Food Handler Certificate

The First Principles certificate program, available online and in a classroom setting, provides food handlers with the knowledge and skills they need to safely handle foods for human consumption. Successful completion of the program assures food managers, regulators and trainers that the certificate holder has completed a basic course in food safety. The First Principles course and assessment is based on substantial review and analysis of the current state of knowledge, regulations, and requirements in the field of food safety as reflected in the FDA Food Code, professional literature, and industry practice and is recommended for people involved in the preparation, handling, serving and displaying of food.

The First Principles program is comprehensive and covers the following areas:

Foodborne Illness
Time and Temperature
Personal Hygiene
Preventing Food Contamination
Cleaning and Sanitizing
Common Problems and Solutions (e.g., facility layout and pest control)

For more information on the intended learning outcomes and the program, please see page 1 of the Candidate Information Sheet.

The online version of the First Principles for Food Handlers certificate program is accredited by ANSI (American National Standards Institute) against the ASTM E2659-09 standard. As a result of this accreditation, the online certificate program is recognized in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, and Texas, and any state that recognizes food handler programs accredited by ANSI. We also offer a version of the program approved in the state of Florida.

National Registry does not accept commercial support of its certificate program activities.

Certificate Requisites

To be rewarded the certificate, a candidate must:

Complete all training.
Pass assessment. The minimum requirement for the online course is to complete the course and pass the assessment with a minimum of 70%.

There will be no ongoing requirements for certificate renewal.

Certificate vs Certification

National Registry’s First Principles for Food Handlers program is a certificate program for food handlers, not a food manager certification. The online version of the First Principles certificate program is accredited by ANSI (American National Standards Institute) against the ASTM E2659-09 standard.

An assessment-based certificate program is a non-degree granting educational program consisting of:

a learning event or series of events designed to educate or train individuals to achieve speciﬁed learning outcomes within a deﬁned scope, and
a system designed to ensure individuals receive a certiﬁcate only after veriﬁcation of successful completion of all program requisites including but not limited to an assessment of learner attainment of intended learning outcomes.

An assessment-based certificate is NOT a certificate of attendance or participation, which are provided to individuals who have attended or participated in classes, courses, or other education/training programs or events but did not have to demonstrate accomplishment of the intended learning outcomes.

Check with your local jurisdiction about the requirements for a food manager certification versus a food handler certificate program.

Take it Online

Take the First Principles for Food Handlers program any time online. This program is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) against the ASTM standard for use in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, and Texas, and is available for use in all 50 states.

To be awarded the Certificate of Completion, an individual must complete the training course and pass the 40-question multiple-choice assessment with a 70% or higher. Choose from English or Spanish for just $12.95.

A certificate of completion is available for download immediately upon successful completion of the program. After registering, you will have 30 days to complete the course. The Certificate of Completion is valid for up to five years, at which time candidates must again take the course, though your jurisdiction or employer may require you to take the course again sooner.

TAKE THE COURSE ONLINE

Retake Policy

If an examinee fails the assessment, he/she must wait 24 hours before retaking the examination.

Additionally, examinees may take the exam up to three times without retaking the course. However, examinees must retake the training course through www.USFoodHandler.com if an examinee has failed three times.

Take it in a Classroom

Take the First Principles for Food Handlers program in a classroom setting with a qualified instructor. This program is not accedited by ANSI. If you require ANSI accreditation, please take our online version.

To be awarded the Certificate of Completion, an individual must complete the training course and pass the 40-question multiple-choice assessment with a 70% or higher. All candidates are required to be present during the entire training course. Candidates should use the restroom during scheduled breaks. Choose from English and Spanish.

The Certificate of Completion is valid for up to five years, at which time candidates must again take the course, though your jurisdiction or employer may require you to take the course again sooner.

To find a trainer in your area, contact your employer or call National Registry at 800-446-0257.

** Retake Policy

If an examinee fails the assessment, he/she must wait 24 hours before retaking the examination.

Additionally, examinees may take the exam up to three times without retaking the course. However, examinees must retake the training course through www.USFoodHandler.com or with an Approved Program Provider if an examinee has failed three times

Certificate Reprints

If you took the First Principles for Food Handlers certificate program online and need a new certificate, click here and submit the form.

If you took the First Principles for Food Handlers certificate program in person in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, or Texas, click here to order a reprint.

The cost for reprints for either course is $3.95. Your new certificate will be delivered within 5-7 days. Unfortunately, reprinted certificates are not available if you took the in-person course in any state besides Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, or Texas.

FAQs

Featured Products

Food Safety First Principles: For Food Handlers – English

Food Safety First Principles for Food Handlers Program provides food handlers with the basic knowledge they need to safely handle food for human consumption.

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Food Safety First Principles: For Food Handlers – Spanish

Los Primeros principios de inocuidad alimentaria del Programa para quienes manipulan alimentos brindan a quienes manipulan alimentos el conocimiento básico necesario para manipularlos de forma segura para el consumo humano.

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About the Program

Food Safety First Principles for Food Handlers Certificate Program provides food handlers with the basic knowledge they need to safely handle food for human consumption.

Successful completion of the program assures food managers, regulators and trainers that the certificate holder has completed a basic course in food safety and passed an assessment based on the course material. The First Principles course is based on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code and is recommended for workers involved in the preparation, handling, serving and displaying of food. Formal food safety training is not uniformly required by law in all local and state health jurisdictions, check with the local or state health department in your area.

Food Handlers play a major role in keeping food safe. This program will help you understand food safety and how to apply this knowledge in the workplace.

Privacy Statement

National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) will safeguard the privacy of candidates, where applicable, and will hold in confidence and in a secure manner the information obtained in the course of certificate program activities at all levels of the organization, including those of the Certificate Advisory Panel and subcontractors acting on its behalf. Information about a particular candidate will not be disclosed to a third party by NRFSP personnel without the written consent of the candidate, except when mandated by law. Where the law requires the information to be disclosed to a third party, the candidate will be notified of the information provided.

If a candidate needs to confirm the term of validity for their certificate, they can email customer service at Customer.Service@nrfsp.com or call at 800-446-0257.

Non-Discrimination & Special Accommodations

Non-Discrimination

National Registry of Food Safety Professionals endorses the principles of equal opportunity for all federally protected classes of employees. Eligibility for promotion, pay raises, and tangible and intangible recognition are applied equally to all employees regardless of age, race, religion, gender, sexual preference or orientation, national origin, veteran status or disability.

In administering the certificate program, National Registry of Food Safety Professionals will not discriminate or deny opportunity to anyone on the grounds of age, race, religion, gender, sexual preference or orientation, national origin, veteran status or disability.

Special Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations for the course and assessment will be provided at no cost to a candidate with disabilities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The candidate may request a form from their Approved Program Provider or download it, if a special accommodation is needed. An appropriate licensed professional must complete the form in order for a candidate’s accommodation request to be processed.

Click here for Accommodations Request Form.

Assessment Rules and Certificate Invalidation

The following are the rules enforced at all course and assessment sites:

All candidates must have government-issued photo identification to be admitted.
Candidates arriving five minutes late for the course and assessment will not be admitted and may forfeit their fees at the discretion of the Approved Program Provider.
Candidates must be present throughout the entire course and pass the assessment to receive a Certificate of Completion.
No guests are permitted to “sit-in” on the course or assessment.
No assisting or soliciting assistance from other candidates.
If candidate fails the assessment they may review the course materials and retake the assessment at the discretion of the Approved Program Provider.

If a candidate is caught violating course and assessment rules, such as cheating or not following other program procedures, the candidate can be dismissed from the site and may be declared permanently ineligible for future courses and assessments.

Complaints

Individuals with concerns regarding the assessments, personnel, or other elements of the certificate program are encouraged to discuss these with the individuals involved to try to resolve the matter informally. If the complaint is related to a course or assessment administration, it must be submitted in writing within two weeks of the course or assessment. If informal resolution is not possible, and an individual wishes to file a formal complaint, it must be submitted in writing to NRFSP within 90 days of the incident’s occurrence.

The complaint submission may be mailed, e-mailed or faxed. Only written complaints will be considered. Anonymous complaints will not be considered. The complaint submission should include sufficient objective evidence to substantiate the claims and allow for a decision to be made and the appropriate action to be taken.

NRFSP will serve as the first level of complaint review to determine its validity. NRFSP will investigate the circumstances of any valid complaint and:

Determine and implement corrective action
Escalate it to the Certificate Advisory Panel for review

If addressed by NRFSP personnel, the resolution will be communicated to the complainant within 30 days. If escalated to the Certificate Advisory Panel, the resolution will be communicated to the complainant within 60 days.

Click here for the Complaint Submission Form

If you have questions or concerns, call National Registry of Food Safety Professionals at 800-446-0257 or email at Customer.Service@nrfsp.com.

Appeals

An appeal is a formal request to reconsider a decision that the NRFSP Certificate Advisory Panel or its representatives made. Appeals may be related to an individual’s certificate or an Approved Program Provider status.

The appeal must be made in writing to the NRFSP within 30 days of receiving the decision being appealed. The written appeal must include a statement of the specific request, the reason for the appeal, any relevant supporting materials, and contact information of the person requesting the appeal (appellant).

When an appeal is received, NRFSP will convene an Appeals Panel to consider the request, ensuring that no member of the Panel has actual or apparent conflicts of interest with the case at hand. The function of the Appeals Panel is to review the original decision being appealed based on the information presented. The appeal will be considered within 60 days. NRFSP will notify the appellant of the decisions within 14 days of the Appeals Panel determination. Appeals Panel decisions will be final.

Should the Appeals Panel grant an appeal that impacts the assessment scores of other certificate program participants or certificate holders, a review or rescoring of all those potentially impacted will automatically be conducted. NRFSP will notify individuals of the review or rescoring within 60 days of the decision.

All appeals and decisions will be recorded in an Appeals Register maintained by NRFSP. The Appeals Register will be reviewed periodically to identify the need for corrective or preventive action.

Click here for the Appeals Submission Form

If you have questions or concerns, call National Registry of Food Safety Professionals at 800-446-0257 or email at Customer.Service@nrfsp.com.

Candidate Feedback

Approved Program Providers are required to provide each candidate with a Candidate Feedback Form and ask the Candidate for any feedback as it relates to the course and assessment. It is the Candidate’s responsibility to return the feedback to the National Registry via mail, email, fax, or Approved Program Provider.

Candidates can also submit feedback using the form below:

Fees, Cancellations, and Refunds

The candidate fee is $12.95 for the online Program and certificate of completion issued. The candidate fee for instructor-led Program is determined by the Approved Program Provider. National Registry of Food Safety Professionals reserves the right to change fees as deemed necessary.

National Registry of Food Safety Professionals does not accommodate refunds or transfers for the course or assessment. Approved Program Providers may accept cancellations and/or refunds under extreme circumstances. Candidates who do not attend the course or sit for the assessment forfeit all fees.

Development of Materials

The provided training course and examination corresponds with the training book Food Safety First Principles for Food Handlers developed by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

The Food Safety First Principles for Food Handlers Certificate book was written by Claire Nash, BA (Hons), FRSH, MRIPH, MInst.D, Associate member CIEH, who writes and edits a wide range of learning materials about management, food safety and related topics for international businesses, professional bodies and general sale worldwide. FSFP was based on the course book (of the same name), written by Claire Nash, for the CIEH Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene (now CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering). The Foundation Certificate was identified in the UK Industry Guides as the minimum required for food handlers handling open, high-risk food (to comply with the legal requirement for food handlers to be trained, instructed and/or supervised commensurate with their role and responsibilities).

Food Safety First Principles for Food Handlers (FSFP) was first published in 2002.

It was revised in:

2005 in line with the 2003 FDA Food Code Supplement (FSFP 2nd ed.) – work undertaken by NEHA
2007 in line with the 2005 FDA Food Code and 2007 Food Code Supplement (FSFP 3rd ed.) – work undertaken by Steve Sklare
2010 in line with the 2009 FDA Food Code (FSFP 4th ed.) – work undertaken by Steve Sklare
2011 to include quiz (FSFP 5th ed.).

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