Washington Food Manager Certification: Who Needs a CFPM and How to Get One
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Quick answer: Since March 1, 2023, most Washington food establishments must have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) on staff. You become one by passing an accredited food protection manager exam, such as ServSafe, NRFSP, or StateFoodSafety; Washington doesn't require a class. The certificate lasts 5 years, it doesn't replace your food worker card, and low-risk places like coffee kiosks and convenience stores are exempt.
This is general information, not legal advice. When in doubt, check with your local health department or the Washington State Department of Health (DOH).
Who Needs a Certified Food Protection Manager
Washington's food code (WAC 246-215) adopts the 2017 FDA Food Code with Washington changes. Its manager rule, WAC 246-215-02107, says food establishments "must have at least one certified food protection manager on staff as evidenced by a valid certificate available from an accredited program," and that the certificate must be available on request. The requirement took effect March 1, 2023.
- One per establishment, on staff. Washington changed the FDA's wording on purpose: the CFPM is an employee, not necessarily the person on shift. DOH says the CFPM "does not need to be on premises," and one person can be the CFPM for several locations of the same business.
- 60 days to replace one. If your CFPM leaves for any reason, the establishment must have another one on staff within sixty days.
- A person in charge is still required on every shift. Separately, someone in charge must be present during all hours of operation and able to show food safety knowledge during inspections: by having no red high-risk violations, by being a CFPM, or by answering the inspector's questions correctly.
Who's exempt
The rule doesn't apply to establishments the health department considers minimal risk. DOH's guidance lists places that only:
- serve or sell prepackaged foods, including cold-held items like gallons of milk;
- prepare foods that don't need time and temperature control, such as cinnamon rolls, candy, doughnuts, pretzels, or blended syrup drinks;
- heat commercially processed, ready-to-eat foods, like lattes or hot dogs; or
- serve food occasionally at short-term events such as fairs and festivals.
In practice that means convenience stores, movie theaters, hot dog carts, coffee kiosks, pretzel stands, ice cream shops, and temporary booths. Everyone else needs a CFPM, including any place that prepares raw animal products, washes raw produce, cools time- and temperature-controlled food, uses specialized processes, or serves a highly susceptible population. Seattle & King County describes the requirement as applying to its Risk 3 (highest-risk) establishments, and Snohomish County also exempts school and youth activity concessions, so ask your local health department if you're unsure.
How to Get Certified
1. Pick an accredited exam
The certificate has to come from a program accredited under Conference for Food Protection standards. The Conference's February 2026 list has 13, including ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, 360training (Learn2Serve), Always Food Safe, EduClasses, and Trust20. Seattle & King County publishes its own list of accepted certificate providers, so check it if you work in King County.
2. Decide whether you need a course
Washington requires passing the exam, not taking a class. As Snohomish County puts it, a CFPM "is not required to take a class," just to pass one of the accredited manager tests. A course helps if HACCP and cooling procedures are new to you. Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department also runs its own in-person CFPM class for $180.
3. Pass the exam
Washington 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)”. 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. DOH's step-by-step CFPM infographic comes in Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
How Long It Lasts
DOH says CFPM certificates are valid for 5 years, and you renew by passing an accredited exam again. The certificate is yours, so it moves with you to a new job. The state doesn't register the certificate or charge a fee for it, and neither do the large local health departments we checked (King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane, and Clark); just keep a copy where the inspector can see it on request.
You Still Need a Food Worker Card
A manager certificate doesn't replace the Washington food worker card. Anyone who works with unpackaged food needs one, managers included; as Seattle & King County puts it, the CFPM certificate "is not a substitution for the Food Worker Card." See our Washington Food Worker Card: How to Get Certified Step by Step.
It does help with the card, though. When you renew, a food worker card is normally good for 3 years, but state rule allows a 5-year renewal card if you've completed at least four hours of approved "additional food safety training" in the past two years. DOH's list of approved additional training includes the accredited CFPM programs. You still take the regular food worker card class and test to renew; the extra training only changes how long the card lasts.
What Inspectors Check
On Washington's standard inspection report, the very first item is "PIC present, demonstrates knowledge and performs duties to maintain AMC; certified manager on staff unless exempt," worth 5 red points. The next item, current food worker cards for every food worker, is another 5. Repeated or serious problems can lead the health department to require more training or to suspend a permit.
Some health departments also reward having a CFPM. Tacoma-Pierce County's Self Inspection Program, for example, requires one and gives participating restaurants a 25% discount on their permit fee.
How to Study
The manager exam goes deeper than the food worker 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 Washington require a certified food manager?
Yes, since March 1, 2023, for most food establishments. Each one needs at least one Certified Food Protection Manager on staff, unless the health department considers it low risk, such as a coffee kiosk, convenience store, or place that only sells prepackaged food.
Does the CFPM have to be on site at all times in Washington?
No. The CFPM has to be on staff, not on duty, and one person can cover several locations. But a person in charge must be present during all hours of operation and be able to show food safety knowledge.
What if our certified manager quits?
The establishment has 60 days to have another Certified Food Protection Manager on staff.
Is ServSafe accepted in Washington?
Yes. ServSafe is accredited under Conference for Food Protection standards, as are NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, 360training (Learn2Serve), Always Food Safe, EduClasses, and others.
Do I still need a food worker card if I'm a certified manager?
Yes. The manager certificate doesn't replace the Washington food worker card. It can, however, qualify you for a 5-year renewal card instead of a 3-year one.
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, make sure at least one employee holds a current accredited food protection manager certificate, replace them within 60 days if they leave, and keep a knowledgeable person in charge on every shift. Pass the exam, keep your food worker card current, and retest every 5 years. Start with our free Food Manager Practice Test.
Running a bar or a restaurant that serves alcohol? Managers of a licensed premises need a Class 12 permit, the MAST bartender permit, on top of the food manager certificate.
Sources
- WAC 246-215-02107 (certified food protection manager on staff by March 1, 2023; 60 days to replace; minimal-risk exemption), WAC 246-215-02100 (person in charge present during all hours), and WAC 246-215-02105 (demonstration of knowledge) — app.leg.wa.gov.
- WAC 246-215-01105 (adoption of the 2017 FDA Food Code) — app.leg.wa.gov; Washington DOH, Food Code Rule Revision (effective dates) — doh.wa.gov.
- Washington DOH, Food Safety Rules and Regulations (CFPM need not be on premises; one person for multiple locations) — doh.wa.gov; DOH 333-304, Active Managerial Control and Certified Food Protection Manager toolkit (exempt operations; 5-year certificates) — doh.wa.gov.
- WAC 246-217-035 (3-year and 5-year renewal cards) and WAC 246-217-010 (additional food safety training of at least four hours) — app.leg.wa.gov; DOH, Additional Food Safety Training — doh.wa.gov.
- Public Health – Seattle & King County, Certified Food Protection Manager flyer (October 2024) and Food Code Updates — kingcounty.gov.
- Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Certified Food Protection Manager ($180 class) — tpchd.org; Self Inspection Program — tpchd.org.
- Snohomish County Health Department, Certified Food Protection Manager (exemptions) — snohd.org; Food Code Updates (no class required) — snohd.org.
- Washington Food Establishment Inspection Report, DOH 332-035A (revised December 2021), as published by Whitman County Public Health — whitmancountypublichealth.org.
- 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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