Certification basics

What the credential is, who needs it, what it costs and how long it lasts.

What food manager certification actually is, and who needs oneFood manager certification is a credential showing you can run a food operation safely. You pass one accredited exam, built on the FDA Food Code, and …
What food manager certification costs, provider by providerThe exam alone runs about USD 36 to 65 depending on provider and whether you sit at a test center. Bundled with training, expect 95 to 180. There is n…
Food handler card or food manager certification: which one you needA food handler card is a short course for staff who handle food, costing USD 10-25. Food manager certification is a proctored 80-question exam for the…
What the exam looks like: 80 questions, 120 minutes, one sittingEighty multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, proctored and closed book, taken at a test center or under remote proctoring. That is 90 seconds a qu…
Scaled scoring: why 75 is not 75 per centThe exam is scaled-scored, with 75 required. That is not 75 per cent and not a fixed number of correct answers - the raw-to-scaled conversion adjusts …
Online proctored or test center: which to chooseRemote proctoring costs about USD 48 against about USD 60 at a center, and can usually be booked sooner. A test center removes the technology and envi…
Who actually needs food manager certificationMost US jurisdictions require a food establishment to have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager, and many require one present during operati…
How to get certified, step by stepCheck whether your state requires an approved course first, choose an ANAB-accredited provider, prepare for eight to fifteen hours, book a proctored s…
How long the whole thing takes, realisticallyTwo weeks is typical: eight to fifteen hours of preparation spread over a week or two, an exam available on demand, and a certificate issued within da…
Exam day: what to bring, what happens, how to pace itBring government-issued photo identification and arrive early. Check-in involves ID verification and securing your belongings, or a room scan if remot…
Renewal: there is no renewal, there is a retakeThere is no renewal course. Certification lasts up to five years and is renewed by sitting the full exam again with any accredited provider. Preparati…
Your certificate and the establishment permit are different documentsA food manager certificate belongs to a person and demonstrates food safety knowledge. A food establishment permit belongs to the business and authori…
ANAB and the CFP standard: what accreditation actually meansANAB accredits certificate issuers against the Conference for Food Protection standard. That accreditation is what makes a certificate acceptable to h…
Taking the exam in Spanish, and other languagesEvery accredited provider offers the exam in English and Spanish, and several offer additional languages including Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. The…
Testing accommodations: what is available and how to askAccredited providers offer accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, including extra time, a reader, a separate testing room and assis…