United States
Hong KongNew York: the city runs its own course, and it does not expire
New York City requires a supervisor holding a Food Protection Certificate on duty during all hours of operation, earned through the Health Department's own 15-hour course and a 50-question exam. The certificate does not expire.
New York is the state where a national article will most reliably mislead you, because the city runs a completely different scheme from the rest of the country.
Inside New York City
- Certificate
- NYC Food Protection Certificate
- Course
- 15 hours, over five days in person, or online
- Exam
- 50 multiple-choice questions
- Pass mark
- 70 per cent
- Fee
- USD 114
- Languages
- English, Spanish and Bangla
- Validity
- Does not expire
- Requirement
- A certificate holder supervising during all hours of operation
Run by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene rather than by a national provider. The ANAB-accredited exam that satisfies most states is not the document New York City asks for. Different document entirely.
The certificate not expiring is unusual and genuinely convenient. It also means it can be decades out of date relative to the Food Code, which is worth remembering if you hold one from years ago.
People working in New York City routinely buy a national ANAB-accredited food manager exam and discover it is not what the city requires. Check whether your workplace is inside the five boroughs before paying for anything.
Outside New York City
The rest of the state operates under the New York State Sanitary Code and the requirements are administered by county health departments, several of which run their own supervisory training. Ask the county.
Requirements vary by county, and an ANAB-accredited certificate is more commonly accepted than it is in the city. The county health department is the authority to ask.
If you move between them
A city certificate and a national certificate are different documents. Holding one does not produce the other, and someone moving from Buffalo to Brooklyn is likely to need the city course regardless of what they hold.
State rules change, and counties and cities routinely impose requirements the state does not. Treat this page as a starting point and confirm with the authority named above before booking anything.
Common questions
What certificate do you need in New York City?
The NYC Food Protection Certificate, earned through the Health Department's own 15-hour course and a 50-question exam with a 70 per cent pass mark. The fee is USD 114.
Does the NYC food protection certificate expire?
No. It does not expire and the course does not need repeating, which is unusual - and means an old certificate can be well behind the current Food Code.
Is a ServSafe manager certificate accepted in New York City?
The city requires its own Food Protection Certificate. People regularly buy a national ANAB-accredited exam and find it is not the document the city asks for.
What about outside the city?
The rest of New York State operates under the State Sanitary Code with county health departments administering requirements, and several run their own supervisory training. Ask your county.
Does someone need to be certified at all times?
In New York City, yes - a certificate holder must supervise food preparation during all hours of operation, which usually means certifying more than one person.