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The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts.

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Food Manager Certification

Contact the Food Safety and Sanitation Program

Contact these approved testing providers DIRECTLY for date, times, and locations for exams or concerning lost certificates/cards.

Accredited Food Protection Manager Certification Exams:

Food Manager

A Food Manager is a person who is responsible for the food establishment and/or has direct authority, control or supervision over employees who engage in the storage, preparation, display, or service of foods. They are not required to have the job title of manager.

Certified Food Manager/Food Protection Manager

A Certified Food Manager or Certified Food Protection Manager is one who has passed a written certification exam, which has been approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) National Accreditation Board (ANAB, which demonstrates a basic knowledge of food protection practices. 

It is the responsibility of the certified manager or person in charge to train or ensure the training of all employees under their supervision and control who engage in the storage, preparation, or serving of food. In addition to the cleaning of equipment, utensils, or food contact and non-food contact surfaces.

They must do so in accordance with acceptable sanitary practices as described in Chapter 64E-11, Florida Administrative Code.

Food Service Establishments

Food service establishments as defined in section 381.0072, Florida Statutes, are required to meet manager certification requirements, unless otherwise exempted.

All establishments required to have a certified food manager shall designate, in writing, the food service manager or managers for each location. The establishments include, but are not limited to:

  • Public and private schools using a contracted food service provider (e.g. food workers not employed by the school)
  • Fraternal organizations
  • Mobile food units and caterers that are required to maintain a Florida Department of Health Food Sanitation Certificate
  • Detention facilities

The following residential facilities are required to maintain a Florida Department of Health Food Sanitation Certificate, but not limited to:  

  • Assisted living facilities
  • Hospices
  • Adult day cares
  • Intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled (ICFDD)
  • Prescribed pediatric extended care (PPEC)
  • Crisis stabilization units
  • In-patient drug, alcohol, and mental health facilities

The following types of food service establishments ARE EXEMPT from Florida Department of Health manager certification requirements:

  • Bars and lounges, serving beverages only and non-time/temperature control foods like chips
  • Public and private schools, provided that the food service is operated by school employees
  • Civic organizations
  • Theaters that are required to maintain a Florida Department of Health Food Sanitation Certificate
  • Food service establishments that limit their food service operation to non-time/temperature control for safety prepackaged food items
  • Culinary arts and similar food programs, which do not offer, sale, or serve food beyond the program’s instructors and direct participants

When is a certified food manager required to be present and facilities serving highly-susceptible populations:

Highly-susceptible populations are individuals who (more likely than other people in the general population) may experience foodborne disease because they are immunocompromised, children pre-school through elementary school, and older adults.

Establishments that serve highly-susceptible populations or establishments having three or more food employees/volunteers at one time engaged in the storage, preparation or service of food, must have at least one certified manager present at all times when these activities are taking place. 

All other establishments (general populations with two or less employees/volunteers) must have a certified manager or managers responsible for all periods of operation, but the manager or managers need not be present at all times.

Becoming a Certified Food Manager

Please contact an approved test provider for times, dates,  cost of the examination, training materials, and scheduling a preparation course. Because these providers offer examinations for other food-related programs, make sure you request the Florida Department of Health, Food Manager Certification test information. 

To become a certified food manager, individuals must successfully pass a certification examination administered by any approved manager certification test provider.

Applications are available directly from the approved providers. The Department of Health does not require individuals to attend an examination preparation or training course; however, preparation courses, study guides, and other helpful materials are offered by each of the approved test providers.

The test provider issues a certificate to successful participants, which is valid for a period of five years from the date of issuance. Each certified food manager must become re-certified through testing after the five year period. All establishments shall designate in writing the food service manager or managers for each location.

Requirement for More than one Certified Food Manager

Under most circumstances, more than one certified food manager will be necessary.

Establishments that do not serve a highly-susceptible population and have no more than two food workers/volunteers engaged in the storage, preparation, display, or serving of food, at one time, are allowed to have one designated certified food manager.

Certified Food Manager Resigns or Terminated

When a food service establishment's certified food manager ceases their employment and renders the establishment "out of compliance" with food manager certification requirements, the establishment has 30 days to come into compliance.