Louisiana Food Safety Manager Certification: Frequently Asked Questions
Edited 9/2023 AC
LDH Food Safety Manager Certification Rules and Regulations Questions
Q. Why do I need the state certificate?
A. In 1999, Louisiana Legislature passed law that requires one person in each food establishment to obtain a
state issued certificate. This was done to ensure the providers are credentialed with the testing company and
the certificates are authentic. The Office of Public Health regulates with public health in mind. The training
ensures at least one person has gained knowledge through an extensive food safety curriculum and will be able
to pass that on to others while managing activities in the work place. The code may be referenced at Louisiana
Administrative Code, Title 51, Part XXIII, Chapter 3. §305.
Q. Who has to post a State of Louisiana food safety certificate?
A. One person, either an owner, manager or employee, in each retail food establishment is required to obtain
and post a state food safety certificate. This certificate, with the gold seal, is a separate certificate than the
certificate issued by the testing company. There are a few establishments exempt from needing a LDH Food
Safety Certificate which are noted within the code referenced above. The cost of the state certificate is $25.00.
Q. Can I take my certificate with me if I change jobs?
A. The certificate belongs to the certificate holder, which is the person who took the Food Safety Manager
Training and passed the proctored exam, not the place of business. The contact info for the certificate holder of
the testing certificate must be provided in the Applicant Information instead of the company’s contact info
when applying for a LDH Food Safety Manager Certificate. Providing contact information other than the actual
certificate holder’s personal contact phone and email address may delay processing and could ultimately result
in the application and payment being returned to the applicant. A certificate may be transferred to a new place
of business no matter who paid for the training and state issued certificate. The certificate holder can contact
this office to change the establishment information linked to their certificate by contacting (225)342-7773 or
225(342)7688. Companies requesting to relink an establishment for employees will be requested by our office
to have the actual certificate holder verify the change with our office.
Q. Can I order or make copies of my certificate to post if I own or manage several locations?
A. No. The intent of the Code is for the certificate to be held “exclusively” at one establishment. The certificate
cannot be held at multiple locations. Each food establishment must have a designated food manager certificate
and state certification. That person should have Active Managerial control of the food in the establishment and
pass the gained knowledge on to employees and as well as be able to monitor the employees to ensure proper
food safety practices are accurately upheld.
Applying for the LDH Food Safety Manager Certification Questions
Q. What is the required training for the state certificate?
A. The accepted ANSI approved certificates are issued by ServSafe, National Registry of Food Safety
Professionals, 360Training, and Above Training (State Food Safety), Always Food Safe, and 1 AAA Food Safety.
First, the applicant must take an 8 hour Food Safety Manager course and pass the proctored exam is to obtain
the Food Safety Manager Certification.
Q. What information do I need to apply for the LDH Food Safety Certificate?
A. After you receive the testing certificate from the ANSI approved testing company, fill out the paper
Application for LDH Food Safety Manager Certificate that can be found at www.eatsafela.gov. Also, provide a
$25.00 company check or money order payment written out to LDH. Mail all three components to the mailing
address on the bottom of the paper application. Continue on the next page for info about credit card payments
via the LDH Food Safety Manager Certificate online application.
Q. Can I pay for the state certificate with a credit card?
A. Yes, our office has an online application that requires a credit card payment instead of company check or
money order payment. The online application charges an additional non-refundable credit card processing fee
up to $3.19 per application. Go to www.eatsafe.la.gov under “Helpful Information”, then go to “Food Safety
Certificate Information”. The direct link to the online application is provided at:
https://appengine.egov.com/apps/la/LDHOPH/FoodSafetyCertification. More details for how to apply online
is also available on www.eatsafe.la.gov.
Q. Can I order a duplicate of my state issued certificate?
A. A duplicate certificate may be issued if a current certificate is lost or damaged. The certification cannot be
expired. Multiple certificates will not be issued at the same time or for posting in multiple locations. A
duplicate certificate is $12.50.
Q. Will the class instructor give me the application for the state certificate?
A. Some of the instructor/proctors may give you the form. If not, go to www.eatsafe.la.gov under “Helpful
Information”, then “Food Safety Certificate Information” for the most current application.
Q. When will my certificate expire?
A. The state certificate expires (5) five years from the date of the proctored exam. For example, if your exam
was taken on 9/20/2022, both the testing certificate and the state issued certificate will expire on 9/20/2027.
Q. Is there a public database where I can look up who has a certificate?
A. No. But you can contact this office with a first and last name of the certificate holder and we can check for a
certificate in our database. At this time a search can be done based on certificate number or the name of the
certificate holder only.
Food Safety Manager Course and ANSI Approved Exam Questions
Q. Where can I find a class schedule?
A. Private sector companies or individuals offer the course and exam in person and class dates will vary from
business to business. There is a list of state registered providers on our website www.eatsafe.la.gov at “For
Existing Businesses” “For New Businesses” and “Food Safety Certification Information” under Helpful
Information. This is not a complete list of all providers who offer the exam and you are not required to use a
provider on this list, although it is in your best interest to ensure the provider is certified through the testing
company.
Q. What does it mean when your office says my instructor/proctor is not registered with the
Louisiana Department of Health?
A. The instructor/proctors are not required by the testing company to register with the state of Louisiana.
However, for the state certificate to be issued Louisiana code requires this office, at a minimum, to verify the
credentials of the exam provider. If that particular provider is registered within our (for office use only)
database, there is no delay in processing the state certificate. The provider registration is free of charge and the
applications may be requested by contacting the Retail Food Program at 225-342-7773. We can add registered
providers to the list of providers offered online if the provider meets qualifications and requests the addition.
Q. I’ve taken the course and exam before but my certificate expired. Can I just renew my
certificate?
A. New coursework and a new exam must be passed to obtain the Food Safety Manager Certification, which is
required to apply for the state certificate. Testing companies update the test material based on the most current
version of the Food and Drug Administration Food Code.
Q. What accommodations can be made for those taking the exam?
A. The exams are often written in several different languages depending on need as determined by the testing
company. The provider will be able to give information on the offered languages, translators, extended time,
etc. All accommodations must be approved by the testing company and should be discussed with the provider
of the exam when the course/exam is scheduled.
Q. Can I take the exam online?
A. Local providers of the Food Safety Manager course and exam may provide computer based online exams, or
written (paper) exams. Exams taken with local providers must be proctored in person whether
online or written. Remote online proctored exams are only available at the ANSI Approved testing company
website (www.ServSafe.com, www.nrfsp.com, www.StateFoodSafety.com, www.360training.com,
www.alwaysfoodsafe.com, and www.1AAAfoodhandler.com). Remote online proctored exams require a desktop
or laptop computer, internet connection, a computer webcam, a computer microphone, and a private room
where the test taker will not be interrupted during the exam so that a proctor can monitor the test taker. Our
office recommends that before purchasing the remote proctored exam, the purchaser should test the
compatibility of the device on which the test will be taken (Smart phones, and tablets without attachable
keyboards are not allowed). The option to test the compatibility is typically in the general area of the Remote
Proctored Exam Option on the company website. Check the company website prior to purchase for additional
requirements the company may have. Also, be aware that there may be an additional charge for the remote
proctor service separate from the cost of the course and exam. This is because most of the testing companies
use a third party proctor, such as Proctor U, to monitor the test taker during the exam. Remember to register
for the correct course. The online providers offer several certifications relating to food service. The 8 hour Food
Manager’s Certification is the required certificate for the state certification.
Q. What should I do if I’ve lost my testing company certificate?
A. You may contact the testing company for a duplicate of the certificate. Contact information below.
Q. How do I find out who the Program Sponsor and the Instructor/Proctor were for my exam?
This information is required on the state certificate application.
A. If you are unsure who gave your exam, contact the testing company with your name and certification
number. ServSafe in particular has a “certificate verification” tool on the website that is very easy to use.
ServSafe 1-800-765-2122 www.servsafe.com
National Registry 1-800-446-0257 www.nrfsp.com
360Training 1-877-881-2235 www.360training.com
Above Training 1-801-494-1416 www.statefoodsafety.com
Always Food Safe 1-844-312-2011 www.alwaysfoodsafe.com
1 AAA Food Safety 1-714-592-4100 www.aaafoodhandler.com
If the exam was taken at a testing center, put the training provider information or website for the Program
Sponsor and the name and city location of the testing center for the Instructor/Proctor. If the exam was taken
with a remote online proctor, note “online proctor” on the instructor/proctor line.
For your reference: The printed signature on the testing company certificate is not the Instructor/Proctor.
Your application may not be processed without the correct Training Program Information.
Q. The Food Safety Certification Provider list no longer shows Prometric as a Provider of the
Food Safety Manager exam certificate. My Prometric Certificate has not expired yet. Can I still
apply for the LDH Food Safety Manager Certificate with the gold seal using a Prometric
Certificate?
A. Prometric announced that they are no longer providing exams as of 4/1/2022. Please see the announcement
on the following link: https://www.prometric.com/foodsafety . Our office will not continue to accept Prometric
Food Protection Manager Certifications issued prior to 4/1/2022 because our office is unable to validate the
certificate with the testing company. Instead, you will be instructed to retake the Food Safety Manager Course
and proctored exam with one of the other 6 ANSI Approved Testing Companies listed above.
Q. Do I get a gold seal on my testing company certificate?
A. No. We do require a copy of your testing company certificate for processing; however, you will receive a new
state issued certificate with a gold seal after submitting an application with our office.
Q. The certificate that I obtained from the testing company is a Food Handler Certification. Is
this the same certificate I need to apply for the state Food Safety Manager Certificate?
A. The Food Handler Certification is not the correct certification needed for the LDH Food Safety Certificate.
The Food Handler certification does not provide as much information for how to manage food safety in a food
establishment, but it does help to educate the employees of basic food safety principals. The Food Handler
Certification exam is also not a proctored exam. The Food Safety Manager Certification from the ANSI
Approved testing company educates on how to achieve Active Managerial Control of Food Safety to reduce the
risk of foodborne illness, and it requires the exam taker to be proctored by a Registered Proctor.
Retail Food Program 225-342-7773 www.eatsafe.la.gov
