Does Texas require a food manager certification?
Yes, and Texas is stricter about it than most states. Under 25 Tex. Admin. Code §228.31(b), a certified food protection manager shall be present at the food establishment during all hours of operation — not just employed somewhere on the payroll, but on-site whenever the doors are open.
This is separate from, and in addition to, the individual food handler training every other employee needs. Texas requires both.
The presence rule is the thing to get right
Several states require a business to employ a certified manager without saying that person must actually be there. Texas does not leave that gap. The certified manager has to be present “during all hours of operation,” referencing FDA Food Code §§2-101.11 and 2-102.12.
That makes staffing the real compliance question in Texas — not “do we have a certificate on file” but “is a certified person on shift right now.”
Who is exempt
§228.31(c) exempts establishments the regulatory authority deems minimal-risk, giving three examples: places that only handle prepackaged food and don’t repackage it, places that don’t prepare or handle exposed TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) food, and temporary food establishments. That’s the regulatory authority’s call, not a self-declaration — a food truck selling only sealed snacks might qualify; a food truck cooking to order does not.
Everyone else needs handler training too
§228.31(d) requires every food employee except the certified manager to complete an accredited food handler training course within 30 days of employment, and §228.31(e) requires the establishment to keep each employee’s completion certificate on file. The manager’s certificate has to be posted where customers can see it — §228.31(a).
How you get certified
The certification program itself is set up by statute, not just the administrative rule. Tex. Health & Safety Code §438.102 directs the executive commissioner to “establish a certification program for food managers,” and §438.103(a) requires passing a “state-approved examination” to get or renew the certificate.
The exam has to cover more than food safety — §438.103(b) requires it to test the food allergen awareness content required under §437.027(b), so Texas folds allergen training into the same certification rather than running it separately.
Fees are capped by statute, not left open-ended: certificate issuance or renewal can’t exceed $35, and the exam fee can’t exceed $10 (§438.106) — the same caps apply to both getting certified the first time and renewing. The law also specifically addresses rural access: “The department shall give particular consideration to mitigating the impact of this subchapter on food managers in rural areas” (§438.104(b)) — a rare instance of a state statute naming rural access as a design constraint.
Can you take the Texas exam online?
Yes. The same statute is explicit about it — §438.104(b): “The department shall use the Internet to implement the certification and may develop a system to permit administration of the examination using the Internet.” Texas doesn’t restrict the manager exam to in-person testing centers; an accredited provider offering the exam online satisfies the requirement just as an in-person one does, as long as the provider itself is DSHS or ANSI-CFP approved.
One certificate, statewide — local add-on fees are illegal
This is worth knowing if you operate in more than one Texas city or county. §438.1055, added in 2023 and amended in 2025, says a local health jurisdiction may not require a certified food manager to pay for or hold a separate local food manager card, license, permit, or credential on top of the state certificate.
If a city or county tries to charge you for a local version of a certification you already hold under state law, that’s not legal under current Texas law — cite §438.1055.
For the major metros specifically: there is no separate Houston food manager certification, no Dallas County food manager certification, no Bexar County (San Antonio) certification, no Harris County certification, and no Travis County (Austin) or Tarrant County (Fort Worth) certification. One ANSI/ANAB-accredited exam — ServSafe, NRFSP, Prometric, or any other accredited provider — covers every jurisdiction in Texas. A certificate from any approved provider is valid statewide, in every county and city listed above.
Where to get certified
Texas requires a “state-approved examination” — but per the Texas Department of Health and Human Services (DSHS), that standard is met by either a DSHS-approved exam or an ANSI-CFP approved exam: “The food manager certification is obtained by passing a DSHS or ANSI-CFP approved food manager certification examination. The food manger certification examination may be taken at any accredited examination provider or training program.” ANSI-CFP is the same accreditation program (now operating as ANAB-CFP) that most other states rely on, so this is a broader bar than it first appears — not a Texas-only approval list you have to separately track down.
DSHS also makes clear that local jurisdictions cannot pick and choose: “County health departments, public health districts, and city health departments must accept certificates issued for passing any DSHS approved examination as meeting the training and testing requirements of the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 438.” Combined with the §438.1055 preemption on local add-on cards, this means one properly accredited certificate is valid everywhere in the state.
On cost: the $35 certificate cap and $10 exam cap (§438.106) are limits on what the state itself can charge if DSHS administers the exam directly. Most people get certified through a private accredited provider instead, whose bundled course-plus-exam price is not set by these caps — so “the fee is capped at $45” is not the same claim as “your total cost is capped at $45.” Compare providers on price, but confirm accreditation status before cost.
Searching by provider name is common — Learn2Serve (a 360training brand) is one of the most-searched names for Texas specifically. We haven’t independently verified which named providers currently hold DSHS or ANSI-CFP/ANAB-CFP approval for the Texas manager exam, so check accreditation status directly with the provider, or against ANAB’s accredited-program directory, before enrolling with any provider — by name or otherwise.
How long does Texas certification last, and how do you renew?
Per DSHS: “Certification is valid for five years.” There is no shorter renewal cycle set by rule — five years is the number, statewide, regardless of which approved provider issued the original certificate.
Renewal isn’t a separate paperwork-only process. The statute treats issuance and renewal the same way — §438.103(a): “A person who satisfies the requirements of this subchapter may receive and renew a food manager certificate by passing a state-approved examination.” In plain terms: to renew, you take an approved exam again before your five-year certificate expires, the same as you did the first time.
What’s on the exam — and is there a free practice test?
Texas law specifies the content requirement in one place: the exam “must test an applicant on the food allergen awareness information described by Section 437.027(b)” (§438.103(a)-(b)) on top of standard food safety knowledge. DSHS does not publish its own official practice test, answer key, or question bank — there’s no single “Texas practice test” to point to.
In practice, most accredited providers bundle study materials and a practice test into their paid course, since the course is what prepares you for their proctored exam. If a free practice test matters to you, ask a specific provider whether one is included before you pay, rather than assuming it is.
EduClasses / FMC Food Managers Certification is ANAB-accredited under the ANAB-CFP Accreditation Program. Check current status on ANAB’s accredited-program directory before enrolling, and confirm the specific exam is accepted in Texas before you pay.
Summary
| Question | Texas |
|---|---|
| Worker food handler training required? | Yes — within 30 days of employment, all employees except the certified manager |
| Certified manager required? | Yes |
| Must the manager be present? | Yes — during all hours of operation, with narrow exemptions |
| Exam fee cap | $10 |
| Certificate fee cap | $35 |
| Local add-on fees or cards | Prohibited since 2023 (§438.1055) |
| Recertification interval | Every 5 years |
| Governing rule | 25 TAC §228.31; Tex. Health & Safety Code ch. 438, subch. G |
Looking for individual worker training instead? See Texas Food Handler Card.
Or compare every state we have covered so far on the food manager certification by state index.
Provider and cost comparison
All major national providers are accredited under the ANAB-CFP standard and accepted in most states. Remote proctoring via webcam is available from every provider — 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 |
What the exam covers
All ANAB-CFP accredited exams test the same six core domains regardless of provider:
- Employee health and hygiene — illness exclusion, handwashing, bare-hand contact rules
- Temperature control — cooking temperatures, cooling parameters, hot and cold holding limits
- Cross-contamination prevention — storage order, allergen management, surface sanitation
- Cleaning and sanitizing — chemical concentrations, contact times, ware-washing
- Pest control and facilities — exclusion, approved materials, plumbing basics
- HACCP principles — hazard analysis, critical control points, corrective actions, record-keeping
80 questions, 2-hour time limit, 75% passing score, closed-book, proctored. Certification is valid for 5 years in most states; some states (Hawaii, South Dakota) require renewal sooner.
Comparing states? See food manager certification requirements for all 50 states — the rules differ more than most people expect.
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas require a food manager certification?
Yes. Texas is stricter than most: the certified food protection manager must be on-site during all hours of operation — not just employed on the payroll, but physically present whenever the establishment is open.
Does Texas also require a food handler card?
Texas requires individual food handler cards separately from the manager certification. The food handler card is a worker-level requirement; the manager certification is a facility-level requirement for the person in charge.
Which certification programmes does Texas accept?
Any programme accredited under the national ANAB-CFP standard. All five major providers listed above qualify. Check the current approved list with your state health authority before enrolling, as state lists can change.
What is the difference between a food handler card and a food manager certification?
A food handler card is a worker-level credential — typically $10–$20, a short online course, no proctored exam. A food manager certification is a facility-level management credential — $90–$180, a rigorous proctored 80-question exam covering six food safety domains, valid for 5 years in most states.
Food manager certification class and exam by Texas city
Texas requires at least one certified food manager per food establishment. The state accepts any ANAB-CFP accredited exam. Local county or city add-on fees are prohibited by statute — the certification itself is the same statewide. Here is how the major metros break down:
Houston (Harris County)
Harris County Public Health does not issue its own food manager certification. Houston and Harris County food service establishments are regulated by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and Harris County Public Health. The state-accredited manager certification — from ServSafe, StateFoodSafety, NRFSP, or Learn2Serve — is what satisfies the requirement. No Harris County food manager class or separate county exam exists. Remote proctored online exams are accepted statewide including in Houston.
San Antonio (Bexar County)
Bexar County and the Metro Health district handle food service inspections in San Antonio. No Bexar County food manager certification class or county-specific exam. The standard ANAB-CFP accredited exam applies. San Antonio food service operators can take the manager exam online with remote proctoring or in person at any authorized testing center in the area.
Dallas and Fort Worth (Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton counties)
The DFW metro spans multiple counties. Dallas County Health and Human Services, Tarrant County Public Health, and the smaller suburban counties all enforce the state requirement. No county-specific food manager class is required — any ANAB-CFP accredited course and exam satisfies the requirement across all DFW counties. Dallas and Fort Worth food service establishments must have a certified manager on the premises during all hours of operation per Texas law.
Austin (Travis County)
Austin Public Health handles food service permits and inspections for Austin and most of Travis County. No Travis County food manager certification class beyond the state requirement. Austin’s fast-growing food service industry — including the large food truck and mobile vendor sector — is subject to the same manager certification rule as brick-and-mortar establishments. Williamson County (Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown) follows the same state requirement through its own health department.
El Paso
El Paso Environmental Services handles food safety for El Paso County. No local food manager certification class. The standard ANAB-CFP accredited certification applies. El Paso’s proximity to New Mexico and the international border does not create any exemption or alternative certification pathway.
Texas food manager class vs. certification: what’s the difference?
In Texas, “food manager class” and “food manager certification” refer to the same process — a training course followed by a proctored exam. Texas law requires the certification (passing an accredited exam), not just completion of a class. Taking a class without passing the exam does not satisfy the requirement.
Most providers bundle the class and exam together:
- Course + exam bundle: $95–$180 depending on provider. Includes the training material and a proctored exam attempt.
- Exam only: $36–$99 if you want to study independently and just sit the exam.
- Free retake: some providers include a free retake attempt with their bundle if you fail the first time.
Online courses with remote proctored exams are fully accepted in Texas — you do not need to attend an in-person class to get certified.