Georgia Food Manager Certification: The CFSM Rule Explained
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Quick answer: Every Georgia restaurant and most other food service establishments must employ at least one Certified Food Safety Manager (CFSM): a supervisor who has passed an ANSI-accredited food protection manager exam, such as ServSafe, NRFSP, or StateFoodSafety. The certificate counts at one establishment only, the original must be posted in public view, and a new or changed establishment gets 60 days to have one. The CFSM doesn't have to be on site at all times, but a person in charge does.
This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with your county environmental health office or the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH).
Who Needs a CFSM
Georgia's Food Service Rules (Chapter 511-6-1), revised in February 2025 to adopt the 2022 FDA Food Code, require food service establishments to "have in its employ a Certified Food Safety Manager." Rule 511-6-1-.03(3) spells it out:
- A supervisor, not just anyone. At least one employee with supervisory and management responsibility, and the authority to direct food preparation and service, must be a CFSM who has passed a test that is part of an accredited program.
- One establishment only. A CFSM "must be designated to one food service establishment only." If you run several locations, each one needs its own certified manager.
- 60 days to get one. An establishment has sixty days from the date its first permit is issued, from a change-of-ownership permit, or from the day its CFSM stops working there to employ a new one.
- 30 days to tell the health department. If an establishment loses its CFSM, it must notify the health authority within thirty days, with the former CFSM's name and certification number and what it's doing to replace them.
Who's exempt
The rule doesn't apply to:
- mobile food service units that don't process food;
- establishments that serve only foods that don't need time and temperature control and require limited preparation, or time- and temperature-controlled foods already prepared in another permitted food service establishment; and
- temporary food service establishments.
The CFSM vs. the person in charge
DPH's interpretation manual says the rules don't require a CFSM to be in the establishment at all hours of operation. What they do require is a person in charge on the premises at all times. When the CFSM is there, they're the person in charge; when they leave, they designate someone else. Every person in charge has to be able to show the inspector that they know the food safety rules.
How to Get Certified
1. Pick an accredited exam
According to DPH, "Georgia only recognizes those exams that are accredited by ANSI as meeting Conference for Food Protection (CFP) criteria." DPH doesn't publish its own list; its website links to the accreditation directory. The Conference's February 2026 list has 13 accredited programs, including ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, 360training (Learn2Serve), Always Food Safe, EduClasses, and Trust20. Some older handouts still list Prometric, which isn't on the current list.
2. Plan on a course as well as the exam
Georgia is stricter on paper than many states. Its definition of a CFSM mentions completing an approved food safety training program as well as passing the exam, the renewal rule says to "enroll in an approved food safety training course" and pass an exam, and DPH's manual says Georgia "generally" recognizes a course of at least 8 hours, including test time. The rule's main requirement is still passing an accredited exam, but a course-and-exam package is the safe choice here. If you want to test without a course, ask your county environmental health office first.
Several county health departments, including DeKalb and Gwinnett, run their own in-person ServSafe manager classes, typically around $150.
3. Pass the exam
Georgia 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 sell a course-and-exam package as well as the exam alone. 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)”. 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.
Posting the Certificate
Georgia is specific about paperwork. The original CFSM certificate has to be posted in public view in the establishment, with another copy kept on file. An expired, suspended, or revoked certificate can't be posted, the certification isn't transferable to another person, and DPH's manual says a digital frame that rotates through documents on a timer doesn't count as posting.
How Long It Lasts and How to Renew
Georgia doesn't set its own period: a CFSM certificate expires on the date the credentialing organization sets, and accredited programs issue certificates valid for no more than 5 years. Under the rule, within ninety days of the expiration date the CFSM must enroll in an approved course, pass an approved exam, and get a new certificate. Don't leave it to the last minute, since an expired certificate can't stay on the wall.
Allergen Training
Georgia doesn't require a separate allergen certificate for the CFSM. Instead, the person in charge must make sure employees are trained in food safety, "including food allergy awareness," for their duties: knowing the major food allergens and the symptoms of a reaction. The 2025 revision added sesame as the ninth major allergen. DPH's manual says this doesn't mean every employee has to pass an accredited test.
What Inspectors Check
On Georgia's inspection report, "Certified Food Protection Manager" is item 1-2B, a priority foundation item. Inspectors mark it out if there's no evidence of certification, if the certified person no longer works at the establishment, if the certificate isn't from an accredited program, or if the CFSM's responsibilities aren't being met. Priority foundation violations have to be corrected on the spot or within the time the inspector allows, up to 10 calendar days, and repeat violations cost extra points on the next score.
Grocery and Convenience Stores
Retail food stores are regulated by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, not DPH, and the rules differ. Stores that sell time- and temperature-controlled foods and do things like hot or cold holding, cooking, cooling, reheating, or packaging need a Certified Food Protection Manager, but the department says the CFPM "DOES NOT need to be present at all times," and the person in charge doesn't have to be the CFPM. Stores the department considers minimal risk are exempt.
Counties
County environmental health offices enforce the state rules, and none of the large counties we checked (Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and Chatham) adds its own manager registration, card, or fee. Cobb and Douglas have adopted the state chapter as their own board of health rules, with the same CFSM text.
Food Handlers on Your Team
Georgia has no statewide food handler card, but the person in charge must make sure every employee is trained for their duties. See our Georgia Food Handler Card: What the State Rules Actually Require.
How to Study
The manager exam goes deeper than a food handler course: 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
Is food manager certification required in Georgia?
Yes. Every food service establishment regulated by DPH must employ at least one Certified Food Safety Manager, unless it's exempt: mobile units that don't process food, places serving only low-risk or already-prepared foods, and temporary events.
Does the certified food safety manager have to be on site at all times in Georgia?
No. A person in charge must be on the premises at all times, but the CFSM doesn't have to be there every hour the establishment is open.
Can one certified manager cover two restaurants in Georgia?
No. A CFSM must be designated to one food service establishment only, so each location needs its own.
Is ServSafe accepted in Georgia?
Yes. Georgia accepts exams accredited by ANSI as meeting Conference for Food Protection criteria, which includes ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, 360training (Learn2Serve), Always Food Safe, and EduClasses.
How long is a Georgia CFSM certificate good for?
Until the expiration date the exam program sets, which is no more than 5 years. Within 90 days of that date, the CFSM must take an approved course, pass an approved exam, and get a new 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
In Georgia, make sure each establishment employs its own Certified Food Safety Manager with an ANSI-accredited certificate, post the original where the public can see it, keep a person in charge on site at all times, and plan on a course plus the exam when you certify and when you renew. Start with our free Food Manager Practice Test.
Sources
- Georgia DPH, Food Service Rules and Regulations, Chapter 511-6-1 (revised February 2025), including 511-6-1-.01 (definitions), .03(2) (person in charge), .03(3) (Certified Food Safety Manager: designation, exemptions, 60 and 30 days, posting, expiration), and .10 (inspections) — dph.georgia.gov.
- Georgia DPH, Food Service (rules page; 2022 FDA Food Code adoption) — dph.georgia.gov.
- Georgia DPH, Food Service Interpretation Manual (CFSM and person in charge; accepted exams; 8-hour course guidance; posting) — dph.georgia.gov.
- Georgia DPH, Inspection Marking Instructions (item 1-2B) — dph.georgia.gov.
- Georgia Department of Agriculture, Certified Food Protection Managers (retail food stores) — agr.georgia.gov.
- DeKalb County Board of Health, Food Safety Education (ServSafe class) — dekalbpublichealth.com.
- Conference for Food Protection, list of accredited food protection manager certification organizations (February 24, 2026) — 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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