Alabama Food Manager Certification: The Priority Category Rule

Quick answer: Yes, for most restaurants. Alabama requires Priority Category 3 and 4 establishments, the ones that handle raw meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, cook, cool, or reheat food, or reuse dishes, to have a permit holder or designee with a food protection manager certification from an accredited program. Since 2020, a certified person in charge must also be on site during all hours of operation. Any accredited exam counts, including ServSafe, NRFSP, and EduClasses; there's no state card or fee, and a certificate counts for 5 years.

This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with your county health department.

The Rule

The requirement is in the Alabama Department of Public Health's food establishment rules: "For Priority Category 3 and 4 establishments the permit holder or their designee shall possess a valid certification from an accredited program or shall have verification of attendance from an accredited program. On or after January 1, 2020, a designated person in charge with a valid certification from an accredited program or verification of attendance from an accredited program shall be present during all hours of operation" (Ala. Admin. Code r. 420-3-22-.02(2)). Alabama's rules adopt the 2013 FDA Food Code.

• Every shift: because a certified person in charge must be present whenever you're open, most restaurants need enough certified managers to cover every shift, not just one.
• Owner or employee: the permit holder or a designee can hold the certification.
• Certification is the route: Alabama dropped the Food Code's other ways of showing knowledge, such as answering the inspector's questions, so certification is how the person in charge proves it.
• Grocery stores: when several permitted departments share one building and owner, one supervisor over any department can be the certified person.

Who's Covered and Who's Exempt

• Priority Category 3 (required): places that handle unpackaged raw animal foods, cook food that isn't ready to eat, reuse customer utensils, or cool or reheat food. Most restaurants, caterers, and grocery delis fall here.
• Priority Category 4 (required): a Category 2 or 3 establishment that also needs a variance or HACCP plan, for example for smoking, curing, or reduced oxygen packaging.
• Priority Category 1 and 2 (exempt): stores selling only prepackaged food, and "limited food service" places that don't use raw animal foods, don't cool heated foods, and don't reuse tableware.
• Temporary food establishments (exempt).
• Outside the rules entirely: cottage food operators, who take a separate state-approved food safety course instead; bed and breakfasts; and coffee-only operations using single-service cups.

One catch for exempt places: if any establishment's permit is suspended for scoring under 60, the permit holder must register for an accredited program before it's reinstated, whatever its category.

Deadlines

• New establishments and new owners: the health department checks the certification when you apply for a permit, so have it before you apply.
• If an inspection finds no valid certification: you have 120 days to correct it.
• When your certified manager leaves: the rules give no separate window, but the person in charge on every shift must still be certified, so plan for a replacement before they go.

How to Get Certified

1. Pick an accredited exam

Alabama accepts "a valid certification from an accredited program" and points to the ANAB directory of accredited manager programs rather than keeping its own list. The Jefferson County Department of Health's list of accredited manager certifications includes ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, Learn2Serve (360training), Always Food Safe, and EduClasses (DSBWorldWide, Inc.).

2. Decide whether you need a course

Not if you pass the exam. The rule also accepts "verification of attendance from an accredited program," but a course completion without the exam counts for only 12 months, while a certificate counts for 5 years. A course helps if HACCP, cooling, and employee health rules are new to you.

3. Pass the exam

Each provider sets its own passing score. ServSafe requires 70%, NRFSP a scaled score of 75, StateFoodSafety 750 of 1,000 points, and Learn2Serve 75%. Try our free Food Manager Practice Test first.

4. Keep the certificate for the inspector

There's no state card, registration, or fee: your certificate comes from the exam provider. Keep copies at the establishment for each certified person in charge.

Low-Cost Classes in Alabama

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Jefferson County Department of Health teach ServSafe Manager classes with the exam. Dates were current as of October 11, 2026:

Extension's prices come from a 2021 post, so confirm with your county office. Its fall classes include Andalusia, Tuscumbia, Cullman, Scottsboro, Dothan, Opelika, Montgomery (Nov 18 to 19), Phenix City, and Tuscaloosa. Jefferson County gives the exam in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, French, Japanese, and large print.

Where to Take the Exam Online

These providers are accredited, and all offer an online-proctored exam. Prices are from each provider's website, checked September 27 and rechecked October 5, 2026; confirm at checkout.

Always Food Safe's package is $84 plus $48 for the online proctor. We may earn a commission if you buy through some of these links, at no extra cost to you; they're marked “(paid link)”. Our How Much Does Food Manager Certification Cost? Exam and Course Prices Compared explains each price, including cheaper in-person options.

Taking it in Spanish? ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, Always Food Safe, and EduClasses offer the manager exam in Spanish; 360training lists its exam in English only. Extension's October class in Guntersville is taught in Spanish.

How Long It Lasts

The health department accepts a certificate issued within the past 5 years (60 months). To renew, pass an accredited exam again before yours runs out.

What Inspectors Check

The certification is item 02 on Alabama's inspection report, a priority foundation item worth 4 points off a score of 100. That item checks only whether the permit holder or designee holds the certification; whether the person in charge is doing the job is judged separately. A missing certification has to be fixed within 120 days, and a score below 60 means your permit is suspended.

Allergen Rules

Alabama has no separate allergen law or certificate. Under the 2013 Food Code, the person in charge must make sure employees are trained in food allergy awareness for their duties. Our Food Allergen Policy for Restaurants: What the 2026 Food Code Requires covers training and notices.

Food Handlers on Your Team

Alabama has no statewide food handler card, but two counties require one:

• Jefferson County (Birmingham): all food employees must complete food safety training within 21 days of hire, in a $15 health department class, a $20 online course, or through a certified manager on duty at all times.
• Mobile County: employees without a manager certification need a Mobile County Health Department food handler card before their first shift. It's $23 online, lasts 1 year, and cards from other providers or counties don't count.

Our Food Handler Card Requirements by State: The 2026 Guide compares states that require cards.

How to Study

The manager exam goes deeper than basic food safety training: HACCP, cooling, employee health, receiving, and pest control. Our Food Manager Certification: How to Pass the Exam walks through each topic, and our free Food Manager Practice Test has manager-level questions with explanations.

Prefer to study by ear? "ServSafe Manager Audio Cram," our own audio review from Kanti Press, covers the manager-level material from the 2022 FDA Food Code so you can study on a commute or between shifts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Alabama require food manager certification?

Yes, for Priority Category 3 and 4 establishments, which includes most restaurants. A certified person in charge must be on site during all hours of operation.

Is ServSafe required in Alabama?

No. Any accredited manager exam counts, including NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, Learn2Serve, Always Food Safe, and EduClasses.

How long is Alabama food manager certification good for?

The health department accepts a certificate issued within the past 5 years. A course completion without the exam counts for only 12 months.

How long do I have to get certified?

The certification is checked when you apply for a permit. If an inspection finds it missing, you have 120 days to correct it.

Do food handlers in Alabama need a card?

Not statewide. Jefferson County requires food safety training within 21 days of hire, and Mobile County requires its own food handler card for employees without a manager certification.

How much does Alabama food manager certification cost?

There's no state fee. Extension and Jefferson County classes cost about $150 with the exam, and online exams with a proctor cost about $65 to $99.

Bottom Line

If your kitchen handles raw animal foods or cooks, cools, or reheats food, have a certified person in charge on every shift, with certificates issued within the past 5 years. Any accredited exam works, and there's no state fee. Start with our free Food Manager Practice Test.

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