Georgia Food Manager Certification Guide 2025

Everything operators need to pass, renew, and stay inspection-ready.

Georgia food safety manager checks temperature logs inside a busy restaurant kitchen

Georgia requires most medium- and high-risk food businesses to employ at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM). This 2025 guide explains who qualifies, which accredited exams count, what to expect on test day, and how employers must document coverage. Use the quick snapshots, comparison tables, and renewal calculator below to streamline compliance and avoid costly point deductions.

Legal Requirement Snapshot

Georgia Food Code §511-6-1-.03(3) mandates that every Category IV food service establishment— including restaurants, cafeterias, food trucks, and catering operations—designate a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM). The CFPM must be able to demonstrate food-safety knowledge, oversee active managerial control, and present a valid certificate whenever an inspector arrives.

  • Minimum passing score: 75 % (provider may vary ±5 pts)
  • Certificate validity: 5 years statewide
  • Certificate must be posted in public view or produced digitally on request
  • Failure to provide proof results in a four-point deduction and possible follow-up inspection within 10 days
  • Repeat non-compliance can trigger permit suspension until a CFPM is on duty

For a plain-English walk-through of Rule 511-6-1, see our Georgia Food Code summary.

Eligibility & Prerequisites

Becoming a CFPM in Georgia is straightforward—no culinary degree or restaurant tenure required. You must:

  • Be at least 16 years old on exam day
  • Show a government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, state ID, passport)
  • Hold a valid work permit if under 18
  • Have reliable computer & internet for online proctoring or travel to a testing center

Save Time

Allocate eight focused study hours using our Food Manager Exam Study Guide and you’ll cover 90 % of tested domains before the weekend.

Requirement Why It Matters Proof at Exam
Age 16+ Legal capacity to work food service Birth date on photo ID
Photo ID Confirms identity for proctor Driver’s license or passport
Language Comfort Exam offered in EN, ES, ZH, KO Select language at registration
Payment Method Exam fee due at booking Credit/debit or voucher code

Certification Paths

Georgia accepts any ANSI-CFP accredited food manager examination. Most candidates choose ServSafe Manager, NRFSP, or Always Food Safe, but local health departments sometimes host paper tests at reduced prices. Cost, scheduling flexibility, and retake rules vary—compare before you book.

Provider Cost Format Proctoring Validity
ServSafe Manager$65 – $99Online / ClassroomRemote AI or Live5 yrs
NRFSP$75 avgComputer / PaperLive proctor5 yrs
Always Food Safe$78Online self-pacedRemote AI5 yrs
360training$65Online + eBookRemote AI5 yrs
County Health Dept.$45 – $60Classroom day coursePaper / Live5 yrs

Unsure whether you need this or a Food Handler card? See our manager vs handler comparison.

Exam Day Expectations

On-Site Testing

Arrive 30 minutes early, bring two #2 pencils (if paper), a basic calculator, and your photo ID. Scratch paper is supplied and collected. Restroom breaks are allowed one at a time and the clock continues. Misconduct—phones out, talking—voids the attempt without refund.

Online Proctored

Test from a quiet room with webcam + microphone. You’ll perform a 360° room scan and show your ID to the remote proctor. Internet drop longer than 60 seconds may terminate the session. A non-programmable calculator is allowed; smart watches are not.

Scoring & Retakes

Unofficial scores appear instantly for computer exams; paper results post within 10 business days. If you fall short, ANSI policy permits one retake after 24 hours and a second after 60 days. Retake fees range $40–$60. Review weak domains using our study guide before rebooking.

Build a pre-test calm routine: (1) deep-breath for 60 seconds, (2) jot anchor temps—41 °F, 135 °F, 165 °F, (3) stretch wrists to reduce fatigue.

Renewal & Continuing Education

CFPM certificates remain valid for five years. Georgia grants a 90-day grace window after the printed expiration date, but working uncredentialed still triggers inspection deductions. Renewal options: retake the full ANSI exam or complete an 8-hour refresher accepted by the Georgia Department of Public Health. Reciprocity applies if your certificate never lapsed and comes from an ANSI-CFP provider.

Recertification Date Calculator

Detailed renewal steps live in our renewal guide.

Employer Responsibilities

Designation & Posting

Each location must list its primary CFPM on the permit application and display the certificate near the customer-viewable inspection report. Digital PDF on a tablet is acceptable if Wi-Fi is consistently available.

Coverage During Absence

When the CFPM is off-site longer than four consecutive hours, a designated alternate with documented delegation must assume authority. Multi-unit brands often maintain a coverage log—copy/paste the template below.

Recordkeeping & Training Cascade

Keep exam score sheets, refresher CEU certificates, and delegation logs for five years. The CFPM must cascade training to food handlers—use our inspection & compliance guide to align documentation with Georgia DPH expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Georgia recognizes any food manager examination accredited by ANSI’s Conference for Food Protection program. Options include ServSafe Manager, NRFSP’s Food Safety Manager, Always Food Safe, 360training, and more. As long as the provider’s certificate lists ANSI-CFP accreditation and the examinee's name, county inspectors will accept it. Choosing ServSafe often makes sense because many employers already reimburse that exam, but smaller programs can cost less and offer remote proctoring with flexible scheduling. Verify accreditation status on ANSI’s official directory before paying.

Georgia Food Code requires each permitted facility to designate a CFPM, but one person may cover multiple locations if they can arrive promptly when issues arise. Multi-unit operators often certify at least two managers per store to ensure coverage during vacations or illness. Inspectors will ask to see the posted certificate and may quiz the on-duty Person-in-Charge about corrective actions, so practical presence matters even if the same individual is listed for multiple sites. Keep a schedule log showing who holds CFPM authority during every shift.

Once the printed expiration date passes, you technically have “no CFPM” in the eyes of inspectors—even during the 90-day grace window. Expect a four-point deduction at minimum inspection, and repeat violations can escalate to permit suspension. Avoid problems by entering the renewal date into a shared calendar and starting refresher or exam booking at least 60 days prior. If you discover an expired card mid-shift, designate a valid backup manager immediately and document the corrective action in your logbook.

Yes. Remote proctoring—either live or AI-monitored—is accepted statewide as long as the exam provider is ANSI-CFP accredited. You’ll need a webcam, microphone, stable internet, and a private room. During inspection, produce the digital certificate PDF; inspectors seldom question testing mode. Keep in mind some counties charge a small fee to update permit records when you switch providers, so email the certificate to Environmental Health soon after passing.

ANSI policy allows one immediate retake after documented remediation, but most providers enforce a 24-hour cool-off. If you fail twice, a 60-day waiting period often applies. Use your score report to pinpoint weak domains—Time/Temperature Control and Employee Health are common trouble spots—and revisit our study guide before booking another slot.

No. A food handler certificate verifies basic safe-handling skills for entry-level staff, whereas the CFPM credential validates managerial knowledge such as HACCP, variance applications, and employee health exclusions. Both may be required: the CFPM oversees operations, and each hourly food employee must hold or obtain a handler card within 30 days of hire (some counties shorten this to 7 days).

Proctors permit approved dictionary-only assistance, but live translators are prohibited because they could coach answers. Instead, select an exam language—English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean—when you register. If none works, you may request an ADA accommodation through the provider’s formal process, which typically requires documentation and two weeks’ notice.

Inspectors ask the Person-in-Charge to produce the CFPM certificate—printed or digital—then cross-check the name against ID or payroll records. They may also log the certificate number into their tablet for state tracking. If the CFPM is off-site, you must show proof they are readily available, such as a phone call within minutes. Lack of immediate proof results in a four-point deduction and a re-inspection within ten days.

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