Food Handler requirements in Aged Care
What a Food Handler needs to work in Aged Care in Australia: screening, qualifications and safety credentials, from Koora's compliance engine.
On this page
A Food Handler in Aged Care needs: National Police Check or NDIS Worker Screening Clearance; and Food Handler Certificate.
In Aged Care, every worker and responsible person has the same screening line. Since 1 November 2025, under the Aged Care Act 2024 and the Aged Care Rules 2025, they meet it with a National Police Check (Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check) issued within the last 3 years that records no precluding offence, or an NDIS Worker Screening Clearance. Those are the only two checks. The role decides everything else.
What a Food Handler needs
| Pillar | What the worker must hold |
|---|---|
| Compliance | National Police Check or NDIS Worker Screening Clearance |
| Safety | Food Handler Certificate |
Checked against Koora's compliance engine on 7 October 2026.
How Koora uses these requirements
In Koora, the compliance engine tests each worker's records against the lines on this page and shows the gaps. That check is the floor on every plan. Your team reviews each credential in Koora, or Crew does it for you. The provider keeps the legal responsibility for who they engage.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Food Handler in Aged Care need a National Police Check?
Yes, or an NDIS Worker Screening Clearance instead. Aged Care accepts a National Police Check issued within the last 3 years that records no precluding offence, or an NDIS Worker Screening Clearance, and Koora's compliance engine asks a Food Handler for one of the two.
What qualification does a Food Handler need in Aged Care?
Koora's compliance engine sets no qualification requirement for a Food Handler in Aged Care. A provider can still ask for more in its own policy.
What safety certificates does a Food Handler need in Aged Care?
Koora's compliance engine asks a Food Handler for Food Handler Certificate.
Related
- NDIS Worker Screening Check by state
- National Police Check by state
- Which worker check do I need?: the same answer for any sector, role and state
- Worker screening policy template for Aged Care
- Every role, every sector
This is general information, not compliance advice. Always confirm requirements with the relevant regulator, and remember that providers keep the legal responsibility to sight credentials and decide who can work.
We work hard to keep everything accurate, and our compliance engine keeps up with the rules as they change. Even so, we might get a detail slightly wrong or miss something. No one's perfect. If you think something here needs updating, email us at resources@koora.care. We would genuinely rather know, because we all do better when we help each other get it right.
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