Arizona Food Manager Certification: The CFPM Rule, County by County
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Quick answer: Yes, Arizona requires a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) statewide. The state adopted the 2017 FDA Food Code, which says the person in charge shall be a certified food protection manager, and the grace period ended January 31, 2022. You qualify by passing an accredited manager exam, such as ServSafe, NRFSP, or StateFoodSafety, and the certificate lasts up to 5 years. Counties enforce the rule, and they differ on details like whether the CFPM must be on site.
This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with your county environmental health department or the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).
The Statewide Rule
Arizona has no statute that requires a manager certificate; the requirement comes from the state's food code. Arizona's food rules, A.A.C. Title 9, Chapter 8, incorporate the FDA Food Code's 2017 edition, including its whole "Supervision" part. Section 2-102.12 of that code says "the person in charge shall be a certified food protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an accredited program." ADHS gave food establishments until January 31, 2022 to comply, and it says all county environmental health departments use the 2017 Food Code for inspections.
- A person in charge on every shift. The code also requires a person in charge to be present during all hours of operation. Read together with the CFPM rule, that points to a certified manager on duty whenever you're open, and several counties say so outright. Others are more flexible, as the county section below shows.
- The person in charge must show knowledge. During an inspection, the person in charge has to show food safety knowledge: by having no priority violations, by being a CFPM, or by answering the inspector's questions correctly. That includes describing the major food allergens and their symptoms.
- Low-risk places can be exempt. The rule doesn't apply to establishments the health department considers minimal risk, based on what they serve and how much preparation they do. Counties decide what counts: Maricopa exempts places serving only foods that don't need time and temperature control, while Yavapai and Mohave exempt prepackaged-only operations.
County Rules
Arizona's counties do the inspecting, and the larger ones spell out the CFPM rule in their own codes or guidance. Here's what each says.
| County | What it requires |
|---|---|
| Maricopa (Phoenix area) | At least one CFPM on staff, a full-time employee of that permitted establishment; replace within 90 days; county guidance says the person in charge must be a CFPM on site during hours of operation |
| Pima (Tucson) | A person in charge on the premises at all times, and at least one person in charge with an ANSI-accredited manager certificate |
| Pinal | At least one supervisory employee who has passed an accredited manager exam |
| Yavapai (Prescott) | A certified manager present during operating hours; the on-site person in charge must be certified; small places can use an approved food safety plan |
| Mohave (Kingman, Lake Havasu City) | A CFPM on site for higher-risk food, available for lower-risk food |
| Yuma | Follows the state rules |
Maricopa County
Maricopa's Environmental Health Code says "each food establishment shall have at least one (1) Certified Food Protection Manager on staff," and defines that manager as "a full time employee of the individually permitted food establishment where employed," so one person can't cover a second location with its own permit. If your CFPM leaves, you have 90 days to replace them. Places that serve only foods that don't need time and temperature control are exempt. The county's food establishment page goes further: the person in charge "shall be a CFPM and is required to be onsite during the hours of operation," and the certificate must be visible or readily accessible for inspections. In practice, plan on a certified manager on every shift.
Pima County
Under Pima County Code 8.08.050, every food establishment except temporary, seasonal, and farmers market vendors must have a person in charge on the premises during all hours and must employ at least one person in charge who is ANSI certified as a food protection manager. The county's own food sanitation certificate can satisfy the person-in-charge requirement, but it doesn't replace the accredited manager certificate.
Yavapai County
Yavapai's Health Code is the most detailed. Establishments that handle food needing time and temperature control must employ at least one certified manager who is "present and available during operational hours," and the person in charge on site must be certified. An establishment with fewer than 10 employees can instead have a written, county-approved food safety plan, as long as a separate certified manager for each establishment is available at least 8 hours each day it's open. Certificates must be prominently posted, and failing to obtain or keep one is a priority foundation violation. Exempt: prepackaged-only operations and some temporary events (those run by service organizations, or lasting under four hours), which still need someone with a food worker certificate on site. The county's definition refers to completing a manager's training course approved by the Conference for Food Protection, so if you work there, ask whether an exam alone is enough.
Mohave County
Mohave's permit guidelines require a CFPM onsite during food operations involving higher-risk foods, processes, or highly susceptible populations, and available for lower-risk operations. Exempt operations include commercially prepackaged food, bottled water plants, vending, temporary food establishments, private membership clubs, and warehouses. From March 2026 through February 2027, the county offers free in-person CFPM training and exam proctoring to employees of Mohave-licensed establishments; register in advance, as space is limited. It also proctors the StateFoodSafety manager exam for free.
Pinal, Yuma, and other counties
Pinal County requires at least one employee with supervisory and management responsibility to be a CFPM who has passed an accredited exam. Yuma County's health ordinance adopts the state food rules without adding its own manager provision. We couldn't check Coconino County (Flagstaff) or the smaller counties directly, so ask your county environmental health office; the statewide rule applies everywhere.
How to Get Certified
1. Pick an accredited exam
The certificate has to come from a program accredited under Conference for Food Protection standards; Maricopa County puts it as passing "an exam administered by an ANSI-Accredited provider." The Conference's February 2026 list has 13 programs, including ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, 360training (Learn2Serve), Always Food Safe, EduClasses, and Trust20. No Arizona county we checked limits you to a shorter list.
2. Decide whether you need a course
Arizona's rules require passing the exam; the sources we checked don't set a required class or number of hours (Yavapai's wording is the one to double-check). A course helps if HACCP, cooling, and employee health rules are new to you.
3. Pass the exam
Arizona doesn't set a passing score; each provider does. 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.
Where to Take the Exam
These providers are accredited, and all offer an online-proctored exam. Prices are from each provider's website as of September 27, 2026; confirm at checkout.
| Provider | Exam, online proctored | Course + exam |
|---|---|---|
| EduClasses (paid link) | $65 | $120 |
| 360training (Learn2Serve) | $69.99 | $121.00 |
| StateFoodSafety | $76.00 | $134.00 |
| Always Food Safe | $76 | $132 |
| NRFSP | $81.99 | Course sold separately |
| ServSafe | $99.00 | $179.00 |
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)”. Working in Mohave County? Check the county's free training and proctoring first. 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.
How Long It Lasts
Arizona's rules don't set their own term, so the date on your certificate governs. Accredited programs issue certificates valid for no more than 5 years, and Maricopa County's code says a CFPM certificate expires five years from the day you passed the test. To renew, pass an accredited exam again. The certificate belongs to you and moves with you to a new job. None of the counties we checked runs a manager registration or charges a separate manager fee; keep the certificate where the inspector can see it, and post it prominently in Yavapai County.
What Inspectors Check
On the 2017 Food Code inspection report that ADHS publishes, item 2 is "Certified Food Protection Manager," right after the person in charge's knowledge and duties. How a missing CFPM is scored depends on the county. Yavapai calls it a priority foundation violation, and Mohave's ordinance treats noncompliance as a critical violation that requires a follow-up inspection, with fees. In Maricopa and Yavapai, violating the health code can also be charged as a misdemeanor.
Food Handlers on Your Team
A manager certificate is a separate credential from a food handler card. Food handler rules in Arizona are set county by county; Maricopa, for example, requires food employees to be trained within 30 days. See our Arizona Food Handler Card: Maricopa, Pima, and Other County Rules for each county. State law also lets counties waive food handler cards for some school and short-term volunteers, as long as they're overseen by a certified food protection manager or person in charge.
How to Study
The manager exam goes deeper than the food handler test: 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Arizona require a certified food manager?
Yes. Arizona's food rules adopt the 2017 FDA Food Code, which requires the person in charge to be a Certified Food Protection Manager, and the grace period ended January 31, 2022. Low-risk places, such as stores that sell only prepackaged food, can be exempt.
Does the certified manager have to be on site in Arizona?
It depends on the county. Maricopa County says the person in charge must be a CFPM on site during hours of operation, and Yavapai requires the on-site person in charge to be certified, with a food safety plan option for places with fewer than 10 employees. Mohave requires one on site only for higher-risk operations.
What if our certified manager quits?
In Maricopa County, you have 90 days to replace them. The other counties we checked don't publish a grace period, so ask your county and get someone certified as soon as you can.
Is ServSafe accepted in Arizona?
Yes. ServSafe is accredited under Conference for Food Protection standards, as are NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, 360training (Learn2Serve), Always Food Safe, EduClasses, and others.
Is the Pima County food sanitation certificate enough?
No. It can satisfy Pima's person-in-charge requirement, but the county still requires at least one person in charge with an ANSI-accredited food protection manager certificate.
Running the shift as person in charge? Certification is the start. The person in charge also makes sure the kitchen's food safety procedures are followed, and the FDA's 2026 Food Code, which states adopt over time, asks for more of them in writing. Our free guides cover each one:
- Employee illness policy: what has to be written down, with a sample policy
- Vomit and diarrhea clean-up procedure: the steps and what goes in the clean-up kit
- Food safety management system: the written procedures, training plans, and records
- Free food safety log templates: fridge, holding, cooling, receiving, sanitizer, and calibration logs
- Restaurant health inspection checklist: walk the kitchen the way an inspector does
Want it done for you? The Food Safety Plan Kit ($29) has editable versions of all of these.
Bottom Line
Unless your establishment is low risk, have at least one employee with a current accredited food protection manager certificate, and in Maricopa or Yavapai, plan on a certified person in charge whenever you're open. Pass the exam, keep the certificate where the inspector can see it, and retest every 5 years. Start with our free Food Manager Practice Test.
Sources
- Arizona Administrative Code, Title 9, Chapter 8, Article 1, R9-8-101 and R9-8-102 (incorporating the 2017 FDA Food Code, including Part 2-1 Supervision), Supp. 26-1 — apps.azsos.gov.
- FDA Food Code 2017, sections 2-101.11, 2-102.11, 2-102.12, 2-102.20, and 2-103.11 — fda.gov.
- ADHS, Food Code Changes Overview (grace period until January 31, 2022) — azdhs.gov; Food Safety & Environmental Services (counties use the 2017 Food Code) — azdhs.gov; 2017 FDA Food Inspection Report — azdhs.gov.
- A.R.S. 11-269.28 (volunteers overseen by a certified food protection manager or person in charge) — azleg.gov.
- Maricopa County Environmental Health Code, Chapter VII (revised August 19, 2026) — maricopa.gov; Food & Restaurants — maricopa.gov.
- Pima County Code 8.08.050, Food safety certification and training — codelibrary.amlegal.com.
- Pinal County, Food Service Worker Training — pinal.gov.
- Yavapai County Health Code and Ordinance, Reg. 1-6-101 to 1-6-104 (effective January 1, 2023) — yavapaiaz.gov.
- Mohave County, Food Permit Guidelines — mohave.gov; Food Protection Manager Training notice (February 4, 2026) — mohave.gov; Food Handler Classes / Certifications — mohave.gov; Food Handler/Manager Ordinance 98-10 — mohave.gov.
- Yuma County Health Ordinance No. 07-04 — yumacountyaz.gov.
- Conference for Food Protection, list of accredited food protection manager certification organizations (February 24, 2026) — foodprotect.org; Standards for Accreditation of Food Protection Manager Certification Programs (certificates valid no more than five years) — foodprotect.org.
- Exam providers' passing scores and languages: ServSafe FAQs — servsafe.com; NRFSP FAQs — nrfsp.com; StateFoodSafety — statefoodsafety.com; Learn2Serve — 360training.com.
Last reviewed October 2, 2026. ServSafe is a trademark of the National Restaurant Association; FoodHandlerGear is not affiliated with or endorsed by it. This is general information, not legal advice.
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