Does Nebraska require a certified food manager?
In Lincoln and Omaha, yes — on every shift. Both cities require the person in charge to hold a manager credential, and a person in charge must be on site during all hours of operation. Everywhere else, the answer depends on a change most guides have missed: Nebraska now runs on the 2022 FDA Food Code, not the 2009 version older pages still quote.
- Lincoln (Lancaster County): the person in charge needs a Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department Food Protection Manager permit.
- Omaha (Douglas County): the person in charge must be a Certified Food Protection Manager, with an exam from an ANSI-accredited program.
- Rest of the state: the 2022 Food Code includes § 2-102.12, which calls for at least one certified food protection manager per establishment. Nebraska’s adopting statute does not list it among the sections it excludes. Confirm with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture how it is applied to your establishment type.
Which Food Code Nebraska uses
Nebraska adopts the FDA Food Code by reference under the Nebraska Pure Food Act. The current definition, Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2,244.01, adopts the 2022 Recommendations of the United States Public Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, and § 81-2,257.01 makes it part of the Act. The Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Consumer Protection division enforces it.
The statute excludes a short list of provisions — a handful of definitions, parts of §§ 4-301.12 and 4-603.16, and most of the administrative chapter 8. Nothing in chapter 2, where the manager rules sit, is on that list. That matters because a lot of Nebraska guidance online, including older versions of the state’s own Food Code booklet, was written against the 2009 code, which had no stand-alone certified-manager section.
Lincoln-Lancaster County: a county permit for the person in charge
Lincoln has the longest-running local food safety program in the state. The Lincoln Food Code requires every person in charge to hold a Food Protection Manager permit issued by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department (LLCHD), and a person in charge must be present whenever the establishment is open — so in practice every shift needs one.
- Issued by: LLCHD only. A national certificate is the qualification underneath it, but the permit itself comes from the county.
- Fee: $30.
- Validity: since a December 2025 amendment, the permit expires when your underlying accredited certification does, rather than on its own schedule.
- Everyone else on staff: needs the county’s food handler permit before starting work — see Nebraska Food Handler Card.
Douglas County (Omaha): a certified manager on every shift
Omaha’s rules changed in 2026. Alongside its new mandatory food handler program (launched January 21, 2026 under Omaha Ord. No. 44358), Douglas County requires the person in charge to be a Certified Food Protection Manager, certified through an exam from an ANSI-accredited program.
- Where you certify: any ANSI/ANAB-accredited manager program — unlike the handler card, which must come from the Douglas County Health Department’s own program.
- Bonus for managers: a valid CFPM certification exempts you from the county’s food handler card requirement, so you do not need both.
- Coverage: licensed establishments in Douglas County, including Omaha and Elkhorn.
By Nebraska city
- Omaha, Elkhorn (Douglas County): CFPM required for the person in charge, every shift.
- Lincoln (Lancaster County): LLCHD Food Protection Manager permit for the person in charge, every shift.
- Bellevue, Papillion, La Vista, Gretna (Sarpy County): no county manager program — the state Food Code applies.
- Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, North Platte, Norfolk, Fremont: no local manager program — the state Food Code applies. North Platte is in Lincoln County, which is not the Lincoln-Lancaster program.
Three routes, one of them certification
Nebraska Food Code § 2-102.11 sets out the standard framework:
The PERSON IN CHARGE shall demonstrate this knowledge by: (A) Complying with this Code by having no violations of PRIORITY ITEMS during the current inspection…
…or, as an alternative route, § 2-102.11(B):
Being a certified FOOD protection manager who has shown proficiency of required information through passing a test that is part of an ACCREDITED PROGRAM.
A third route lets the person in charge demonstrate knowledge by correctly answering the inspector’s food safety questions. Note that § 2-102.11 is about how the person in charge shows knowledge on a given shift. Whether the establishment must also employ a certified manager is a separate question — § 2-102.12, covered above.
Nebraska ties the accreditation route to the national standard, § 2-102.20:
A PERSON IN CHARGE who demonstrates knowledge by being a FOOD protection manager that is certified by a FOOD protection manager certification program that is evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection-recognized accrediting agency…
…is deemed to comply — the same Conference for Food Protection / ANAB-CFP standard used across most states.
Person in charge must still be present
Separate from the certification question, every establishment must have someone accountable on site — § 2-101.11(A):
Except as specified in ¶ (B) of this section, the PERMIT HOLDER shall be the PERSON IN CHARGE or shall designate a PERSON IN CHARGE and shall ensure that a PERSON IN CHARGE is present at the FOOD ESTABLISHMENT during all hours of operation.
Nebraska also allows one person in charge to cover multiple departments under narrow conditions — § 2-101.11(B):
In a FOOD ESTABLISHMENT with two or more separately PERMITTED departments that are the legal responsibility of the same PERMIT HOLDER and that are located on the same PREMISES, the PERMIT HOLDER may, during specific time periods when food is not being prepared, packaged, or served, designate a single PERSON IN CHARGE.
As with several other states, this covers only same-premises, same-permit-holder departments during specific non-food-handling windows — not a general multi-location allowance.
Renewal and recertification
Food manager certifications are typically valid for 5 years. Renewal requires retaking an accredited exam — there is no shortened recertification pathway that replaces the full exam. Start the renewal process 60–90 days before your expiration date to avoid scheduling delays that could put your establishment out of compliance.
If your certification has already lapsed, you can retake the exam immediately with no waiting period. EduClasses offers an online renewal prep course that’s shorter than the initial course and focused on updated regulations.
Summary
| Question | Nebraska’s answer |
|---|---|
| Food Code in force | 2022 FDA Food Code (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 81-2,244.01) |
| Lincoln-Lancaster County | Required — LLCHD Food Protection Manager permit for the person in charge |
| Douglas County (Omaha) | Required — CFPM for the person in charge |
| Rest of the state | § 2-102.12 is not excluded by statute; confirm application with the Department of Agriculture |
| Person in charge presence | Required at all times during operation |
| Accreditation standard | Conference for Food Protection / ANAB-CFP accredited programs |
Looking for the worker card instead? See Nebraska Food Handler Card.
For a state with a true statewide worker card requirement, see the Kansas food handler card.
See manager certification requirements for all states.
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.
Practice test and study materials
Before sitting the exam, a timed practice test is the most reliable way to find weak spots. EduClasses includes chapter quizzes and a full-length practice exam in their online prep course — see the food manager certification course.
Frequently asked questions
Does Nebraska require a food manager certification?
In Lincoln and Omaha, yes: the person in charge must hold a manager credential, and a person in charge must be on site every shift. Statewide, Nebraska now uses the 2022 FDA Food Code, whose certified-manager section is not excluded by the adopting statute. Confirm how it applies to you with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture.
Does Nebraska also require a food handler card?
Not statewide. Only two local programs require one: Lincoln-Lancaster County and, since January 2026, Douglas County (Omaha). Holding a valid manager certification exempts you from Omaha’s handler card. See our Nebraska Food Handler Card page for the details.
What does Lincoln require that Omaha doesn’t?
Lincoln issues its own county Food Protection Manager permit on top of your accredited certification, and it now expires with that certification. Omaha requires the accredited Certified Food Protection Manager certification itself, with no separate county manager permit.
Which certification programmes does Nebraska accept?
Any programme accredited under the national ANAB-CFP standard, including all the major providers listed above. In Lincoln you then also need the county permit.
What is the difference between a food handler card and a food manager certification?
A food handler card is a worker-level credential from a short course. A food manager certification is a management credential from a proctored exam covering six food safety domains. In Nebraska, the handler card comes from a county program and the manager certificate from an accredited national one.