Food Protection Manager Certification

An educated and Certified Food Protection Manager helps to identify and correct potential food safety issues before they make someone sick. In Allegheny County, a Certified Food Protection Manager is required to be on-site during all hours of operation in facilities where food is being prepared or handled. If you own or operate a food facility, it is your responsibility to ensure that enough of your staff is certified to meet this requirement.

ACHD recognizes any ANSI-Accredited Certified Food Protection Manager certificate. We also offer a variety of food protection manager course options to meet the diverse needs of managers in the food industry. These options include:

2-day Certification Course: recommended for first-time examinees or people who have not recently been certified. The cost is $135.00 per person; this includes 2 days of instruction, a course book and exam. Class time is 8:30 am to 4:00-5:00 pm. Course books are mailed via USPS; please allow up to 2 weeks for books to arrive. A photo ID and #2 pencils are required to take the exam on the second day.

1-day Recertification Course: recommended for individuals renewing or retesting. The cost is $105.00 per person; this includes 1 day of class, a course book and exam. Class time is 8:30 am to 4:00-5:00 pm. Course books are mailed via USPS; please allow up to 2 weeks for books to arrive. A photo ID and #2 pencils are required to take the exam.

Challenge Exam: recommended for individuals proficient in food safety theory and practice. The cost is $65.00 per person; this includes the exam. Test starts promptly at 2:00 pm. A photo ID and #2 pencils are required to register and take exam.

For a summary of courses, course dates and locations, and exam dates, please see the ACHD Course & Exam Schedule(PDF, 195KB) .

How Do I Register?

Registering is Easy:

  • Select one of the three course options below.
  • Complete and print the Registration Form(PDF, 803KB). If requesting the exam in another language, then please indicate on the registration form.
  • Return the completed Registration Form and course fee by mail or in-person to the Food Safety Program Office at least 2 weeks prior to the course date.
  • A confirmation email will be sent upon receipt of registration form and payment. Please print email legibly on registration form so there is no delay in communication.

If registration form and payment are received less than 2 weeks from start of course, please call and make arrangements to pick up a book at the Food Safety Program Office, 2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210, Pittsburgh, PA 15204; otherwise, a book can be picked up at the start of the course.

2-Day Certification Course Schedule

Classes that have strikethrough are fully booked. Please select another date.

Course Dates & Time Location
01/30 & 02/06/2024 (Tuesdays)
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Course and Testing, in-person

Holiday Park VFD
415 Abers Creek Road
Pittsburgh PA 15239 (Plum)
03/19 & 03/26/2024 (Tuesdays)
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Course and Testing, in-person

Wildwood Golf Club
2195 Sample Road
Allison Park PA 15101 (Hampton)
04/23 & 04/30/2024 (Tuesdays)
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Course and Testing, in-person

Christ United Methodist Church
44 Highland Rd
Bethel Park PA 15102 (Bethel Park)
 

05/07 & 05/14/2023 (Tuesdays)
8:30 am – 4:30 pm

 

Library VFD
6581 Library Road
South Park PA 15129 (South Park)

06/04 & 06/11/2024 (Tuesdays)
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Course and Testing, in-person

North Hills High School
53 Rochester Road
Pittsburgh PA 15229 (Ross)

1-Day Certification Course Schedule

Classes that have strikethrough are fully booked. Please select another date.

Course Dates Location
01/23/2024 (Tuesday)
8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Course and Testing, in-person

Trinity Towers United Methodist Church
6729 Saltsburg Road
Penn Hills PA 15235 (Penn Hills)

03/12/2024 (Tuesday)
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Course and Testing, in-person

Comfort Inn & Suites
180 Gamma Drive
Pittsburgh PA 15238 (O’Hara)
 

5/21/2024 (Tuesday)
8:30 am – 5:00 pm

Course and Testing, in-person

Hilton Garden Inn
9600 University Boulevard
Coraopolis PA 15108 (Moon)

Challenge Exam Schedule

Classes that have strikethrough are fully booked. Please select another date.

Course Dates

01/10/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

01/24/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

02/14/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

02/28/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

03/07/2024 – Thursday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

03/20/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

04/17/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

04/24/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

05/08/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

05/22/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

06/12/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

06/26/2024 – Wednesday @ 2:00 pm

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Road, Suite 210

 

Location

Food Safety Program Office
2121 Noblestown Rd., Ste. 210
Pittsburgh, PA 15205

Map of Noblestown Road Testing Location:
Map of Noblestown Road Testing Location

Rescheduling

If you have already paid and need to reschedule to another class, contact the Food Safety Program at 412-578-7933. We are able to reschedule a participant once within a six-month period from your initial enrollment date. Should you fail to reschedule within that six-month period or need to reschedule a second time, you will be required to pay another registration fee.

Please note: Exams are pre-ordered and space is limited, so you must register for rescheduled course or exam in advance. Participants arriving without a confirmed space may be turned away.

Receiving Test Results

You will also need a free ServSafe account to get your results; you can create this account before results are available. ServSafe requires an email address to provide your results to you.

At the time of the exam, you will receive a 7-digit session number that you will need to get your exam results from the ServSafe website.

ACHD does not provide printed certificates. Once you pass the exam, your eCertificate can be downloaded and printed directly from the ServSafe website for free. ServSafe will also provide a paper certificate for a fee. More details are available on the ServSafe website. At the time of the exam, you will receive a 7-digit session number that is needed to retrieve your exam results and certificate. You can now download and print your certificate directly from ServSafe for free! Create an account or log in. Follow the instruction prompts. Results should be received in about 10 days.

ANSI-CFP Accredited Programs

The Allegheny County Health Department recognizes the following ANSI-CFP Accredited Programs which provide the food safety manager examinations:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the certification valid?

The Food Protection Manager certificate is valid for five years.

What languages is the exam offered in?

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Simplified Chinese
  • Korean
  • Japanese
  • Canadian French

Exams in languages other than English are by special order only and require 45-day advance notice along with your payment. Indicate the desired language on the Registration Form(PDF, 803KB). Please call 412-578-7933 for more information.

How long do I have to take the exam?

Examinees have 2 hours to complete the exam.

How many questions are on the exam?

The exam has a total of 90 questions.

What is an accommodation, and how do I receive an accommodation?

An accommodation is an arrangement made for an examinee with a special need. Accommodation requests are submitted to and approved by the testing agency. Additional forms are required and submitted with your payment to the Food Safety Program at least 45 days in advance of the selected course or exam date. Please call 412-578-7933 for more information.

What is the age requirement to take the exam?

While there is no minimum age requirement to take the exam, the person-in-charge is responsible for the daily operation of the food facility and must be the certified food protection manager.

What if I don’t pass the exam?

Take the exam again. Exams are held regularly at the Food Safety Program Office; however, we strongly recommend that you register for the 2-day or 1-day certification course. Exams are also available by registering directly with a testing agency.

Please note: You can retest only two times within a 30-day period, but if you fail the second time, you must wait 60 days from your last attempt to retest. You can take the test no more than four times within a 12-month period. Failing the exam is the only legitimate reason to retest.

Please contact the Food Safety Program by calling 412-578-7933 or by using your Allegheny County Support Center account.