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Become a Certified Food Protection Manager in Illinois

Earn your Certified Food Protection Manager certificate from the comfort of home with our ANAB-accredited certification exam and state-approved training program. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, food establishments are required to be under the supervision of a certified food manager.

To earn your Illinois Food Manager Certification, you must complete at least eight hours of training and pass the Food Protection Manager Certification Exam.

The Food Protection Manager Certification Exam covers:

  • How to prevent food contamination, including cross-contamination
  • Food worker health and hygiene habits
  • Tools, equipment and utensils used in food preparation
  • Your responsibilities as a food manager
  • Regulatory compliance and recordkeeping
  • The role of facility design in food safety

Your certification exam must be monitored by a StateFoodSafety-approved proctor. For your convenience, we offer online and in-person proctoring. If you use an online proctor, you must have a webcam and meet certain criteria. View all exam procedures here for more information.

After completing your training and passing the certification exam, you can download and print a copy of your Illinois Food Manager Certification.

Food Handler

Food Service Sanitation Manager Training Overview

To comply with the Illinois Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act, you must complete eight hours of training before taking the food manager exam. Our Illinois Food Service Sanitation Manager Training course fulfills this requirement and also includes a free course assessment that's designed to simulate the exam experience. You have unlimited attempts to take this practice test.

Course learning objectives include:

  • Identify food safety risks and create policies to address them
  • Train employees to follow food safety policies
  • Take appropriate action when an employee has symptoms of foodborne illness or is diagnosed with a reportable disease
  • Follow good personal hygiene and hand care practices
  • Identify approved suppliers and methods for inspecting deliveries
  • Identify cross-contamination risks and methods for prevention
  • Implement effective cleaning and sanitizing procedures
  • Identify appropriate pest prevention measures and signs of pest infestations
  • Prevent bacterial growth in Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) foods during all stages of the flow of food
  • Maintain facilities and equipment in compliance with regulations

Because all course content is completely online, you can learn from any device with an internet connection and start and stop as needed.

FAQs

Who needs a food manager certificate in Illinois?

The Illinois Department of Public Health states that food establishments must be under the supervision of a Certified Food Protection Manager (locally called kitchen managers) in accordance with the Illinois Food Code and the adopted FDA Food Code. The state Food Code defines “food establishment” as an operation that stores, prepares, packages, serves and vends food directly or indirectly (via delivery) to consumers.

If you work as a supervisor within an Illinois food establishment, our food manager training and certification program can help you comply with these requirements.

How do I become a Certified Food Manager in Illinois?

To become a Certified Food Protection Manager, you must complete an ANAB-accredited certification exam and eight hours of state-approved training.

Our Illinois Food Service Sanitation Manager Training is 100% online and mobile-friendly, so you can learn about topics like preventing food contamination and managerial responsibilities from home. The training program also includes a comprehensive course assessment (practice test) that prepares you for the certification exam. You have unlimited attempts to take the practice test.

If you want to complete Illinois food manager certification requirements from home, you can take your certification exam online with our virtual proctor service. Or schedule a time with an in-person proctor at a local testing site.

How long is a food manager certification valid in Illinois?

An ANAB-accredited Food Safety Manager Certificate from StateFoodSafety is valid for five (5) years.

Follow these instructions if you ever need to reprint your certificate:

  1. Log into your account
  2. Find the Certificates window on your dashboard
  3. Click View Certificate
  4. Select Print or Email

I already have an Illinois Food Service Sanitation Manager Certification. Do I need to get certified again?

It depends. Since 2018, the Illinois Department of Public Health transitioned from offering Food Service Sanitation Manager Certifications (FSSMC) to only accepting ANAB-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certificates*. View the following scenarios to see which one applies to you:

  • If you already have a valid Illinois FSSMC, you can use it to meet the current CFPM requirement.
  • If you have a valid ANAB-accredited CFPM certification, you can use it to meet the CFPM requirement.
  • If you have an FSSMC that’s about to expire, you will need to take an ANAB-accredited training course and CFPM exam.

*One exception to this is the Chicago Department of Public Health. Chicago requires a specific food service sanitation certificate.

Does Illinois offer reciprocity for food manager certification?

Generally, yes. An ANAB-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager certificate is valid throughout Illinois, but the City of Chicago still has its own requirements. The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) requires all food establishments to employ a Person In Charge who holds a CDPH Foodservice Sanitation Manager certificate.

If you already have your CFPM certificate, visit the Kennedy-King College website to learn how to apply for your Chicago FSSMC. If you don’t have your CFPM certificate, register for our CDPH-approved Food Service Sanitation Certification training and exam.