.
How to get health certificates for your staff
The fee for issuing and renewing certificates is set by the city or municipal authority by resolution, so there is no national price.[1]
- Ask the health office for its listGet the list of required tests, accepted clinics, fees and schedule from your city or municipal health office.
- Send everyone at onceSchedule the whole team in the same week so the certificates come out together.
- Attend any required seminarSome health offices run a short food-handling orientation before releasing certificates.
- Claim the certificatesCollect each certificate, check the name and expiry date, and photocopy them for your files.
- Submit with your sanitary permitBring copies when you apply for or renew the establishment's sanitary permit.
Wearing it at work
This is the rule small food businesses forget. The DOH rules say the health certificate shall be clipped in the upper left front portion of the employee's garment while working. An inspector can check this during a visit.[2]
Use a clear ID holder with a clip, keep the original in it, and keep a photocopy in the office file. If the card gets wet or greasy often, ask the health office whether a laminated copy is accepted.
Renewal and new hires
The health certificate shall be renewed at least every year, or as often as local ordinance requires. Some cities may ask for renewal more often, so check the expiry date printed on each card.[2]
A new hire needs a certificate before working in the food area. Example: you hire a second server in July. Send them for the medical exam before their first shift, and add their certificate to the file you show at the next sanitary inspection.
Health certificate checklist for your team
- List everyone who handles food, drinks or utensils, including yourself
- Get the health office's list of tests and accepted clinics
- Schedule all workers in the same week
- Buy clip-on ID holders for every worker
- Keep photocopies of every certificate in one folder
- Put each expiry date in your calendar
- Send new hires for exams before their first shift
Questions people ask
- Does the owner need a health certificate too?
- If you work in the food area, plan on getting one. The law speaks of persons employed in a food establishment, and health offices usually treat a working owner the same way. Ask your health office.
- How long is a health certificate valid?
- It is renewed at least every year, or more often if your city's ordinance says so. The expiry date is printed on the card.
- Can I use a health certificate from another city?
- The certificate is issued by the local health authority, so a new city may ask you to get its own. Ask the health office where your business is located before you rely on an old one.
- What is the difference from a sanitary permit?
- The sanitary permit is for the establishment and is posted on the wall. The health certificate is for each worker and is worn on the clothes. See sanitary permit.
Sources
Checked 13 November 2026. We link the agency's own page for every requirement. Rules change; confirm with the office before you pay.
- P.D. No. 856 (Code on Sanitation of the Philippines) · Lawphil Project · 23 December 1975
- Implementing Rules and Regulations of Chapter III, "Food Establishments" of P.D. 856 · Department of Health (text on Supreme Court E-Library) · 29 December 1995