Michigan Food Manager Certification: The Full-Time Manager Rule

Quick answer: Yes. Michigan's Food Law requires most places that serve food, including restaurants, bars, schools, food trucks, and grocery delis with seating, to employ at least one full-time manager certified through an accredited exam. New establishments need one by their first day open, and you get 90 days to replace a certified manager who leaves. Any accredited exam counts, including ServSafe, NRFSP, and EduClasses; no class is required, the state charges no fee, and certification lasts 5 years. Michigan's allergen training rule for managers expired at the end of 2020.

This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with your local health department or the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).

The Certified Manager Rule

Michigan's requirement comes from the Food Law itself. Under MCL 289.2129(1), covered establishments "shall employ a minimum of 1 managerial employee as a food safety manager" who's certified through a program accredited under Conference for Food Protection standards. MDARD's Regulation 570 (R 289.570.1 to .6) fills in the details. Michigan still enforces the 2009 FDA Food Code, adopted as the "Michigan Modified Food Code" effective October 1, 2012.

• Full time, not every shift: the certified manager must be a full-time employee, meaning an average of 30 hours a week, or 75% of your operating hours if you're open less than 40 hours a week. They don't have to be there whenever you're open (R 289.570.2), but a person in charge, who doesn't need a certificate, must be on site during all hours of operation.
• Involved in daily operations: the certified manager has to supervise food employees and carry out the person-in-charge duties. MDARD's guidance says a district manager who visits for an hour a week doesn't count.
• One per establishment: if you run more than one establishment on the same or neighboring property, one certified manager can cover them all as long as they do the job at each. Separate locations each need their own.
• Owners: the rules speak of a "managerial employee" and don't address owners directly, so if you plan to hold the certificate yourself, confirm with your local health department.

Who Must Have One

MDARD's list covers all food service establishments, such as restaurants, bars, schools, hospitals, food trucks, and special transitory food units, plus food service inside a grocery store and "extended retail" groceries, the ones with a deli and customer seating. Apple cider presses need someone certified or someone who has completed an approved safe cider course, and nonprofits that serve donated food must designate a certified food safety manager.

Who's Exempt

• Temporary and vending: licensed temporary food service establishments, which operate at one location for 14 days or less, and vending machine locations.
• Low-risk places: MDARD's statewide variance exempts places that don't prepare or cool foods needing temperature control and only heat commercially processed ones for hot holding. Its examples include most convenience stores, even ones serving precooked hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, or frozen pizza, along with hot dog carts, coffee shops, cocktail lounges, theaters, and nut kiosks.
• Senior meal sites: satellite sites of senior congregate nutrition programs are exempt under the same variance.
• Not food service under the law: motels that serve only continental breakfast, bed and breakfasts with 10 or fewer rooms, and nonprofits holding bake sales or serving home-prepared food at their own meetings or fundraisers.

MDARD or your local health department can grant an individual variance, but MDARD says those should be rare. A 2026 law, Public Act 89, will also take rental halls without a kitchen or food preparation space out of the definition of a food service establishment once it takes effect on the 91st day after the 2026 legislative session adjourns.

Deadlines

• New establishments: by the first day of operation (R 289.570.2(3)). MDARD's guidance lets the health department grant a 90-day extension, while Oakland County requires a certified manager before it issues a permit.
• When your manager leaves: you have 90 days to employ a new certified manager (R 289.570.2(2)). An expired certificate counts the same as a manager leaving, and Oakland County also requires you to notify its Health Division right away.
• New owners: the rule gives 90 days after a change of ownership, but MDARD's guidance treats a new owner like a new license, due on day one with a possible 90-day extension, and Oakland County says before opening. Ask your health department before you take over.

What Happened to Allergen Training

Starting January 14, 2017, Michigan required the certified manager who supervises a food service establishment to complete an MDARD-approved food safety training with an allergen awareness component every five years (MCL 289.2129(2)). Food service establishments also had to post a food allergy awareness poster in the staff area (MCL 289.6152(1)). Both provisions said they applied only until December 31, 2020, and the legislature didn't extend them, so neither is required today. Some provider pages and older county notices still describe the training as mandatory.

• Still expected: under the 2009 Food Code, describing the major food allergens and the symptoms they can cause is one of the topics an inspector can ask the person in charge about.
• Pending: House Bill 4775, introduced August 20, 2025, would bring back MDARD-approved allergen training every two years, add a menu notice asking customers to mention food allergies before ordering, and require a staff poster. House Bill 5402, introduced December 18, 2025, would require written notice of major allergens in unpackaged food. Neither bill has moved out of the House Regulatory Reform Committee.
• Free posters: MDARD links to food allergy awareness posters in seven languages on michiganfoodsafety.com, a site built with the Food Law's industry food safety education fund.

Allergen training is still worth doing even without a mandate. Our Food Allergen Policy for Restaurants: What the 2026 Food Code Requires covers what to train and what to post.

How to Get Certified

1. Pick an accredited exam

Michigan accepts any program accredited by ANAB under Conference for Food Protection standards, and the law gives an accredited certificate "full faith and credit" in every county and city. MDARD keeps no list of its own; it links to ANAB's directory, which includes ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, Learn2Serve (360training), Always Food Safe, Trust20, and EduClasses. Oakland County's 2026 resource list names EduClasses FMC too.

2. Decide whether you need a course

You don't: you only have to pass the exam, and MDARD says most people prepare with a class, in person or online, or by studying on their own. Washtenaw County's health department notes that the exam can be taken at a testing site, at the end of a course, or online with a proctor.

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 on site

Keep the original certificate or a copy at the establishment and show it when asked; if the health department requests records, you have 3 business days to send them (R 289.570.3). Michigan has no state registration and no state fee, though local health departments can add their own registration rules.

Low-Cost Classes in Michigan

MDARD sends people to local health departments and to MSU Extension, which teaches ServSafe classes. These classes were listed as of October 11, 2026:

Mid-Michigan's free seats are built into the annual license fee for fixed establishments, and you can attend any of its sessions; additional staff pay a set fee. Wayne County lists several class sources but no prices.

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. Oakland County's October 13 and 15 course is taught in Spanish.

How Long It Lasts

Five years. MDARD's rule is to "pass an ANSI/CFP nationally accredited exam once every 5 years," and a certificate with no expiration date counts for five years from the day it was issued. Renew by passing an accredited exam again before yours expires; an expired certificate starts the same 90-day clock as a manager leaving. Oakland County's one-day recertification course is $154, and it recommends the full course if your certificate is more than 10 years old.

What Inspectors Check

A missing certified manager is cited as a Michigan Food Law violation, separate from the food code's priority, priority foundation, and core items, and MDARD's guidance gives you 90 days to show the inspector you've hired or certified someone. In a 2024 Ottawa County report, for example, the inspector cited "289.2129 Certified Manager Required," set a deadline 90 days out, and noted that a $255 follow-up inspection fee may be charged if a return visit is needed. If you still don't comply, the health department can hold an office conference, set a compliance schedule, and move toward a hearing on your license. The Food Law also allows administrative fines of up to $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for later ones.

Food Handlers on Your Team

A manager certificate is a separate credential from a food handler card, and Michigan has no statewide food handler card. The Food Law lets local governments create their own food handler programs, so check with your local health department. The person in charge has to make sure employees are trained for their duties, and Oakland County offers a free two-hour Basic Food Safety Class each month that doesn't count toward manager certification. Our Food Handler Card Requirements by State: The 2026 Guide compares states that do 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 Michigan require a certified food manager?

Yes. Food service establishments, grocery stores with a deli and seating, and food service inside groceries must employ at least one full-time certified manager. Temporary events, vending machines, and low-risk places such as most convenience stores and coffee shops are exempt.

Is ServSafe required in Michigan?

No. ServSafe is one of several accredited exams that count; NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, Learn2Serve, Always Food Safe, EduClasses, and others are accepted too.

Do Michigan managers still need allergen training?

Not under current law. The requirement for certified managers to take allergen training every five years, and the staff allergen poster, ended December 31, 2020. A 2025 bill would bring back training every two years, but it hasn't left committee.

Does the certified manager have to be there whenever we're open?

No. The certified manager must be a full-time employee involved in daily operations, but a person in charge without a certificate can run the other shifts.

How long is Michigan food manager certification good for?

Five years. A certificate with no expiration date counts for five years from the day it was issued, and an expired certificate gives you 90 days to get back in compliance.

How much does Michigan food manager certification cost?

There's no state fee. Mid-Michigan District Health Department trains up to three people per licensed establishment free each year, MSU Extension's class is $75 plus the book, Oakland County's course is $274, and online exams with a proctor cost about $65 to $99.

Bottom Line

Keep at least one full-time employee with a current accredited food protection manager certificate, have one in place before you open, and replace a departing manager within 90 days. Any accredited exam works, local health departments and MSU Extension are among the cheapest routes, and the certificate lasts 5 years. Start with our free Food Manager Practice Test.

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