Does South Dakota require a food manager certification?
Yes — but it applies to the establishment, not to every worker. South Dakota requires that at least one person in charge in each establishment be a certified food service manager. There is no statewide food handler card for individual workers in South Dakota.
The rule is ARSD 44:02:07:03, and its wording is worth reading closely:
“At least one person in charge in each establishment must be a certified food service manager.”
South Dakota has required this since 26 May 1997 — sixteen years before the FDA model code adopted a comparable provision. This is one of the oldest certified-manager requirements in the country.
“Certified food service manager”, not “CFPM”
Most states call this credential a certified food protection manager (CFPM). South Dakota does not. Its rules use certified food service manager, and the terms “certified food protection manager” and “CFPM” do not appear in ARSD 44:02:07 at all.
In practice the certification you buy is usually the same one. The difference matters when you are searching for a course, reading a state form, or checking whether what you already hold counts.
Who has to be certified?
One person per establishment — and specifically a person in charge, not simply any employee.
The same rule requires that “a person in charge must be designated for each work shift”. Those two sentences are often misread together as requiring a certified manager on every shift. They do not. Every shift needs a designated person in charge; at least one of the establishment’s persons in charge must hold the certification.
South Dakota is therefore not one of the stricter states, like Texas, that require a certified manager physically present during all operating hours.
Note that the Department of Health’s own summary page describes the rule as requiring “at least one person on staff” to be certified. The rule itself says “person in charge”. If you are deciding who in your business to certify, follow the rule’s wording — the role carries the requirement.
Deadlines and grace periods
- Opening a new establishment — new food service establishments and mobile food service establishments “must have a certified food service manager as the person in charge” prior to opening. There is no grace period here; have it in place before you open.
- Buying an existing business — a 90-day grace period runs from the date the ownership change takes place.
- Your certified manager leaves — the establishment has a 90-day grace period to obtain another certified food service manager.
- Temporary food service establishments — exempt. Temporary establishments “are exempt from the food service manager certification requirement”.
⚠️ South Dakota recertifies every four years, not five
This is the detail most likely to catch out a manager who is otherwise doing everything right.
ARSD 44:02:07:98 states that “a food service manager must be recertified every four years”, by taking at least four hours of classroom instruction and passing a recertification test.
Most nationally recognised manager certifications — ServSafe among them — are issued with a five-year validity. If you hold a five-year certificate and treat its printed expiry date as your South Dakota deadline, you will be out of compliance for its final year. Diary the four-year date, not the one on the card.
What counts as a qualifying course
South Dakota does not simply accept any nationally accredited exam by rule. ARSD 44:02:07:98 sets a benchmark and gives the regulator discretion.
A qualifying course requires “a minimum of eight hours of classroom instruction and passed a certifying test”, from a course that is equivalent to or exceeds the requirements of the “1995 ServSafe Serving Safe Food certification course of the Educational Foundation of the National Restaurant Association”.
Beyond that benchmark, the rule provides that “the regulatory authority may approve certification from another food service certification course or from another state” where the documentation and course content are substantially the same.
Two practical consequences:
- An eight-hour course and a proctored exam is the floor. A short online “food manager” course that takes an hour does not meet it.
- Because approval of other courses is discretionary, the safest route is a course the Department of Health already lists. If you hold a certificate from another state, ask your local inspector before assuming it transfers.
Where to get certified
The South Dakota Department of Health publishes its own list of “Certified Food Manager courses to meet that requirement”, on its Food Service Manager Training page. Providers named on that list include the South Dakota Retailers Association, the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, SuperSafeMark, and a number of online providers.
One of the online options named on the Department’s own list is EduClasses / FMC Food Managers Certification, which offers online food manager training with the ANSI (ANAB-CFP) Certified Food Protection Manager exam proctored through Prometric test centres, remote proctoring, or on-site proctors. ANAB lists this program as accredited under the ANAB-CFP Accreditation Program, as FMC® Food Managers Certification, accreditation ID 1135 — confirmed September 2026. Accreditation is a live status rather than a permanent one, so if you are reading this well after that date, check ANAB’s accredited-program directory before you pay.
Being on the Department’s published list is a strong signal, but it is the Department’s list of courses, not an individual endorsement — DOH’s page says questions “should be directed to those agencies”. Whichever provider you choose, confirm that the course runs at least eight hours and that the exam is proctored.
Do Minnehaha, Pennington or Brookings County have their own rules?
No. The requirement is statewide, and it is the same requirement everywhere in South Dakota. Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Brookings do not run separate manager certification schemes of their own. What differs by county is only who you deal with.
Minnehaha County (Sioux Falls)
Food service licensing in Minnehaha County runs through the South Dakota Department of Health; there is no separate county licence and no Minnehaha County food manager exam. Inspections are handled by the South Dakota Office of the State Fire Marshal. Any provider on the DOH approved training list satisfies the certified food service manager requirement. Sioux Falls still operates under a 1976 FDA food service ordinance, which adds no manager rule of its own.
Pennington County (Rapid City)
Same structure. There is no Pennington County food service licence and no county-issued manager certification. Applications and licence fees for a Rapid City establishment go to the South Dakota Department of Health, and the State Fire Marshal’s food inspection programme inspects you. The state certified food service manager requirement applies before opening.
Brookings County (Brookings)
State licensing, state inspection, state manager rule, with no county overlay. The certified food service manager requirement under ARSD 44:02:07:03 applies before the establishment opens, any DOH-approved course satisfies it, and the four-year recertification period is set by the state, not the provider.
Under SDCL 34-18-7, a county, district or municipal health department “may be designated as an agent of the secretary for the purpose of administering the provisions of this chapter”. Local health departments in South Dakota act as agents administering the state’s rules — they are the people who inspect you, but the standard they apply is the state standard.
That said, city licensing requirements can sit alongside state health rules, and this page has not read every municipal code in the state. If you are opening in a specific city, confirm local licensing with that city’s health or licensing office.
Summary
| Question | South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Worker food handler card required? | No statewide requirement |
| Certified manager required? | Yes — at least one person in charge per establishment |
| Must they be present at all times? | No |
| Course length | Minimum 8 hours plus a certifying test |
| Recertification | Every 4 years (4 hours plus test) |
| New establishments | Certified manager in place before opening |
| Ownership change / manager leaves | 90-day grace period |
| Temporary establishments | Exempt |
| Governing rules | ARSD 44:02:07:03 and 44:02:07:98 |
Not a manager? If you are being hired to work with food in South Dakota, see South Dakota Food Handler Card for what applies to individual workers.
Or compare every state we have covered so far on the food manager certification by state index.
Provider and cost comparison
South Dakota requires a minimum eight-hour course plus a proctored certifying test from a provider on the Department of Health’s approved list, or one the regulatory authority has approved as substantially equivalent. All major ANAB-CFP accredited providers meet the eight-hour and proctored-exam standard. Remote proctoring is available from every provider below — no travel to a testing centre required.
| Provider | Exam only | Course + exam | Remote proctoring | Retake policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ServSafe (NRA) | ~$36 | ~$150–$180 | Yes | Separate fee per attempt |
| StateFoodSafety | ~$69 | ~$99 | Yes | Free retake with some packages |
| Prometric (NRFSP) | ~$99 | ~$149 | Yes | Separate fee per attempt |
| Learn2Serve (360training) | ~$59 | ~$99 | Yes | Free retake included |
| Always Food Safe | ~$55 | ~$95 | Yes | Varies by package |
South Dakota-specific reminder: whatever provider you use, set your renewal reminder at 4 years from the issue date, not the printed expiry. A ServSafe certificate printed as “valid through 2031” is out of compliance in South Dakota after 2030.
Comparing states? See food manager certification requirements for all 50 states — the rules differ more than most people expect.
Frequently asked questions
Does South Dakota require a food manager certification?
Yes. ARSD 44:02:07:03 requires at least one certified food service manager as the person in charge in each establishment. The certification must be in place before opening — there is no post-opening grace period for new establishments.
Does the certified manager need to be on site at all times?
No. South Dakota requires that a person in charge be designated for each shift, but only one of the establishment’s persons in charge needs to hold the certification. The certified manager does not need to be physically present during all operating hours.
Why does South Dakota say 4-year renewal when my certificate says 5 years?
Most national ANAB-CFP providers issue certificates valid for 5 years as their standard. South Dakota’s rule (ARSD 44:02:07:98) independently requires recertification every 4 years. The two timelines do not align. If you hold a ServSafe or similar 5-year certificate in South Dakota, your state compliance deadline is 4 years from the issue date — the final year on the printed certificate does not satisfy South Dakota’s rule.
What does the 90-day grace period cover?
Two situations: when ownership of an existing establishment changes hands (90 days from the ownership change date), and when a currently certified manager leaves (90 days to obtain a replacement). It does not apply to new establishments opening for the first time — those must have a certified manager before opening.
Are temporary food establishments exempt?
Yes. The rule explicitly exempts temporary food service establishments from the certification requirement.
Is an out-of-state certification valid in South Dakota?
Possibly, but not automatically. The regulatory authority may approve certification from another state if the documentation and course content are substantially the same as South Dakota’s standard. Confirm with your local inspector before assuming your out-of-state certificate transfers.
What is the difference between a food handler card and a food manager certification in South Dakota?
South Dakota has no statewide food handler card requirement for individual workers. The only certification obligation is the manager certification — one per establishment. Individual workers are not required to hold any card or certificate under state law.