OKC-County Health Department :: Food Manager Certification

FOOD MANAGER CERTIFICATION

All food establishments operating in the following municipalities (Del City, Midwest City, Nichols Hills, Oklahoma City, Spencer, Harrah, The Village, and Warr Acres) are required to have at least one on-site Nationally Certified Food Manager (CFM) who is a person in charge if they prepare, handle, or serve unpackaged Time/Temperature Control for Safety Food (TCS). The CFM shall successfully pass an American National Standards Institute – Council for Food Protection (ANSI-CFP) accredited Food Managers Certification Examination.

Food facilities exempt from this requirement include: Temporary Food Facilities, prepackaged Ice cream trucks, farmers’ Market Vendors, and produce stands selling only uncut produce, any food facility selling only commercially prepared prepackaged food, any food facility selling unpackaged non-TCS food.

All employees at exempt food facilities, however, must be able to demonstrate to OCCHD an adequate knowledge of food safety principles related to their specific duties at the facility.

The certification is valid for five (5) years from the date of the examination. Upon expiration, the CFM must be recertified by passing an ANSI-CFP accredited Food Managers Certification Examination. The CFM must pass the exam before the expiration of their certificate.

If the CFM leaves the food establishment, the establishment will have 45 days to comply with this ordinance.

Newly licensed food establishments will have 45 days to comply with this ordinance.

Certificates can not be duplicated. Individuals may only use their certificate at one location.

Individuals may choose to obtain their training online. OCCHD recognizes exams approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) - Conference for Food Protection. The training and/or tests may be taken by contacting these companies directly and choosing the option that best fits your needs. If you choose one of these options, training may be done at your own pace on a personal computer; however ONLY State Food Safety provides an online proctor, the other tests provided must be done at a license exam facility with a proctor. These online companies offer several levels of training. Please make sure you are enrolling in the correct manager-level course and taking a proctored test. Please note that some of these companies require you to complete the online training to enroll in the test.

How to Obtain a Food Manager's Certificate

Certification may be obtained through the methods listed below:

Attend an approved class and successfully pass the exam
Reciprocity from a nationally recognized Food Manager's Class that is approved by OCCHD

When and Where are the Classes Offered?

Note: Classes are not offered at OCCHD facilities.

Oklahoma Restaurant Association
405-942-8181 Okrestaurants.com
8:30 am to 5:00 pm
OSU-OKC Campus
900 N. Portland Ave
Student Center Conference North, Floor 3

Full Certification:
Jan 8
Jan 24
Feb 4
Feb 19
March 6
March 19
April 8
April 25
May 9
May 23
June 3
June 18

Francis Tuttle
405-717-4900
Francistuttle.edu
9:00 am to 5:30 pm
2 day courses

Full Certification:

Jan 10 &11
Feb 7 & 8
March 7 & 8
April 4 & 5
May 9 & 10
June 6 & 7
July 11 & 12
Aug 8 & 9
Sep 5 & 6
Oct 10 & 11
Nov 7 & 8
Dec 5 & 6

Clases en español
405-717-4900
Francistuttle.edu
Clase es de dos días

Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce
405-616-5031
Okchispanicchamber.org
9:15 am to 5:45 pm
Clase es de dos días
Feb 12 & 14
April 2 & 4
June 11 & 13
Sept 3 & 5
Nov 12 & 14

Who is required to have a Food Protection Manager's Certificate?

At least one employee in each food service establishment is required to have a Food Protection Manager Certificate. This employee must be able to train other employees on safe food handling practices. This employee is expected to be present in the facility on a regular basis.

Changes to Oklahoma City municipal ordinance involving Food Manager Requirements.
Oklahoma City will continue to require at least one employee in each establishment to have a Food Manager Certification. This certification must come from one of the exams approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) - Conference for Food Protection. The change that has occurred is the employee is no longer required to bring the certificate and register it with the Health Department. The original certificates must be posted in the food establishments and will be recognized for five (5) years. If you have any other Food Manager questions, please contact the Food Education Coordinator.

Online Options

If you choose one of these options, training may be done at your own pace on a personal computer; however ONLY State Food Safety provides an online proctor, the other tests provided must be done at a license exam facility with a proctor. These online companies offer several levels of training. Please make sure you are enrolling in the correct manager-level course and taking a proctored test. Please note that some of these companies require you to complete the online training to enroll in the test.

The nationally-recognized testing options are:

National Registry of Food Safety Professionals
1-800-446-0257; 1-800-211-2754
Exam: Offered in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Modern & Traditional Chinese
Name of Exam: Food Safety Manager Certification

Prometric

1-800-624-2736
Website: prometric.com/foodsafety
Exam: Offered in English, Spanish, Korean, Vietnamese, Traditional Chinese
Name of Course: Certified Professional Food Manager

ServSafe
866-901-7778
Website: servsafe.com (national) or okrestaurants.com (local)
Exam: Offered in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, French Canadian, Japanese, and Large Print
Name of Course: ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification

Learn2Serve.com
1-888-360-8764
Website: learn2serve.com
Email: enrollments@360training.com
Exam: Only offered in English
Name of Exam: Food Protection Manager Training & Certification

Statefoodsafety.com
1-801-494-1416
Website: statefoodsafety.com
Email: Support@statefoodsafety.com
Exam: English, Spanish
Name of Exam: Food Manager Certification (ANSI-Certification)

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: My Food Protection Manager Certification has expired. How and where do I go to renew my certification?

A: Food Protection Manager Certification can be renewed by attending one of the classes offered and passing the exam. You may also opt to just take the exam without attending the classes if you have tested before. The exams are offered at all the classes or you may choose one of the online options to test at a testing site. We no longer offer tests at OCCHD.
Q: What are your hours of operation?

A: We are available to complete the issuance of Food Service Operator Certificates Monday through Friday between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.
Q: Do I need this certification before I open my new food establishment?

A: Check with the city you are located in to see if they require completion prior to opening. Oklahoma City allows 30 days after opening to have attended the class and successfully passed the exam. Other cities may have different requirements. Remember that classes often fill up quickly, so enroll early!
Q: I have a Food Handler Card that was issued in a different county. Will this count or is it the same?

A: No. A Food Handler class is a much shorter, less intensive class, often not requiring a test. We currently recognize the three nationally recognized Food Manager's Programs (please see above in the Online Options section). If you have any questions about reciprocity please contact Food Education Coordinator.