Ohio Food Manager Certification: Who Needs Level 2 and How to Get It
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Quick answer: Yes, if your food business is risk level III or IV. Ohio requires at least one supervisory employee with Ohio Manager Certification in Food Protection, still widely called Level 2, at every risk level III and IV restaurant, caterer, and grocery store. You get it by completing an ODH-approved course and passing an accredited exam within one year of each other. Health department classes cost $150 to $200, the state charges no fee, and Ohio doesn't set an expiration date for the certificate.
This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with your licensor, usually your local health department, or the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).
Who Needs Manager Certification
The rule is OAC 3717-1-02.4(A)(3), part of Ohio's Uniform Food Safety Code: "Each risk level III and risk level IV food service operation and retail food establishment is obligated to have at least one employee that has supervisory and management responsibility and the authority to direct and control food preparation and service that has obtained manager certification in food protection." It has applied since March 1, 2017.
- Risk levels: your licensor assigns one based on your highest-risk activity. Handling, cutting, or grinding raw meat, or slicing ready-to-eat meats and cheeses, puts you at level III; catering or using time as a public health control puts you at level IV.
- Exempt: temporary, mobile, and vending operations, and risk level I and II businesses.
- One person per facility: ODH says the certified manager doesn't have to be on site at all times but must "work primarily in the facility," and "one person cannot be designated as the manager-certified person for multiple facilities." An owner who supervises the kitchen can be that person.
- No published grace period: the rule is an ongoing duty, and we found no state deadline for new operations, new owners, or replacing a manager who leaves. Ask your licensor.
Manager Certification vs. Person in Charge Certification
Ohio has two certifications, and their names changed in 2019, when the rules replaced "Level One" and "Level Two" with Person in Charge certification and Manager Certification in Food Protection. Many health departments still say Level 2.
- Person in charge (PIC) certification is a short course with no proctored exam. Operations first licensed after March 1, 2010 need at least one PIC-certified person in charge on every shift, at any risk level.
- Manager certification is a course plus a proctored exam. A person in charge who holds it doesn't also need PIC certification, and when a manager-certified person is on site, you don't need a separate PIC-certified person there at the same time.
Either way, a person in charge must be present whenever you're open, and at inspection they show their knowledge by having no critical violations and answering the inspector's questions correctly. Our Ohio Food Handler Certification: Who Actually Needs Level One covers PIC certification.
How to Get Certified
1. Take an ODH-approved course
Unlike most states, Ohio approves the course, not just the exam. You can take a class from one of the registered providers on ODH's list, which includes many local health departments, or one of 15 approved online courses, such as ServSafe, 360training (Learn2Serve), StateFoodSafety, Always Food Safe, Trust20, AAA Food Handler, FoodSafePal, and Responsible Training. There's been no minimum number of hours since 2019; health department classes usually run two days.
2. Pass an accredited exam
Any exam on the ANAB-CFP list counts, including ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, Learn2Serve, Always Food Safe, Trust20, and EduClasses. Each provider sets its own passing score. Try our free Food Manager Practice Test first.
3. Keep them within a year
The course completion date has to be within one year of the exam date. Take the course first: a rule change ODH proposed in September 2026 would require the course to come no more than one year before the exam.
4. Get the Ohio certificate
If you take the course and exam in person from an ODH-registered provider, the provider reports your score to ODH and hands you the Ohio certificate. If you took an online course or a remotely proctored exam, apply to ODH yourself: send the application (form HEA 5361), proof of the course, and a copy of your unexpired exam certificate to foodsafety@odh.ohio.gov or by mail. ODH lists no fee for it.
Already Have ServSafe or Another Manager Certificate?
A national manager certificate doesn't meet Ohio's rule on its own. If you passed ServSafe in an ODH-registered provider's class, you probably got the Ohio certificate with it. If not, you need an ODH-approved course within one year of your exam date, then the ODH application. Ohio law also provides a path for people certified in another state (ORC 3717.09(B)), but ODH hasn't published a procedure for it, so ask ODH before you count on it.
Where to Take the Course and Exam
Health department classes include the course, the exam, and the Ohio certificate. Prices are from each department's 2026 schedule:
| Health department | Course and exam | Exam only |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Health Department | $150 | $60 |
| Hamilton County Public Health | $175 | $50 |
| Greene County Public Health | $175 | $75 |
| Cuyahoga County Board of Health | $185 | $65 |
| Columbus Public Health | $200 | $70 (retest) |
| Licking County Health Department | $200 | Not listed |
Online, an approved Ohio course plus an exam with an online proctor costs:
| Provider | Course + exam |
|---|---|
| Responsible Training | $95 |
| AAA Food Handler | $99.95 |
| 360training (Learn2Serve) | $121 |
| Trust20 | $140 |
| FoodSafePal | $159 |
| ServSafe | $179 |
Prices are from each provider's website; StateFoodSafety and Always Food Safe sell approved Ohio courses too, with the proctor fee added at checkout. ODH itself estimates $100 to $200. Several approved courses come in Spanish, including ServSafe, StateFoodSafety, Always Food Safe, Trust20, and AAA Food Handler.
Using EduClasses? Its accredited manager exam (paid link) ($65 with an online proctor) counts in Ohio, but its course isn't on ODH's approved list. Pair the exam with an approved course taken first, then apply to ODH yourself. 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 compares exam prices nationally.
How Long It Lasts
Ohio doesn't set an expiration date or renewal requirement for the Ohio certificate, and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health says it "never expires." Your exam certificate is different: ServSafe and most others expire after five years, and it has to be unexpired when you apply to ODH. If your employer or another state wants a current accredited certificate, retest every five years.
What Inspectors Check
Risk level III and IV operations get at least two standard inspections each licensing period, and level IV adds two critical control point inspections, so expect inspectors to ask who holds your manager certification. Lacking one violates OAC 3717-1-02.4, and a licensor can suspend or revoke a license for rule violations after giving written notice and a reasonable time to correct them. State law requires you to display your license, not the certificate, but keep a copy on site; Summit County requires one.
What's Changing
ODH filed an amendment to its certification rule (OAC 3701-21-25) on September 25, 2026, with a public hearing on November 3, 2026. It would require the course to be completed no more than one year before the exam and the exam certificate to be unexpired, retire an old course edition once a new one is approved, and update the exam standard to the Conference for Food Protection's 2025 version. The names stay the same, and no effective date is set yet. Separately, the FDA released its 2026 Food Code in September 2026, and Ohio law gives the state 12 months to update its food code to match.
Food Handlers on Your Team
Ohio has no food handler card for every worker. Instead, operations licensed after March 1, 2010 need a PIC-certified person in charge on each shift. Our Ohio Food Handler Certification: Who Actually Needs Level One covers who needs PIC certification and how to get it.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ServSafe accepted in Ohio?
Yes. ServSafe's online manager course is on ODH's approved list, and its exam is accredited. You still need the Ohio certificate: you get it from an ODH-registered provider's class, or by applying to ODH after you finish the online course and exam.
Can I get Ohio manager certification online?
Yes. Take one of ODH's 15 approved online courses and pass an accredited exam with an online proctor within a year, then apply to ODH with form HEA 5361, your course certificate, and your exam certificate.
How long is Ohio Level 2 certification good for?
Ohio doesn't set an expiration date, and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health says the certification never expires. The exam certificate behind it usually lasts five years, and it must be unexpired when you apply.
How much does Ohio manager certification cost?
ODH estimates $100 to $200. Health department classes cost $150 to $200 in 2026, and approved online courses with the exam run about $95 to $179. ODH charges no application fee.
Do I need Ohio certification if I already have ServSafe?
Yes, unless you got the Ohio certificate through an ODH-registered provider's class. Otherwise, complete an ODH-approved course within one year of your exam date and apply to ODH.
Does the certified manager have to be there every shift?
No. ODH says the certified manager must work primarily at that facility but doesn't have to be on site at all times. A person in charge must be present whenever you're open, though, and newer operations need a PIC-certified person on every shift.
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
If you run a risk level III or IV operation, make sure one supervisory employee holds Ohio Manager Certification: an ODH-approved course and an accredited exam within a year of each other, then the Ohio certificate from your provider or ODH. A health department class is the simplest route at $150 to $200. Start with our free Food Manager Practice Test.
Sources
- Ohio Administrative Code 3717-1-02.4 (person in charge and manager certification), effective September 5, 2024 — codes.ohio.gov.
- Ohio Administrative Code 3701-21-25 (certification in food protection), effective September 1, 2024 — codes.ohio.gov; 2019 rule summary replacing "level one" and "level two" — registerofohio.state.oh.us.
- Ohio Administrative Code chapter 3701-21, including 3701-21-02.3 (risk levels) and 3701-21-02.4 (inspection frequency) — codes.ohio.gov.
- Ohio Revised Code 3717.09 (certification in food protection) — codes.ohio.gov; 3717.43 (displaying the license) — codes.ohio.gov; 3717.49 (suspension and revocation) — codes.ohio.gov; 3717.05 (following the FDA Food Code) — codes.ohio.gov.
- Ohio Department of Health, Food Safety Certification — odh.ohio.gov; Manager Certification Provider List — odh.ohio.gov; Application for Ohio Manager Certification in Food Protection (HEA 5361, revised May 28, 2026) — odh.ohio.gov.
- Proposed amendment to OAC 3701-21-25, filed September 25, 2026 — registerofohio.state.oh.us; public hearing notice — registerofohio.state.oh.us; business impact analysis with ODH's cost estimate — registerofohio.state.oh.us.
- FDA, adoption of the FDA Food Code by state agencies — fda.gov; FDA Food Code (2026 edition) — fda.gov.
- Cuyahoga County Board of Health, ServSafe FAQ 2026 — ccbh.net; Summit County Public Health, food safety codes — scph.org.
- 2026 class schedules: Columbus Public Health — columbus.gov; Cincinnati Health Department — cincinnati-oh.gov; Hamilton County Public Health — hamiltoncountyhealth.org; Greene County Public Health — greenecophoh.gov; Cuyahoga County Board of Health — ccbh.net; Licking County Health Department — lickingcohealth.org.
- Conference for Food Protection, list of accredited food protection manager certification organizations (February 24, 2026) — foodprotect.org.
- Online course prices, checked October 10, 2026: Responsible Training, AAA Food Handler, 360training, Trust20, FoodSafePal, ServSafe, StateFoodSafety, Always Food Safe, and EduClasses.
Last reviewed October 10, 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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