Last verified: September 2026 against 010-1 Wyo. Code R. § 1-10, Laramie County Health Department, Natrona County Health Department, and Teton District Board of Health rules. Confirm with your county health department before paying.
Does Wyoming require a certified food manager?
No — not at the state level, and the rule says so explicitly. The Wyoming Food Safety Rule, administered by the Department of Agriculture’s Consumer Health Services division, describes certification as something the person in charge does voluntarily — not a requirement. But three Wyoming counties go further than the state and require it locally.
The state rule
The person in charge shall demonstrate this knowledge by compliance with this Rule, by responding correctly to the inspectors’ questions as they relate to the specific establishment or processing plant, or by voluntarily being a certified food protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an accredited program.
The word “voluntarily” is doing real work here. Most states phrase the certified-manager route as one option among several, leaving the reader to infer it isn’t mandatory. Wyoming states outright that becoming a certified manager is a voluntary choice — the person in charge can satisfy the rule equally well by complying with the Rule generally or by correctly answering an inspector’s questions.
County requirements (sometimes called a “food license”)
Three Wyoming counties impose their own certified manager requirements on top of the state rule. If your establishment is in any of these jurisdictions, the county mandate governs — not the statewide voluntary standard.
| County | City | CFPM required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teton County | Jackson | Yes — from Oct 1, 2026 | At least one on-site CFPM at most licensed establishments during all operating hours |
| Laramie County | Cheyenne | Yes | At least one CFPM per food establishment |
| Natrona County | Casper | Yes | At least one CFPM per food establishment |
| All other counties | — | No | Statewide voluntary standard applies — confirm locally |
Laramie County (Cheyenne)
Laramie County, which includes the state capital Cheyenne, requires a certified manager at food establishments — and unlike the state rule, the county writes it as a mandate. Cheyenne–Laramie County Public Health’s food safety program page states it in one sentence, under “Manager Certification and Training”:
Every establishment preparing PHF/TCS foods shall have a Certified Manger [sic].
“PHF/TCS” — potentially hazardous food / time-temperature control for safety — captures nearly any restaurant, café or commercial kitchen, so in practice most Cheyenne food businesses need at least one certified manager on staff. The department points operators to the ANSI National Accreditation Board’s list of approved manager certification courses and exams, which means the same ANAB-CFP accredited certificates accepted nationally satisfy the county requirement. Questions about food safety inspections go to the department at 307-633-4090.
Natrona County (Casper)
Natrona County, home to Casper, states its requirement in exactly the same words. From the Casper–Natrona County Health Department’s licensing page:
Every establishment preparing PHF/TCS foods shall have a Certified Manager.
The controlling text is the county’s own local Food Safety Rule, linked from that same page. As in Laramie County, operators are directed to the ANSI National Accreditation Board for approved courses and exams — and the department also offers in-person ServSafe® training locally, an option the other counties don’t advertise. The statewide voluntary standard does not relieve Natrona County establishments of the local requirement.
Teton County (Jackson)
Teton County has adopted its own local health rule through the Teton District Board of Health. Beginning October 1, 2026, at least one Certified Food Protection Manager with supervisory and management responsibility must be on-site during all operating hours at most licensed establishments. The county also maintains the standard person-in-charge requirement: the licence holder must designate a PIC present at the establishment during all hours of operation.
The county charges a $15 proctoring fee for the certification exam, per the Teton County Health Department’s own page.
The rule is not one-size-fits-all. From the county’s Food Safety Education page:
Certain establishments with limited food preparation may be required to have a lesser certification or may be exempt from this requirement.
If your operation only reheats or serves prepackaged food, ask the Teton County Health Department where you fall before paying for the full manager exam.
Sweetwater County (Rock Springs / Green River)
Sweetwater County follows the Wyoming Food Safety Rule (WDFA Chapter 1) with no additional county-level exam or permit. Your ANAB-CFP accredited certification satisfies the requirement for operations in Rock Springs, Green River, and all of Sweetwater County.
The Wyoming food license — separate from certification
Searches for a “Wyoming food license” usually mean one of two different things: the manager certification covered above, which is held by a person, or the establishment license every food business needs, which attaches to the premises. The license side is statewide and unambiguous. Per the Wyoming Department of Agriculture’s Consumer Health Services division:
Any person processing, distributing, storing or preparing food for wholesale or retail use shall obtain a license from the department of agriculture or a local health department.
Which of those two issues yours depends on where you are. CHS inspects and licenses in every part of the state except the six jurisdictions that run their own local health departments:
There are six local health departments in Wyoming (the counties of Laramie, Natrona, Teton, Sweetwater, and Sublette, and the city of Laramie).
Note the trap in that list: the city of Laramie, which sits in Albany County, has its own health department and is a different jurisdiction from Laramie County, whose seat is Cheyenne. The fees are modest: establishments that are new, have a new owner or have changed location pay an initial fee of $200 with an annual license renewal of $100, and temporary event permits run $50. The application is not available online — you get it from your local inspector or health department.
Getting certified in Wyoming
Whether you are in a county that requires certification or choosing to certify voluntarily, the process is the same statewide. Wyoming does not maintain its own approved-provider list — any exam that is part of an ANAB-CFP accredited program is valid. That accreditation is granted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Conference for Food Protection (CFP) jointly, and it is what distinguishes a legally recognized food manager certification from a generic online food safety certificate.
- Choose an accredited provider — see the comparison table below.
- Complete the training course — most providers offer self-paced online study. Expect 8–15 hours of material, though there is no minimum study time requirement.
- Pass the proctored exam — 80 questions, 2-hour time limit, 75% passing score. Remote proctoring (webcam) is available from most providers; in-person testing sites exist in Cheyenne, Casper, and other Wyoming cities.
- Receive your certificate — issued immediately on passing for most providers. The certificate is valid for 5 years from the date of the exam.
Approved providers and cost comparison
All of the following use ANAB-CFP accredited exams and are valid in Wyoming. Prices are approximate and subject to change — check each provider’s current pricing before purchasing.
| 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 |
Teton County note: add the county’s $15 proctoring fee on top of whatever provider cost you choose, if you are taking the exam in-person at the county health department.
What the exam covers
The ANAB-CFP accredited food manager exam tests competency across six domains regardless of which provider you use:
- Employee health and hygiene — illness exclusion policies, handwashing procedures, personal hygiene standards
- Temperature control — safe internal cooking temperatures, cooling parameters, cold holding and hot holding limits, the two-hour/four-hour rule
- Cross-contamination — proper food storage order, allergen management, surface and equipment sanitation
- Cleaning and sanitizing — chemical sanitizer concentrations, contact times, manual and mechanical ware-washing procedures
- Pest control and facilities — exclusion measures, approved materials, plumbing and ventilation basics
- HACCP principles — hazard analysis, critical control points, corrective actions, record-keeping
The exam is closed-book. Most providers recommend at least one full practice test before sitting the real exam — pass rates are significantly higher among candidates who use the study materials provided by their chosen provider.
If you fail the exam
There is no mandatory waiting period between attempts under ANAB-CFP rules. You can retake the exam immediately, though most candidates benefit from reviewing the areas flagged on their score report first. Retake fees vary by provider — some packages include a free retake, others charge full exam price again. If you fail three times with the same provider, some providers require you to complete additional study before a fourth attempt.
Renewal
Food manager certifications in Wyoming are valid for 5 years. Renewal works the same way as initial certification — you take an accredited exam again. There is no shortened renewal exam or continuing education pathway that avoids the full test. Most providers offer a refresher study course for renewals, which is shorter than the full initial course.
If you let your certification lapse before renewing, you simply restart the process — there is no penalty for a gap in certification at the state level, though Laramie, Natrona, and Teton counties expect continuous compliance once the requirement applies to your establishment.
Start the renewal process 60–90 days before your expiration date — testing centers book up and a scheduling delay can put your establishment out of compliance. If your certification has already lapsed, you can retake the exam immediately with no waiting period. EduClasses offers a renewal prep course that’s shorter than the initial course and focuses on updated food safety regulations.
Frequently asked questions
Does Wyoming accept out-of-state food manager certifications?
Yes — any ANAB-CFP accredited certification is valid in Wyoming regardless of which state you obtained it in, as long as it has not expired.
Does one certified manager cover multiple locations?
No. Each physical food establishment must have its own CFPM on record (in counties that require it). One certified manager cannot satisfy the requirement for two separate locations.
Does the CFPM have to be on-site at all times?
At the state level, no — Wyoming only requires a person in charge to be present, and that person can demonstrate knowledge by other means. In Teton County, from October 1 2026, the CFPM must be on-site during all hours of operation. Laramie and Natrona counties require at least one CFPM per establishment but do not explicitly mandate on-site presence at all hours — confirm the current local interpretation with each county health department.
Is a food handler card the same as food manager certification?
No — these are two distinct credentials. A food handler card is a basic training certificate typically for entry-level food workers, costs around $10–$20, and is not accredited by ANAB-CFP. A food manager certification requires passing a proctored accredited exam, costs $90–$180, and is a management-level credential. Wyoming has no statewide food handler card requirement either, though some counties may have local rules.
What happens during a health inspection if our CFPM has left the company?
In counties that require a CFPM, the establishment is technically out of compliance if no current CFPM is on file. Inspectors typically issue a correction notice with a timeframe to come into compliance. Acting quickly to get someone certified — or to verify whether another staff member’s existing certification can be transferred to this establishment’s record — is the standard response.
Does this apply in Laramie County, Natrona County, or Sweetwater County?
It varies by county — and that is the whole Wyoming story. The state rule makes certification voluntary everywhere. But as the county sections above set out: Laramie County (Cheyenne) and Natrona County (Casper) each mandate a certified manager per establishment under their own health department rules, Teton County (Jackson) makes an on-site CFPM mandatory from October 1, 2026, and Sweetwater County (Rock Springs, Green River) follows the voluntary state standard. No county issues its own separate certificate — where certification is required, an ANAB-CFP accredited certificate from any national provider satisfies it.
Summary
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certified manager — statewide | Not required — explicitly voluntary under state rule |
| Laramie County (Cheyenne) | Required — at least one CFPM per establishment |
| Natrona County (Casper) | Required — at least one CFPM per establishment |
| Teton County (Jackson) | Required from Oct 1, 2026 — on-site CFPM during all operating hours |
| Accreditation standard | ANAB-CFP (any accredited provider is valid) |
| Exam format | 80 questions, 2-hour limit, 75% passing score, closed-book |
| Remote proctoring | Available from all major providers |
| Certification validity | 5 years |
| Exam cost | ~$36–$99 exam only; ~$95–$180 with course |
| Teton County proctoring fee | $15 (in-person at county health department) |
Looking for the worker card instead? See Wyoming Food Handler Card.