SERVICE

Become a certified food safety manager at your facility

Find a nationally recognized training and exam you can take online from home.

What to know

What this is

By law, every retail food location in California must have:

  • At least 1 person certified as a food safety manager
  • Everyone else must have a food handler card

You must pass an exam to become a certified food safety manager. 

Who should get certified

The food safety manager can be a:

  • owner
  • manager
  • chef
  • cook

Or any other employee responsible for handling food safely.

What to do

Get certified online

To get your certificate as a "food safety manager" you need to take a test first.

You do not need to take any training classes to take the test. But taking a class can help you get a passing grade for your certification.

These online food safety classes are accepted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). In-person classes are not currently offered by the health department. 

What to expect

Online programs should cost around:

  • $69.95 to $119.96

What to expect

  • Allow at least 4 hours for the training and 2 hours for your exam.
  • Start and stop as needed.
  • View or print your certification right away after you pass the exam.
  • Certificates are good for 5 years.

What to expect

  • Food poisoning causes and prevention
  • Temperature controls
  • Cross contamination
  • Cleaning and sanitizing
  • Pest control

Get help

Phone
Food safety program415-252-3800
Environmental Health Branch San Francisco Department of Public Health