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Food Safety Certification in California

CA Dept. of Public Health (CDPH) — Retail Food Code

California — the country's largest food-service workforce — requires food facilities that prepare non-prepackaged potentially hazardous food to have an owner or employee who has passed an accredited food-protection-manager exam (Health & Safety Code §113947.1). California does not run its own exam; it accepts any ANSI/ANAB-CFP-accredited program and even caps price — at least one accredited exam must cost $60 or less and be available online (§113947.3). Because the accepted exams are the national ones, a manager can sit the test in Chinese, Korean or Japanese via ServSafe (online Chinese; paper Korean/Japanese) or NRFSP, or in Spanish anywhere. Our practice bank is English, Chinese and Spanish.

📋 Exam facts

Real California exam administration — from the official source

Practice questions (this site)
475
Testing agency
ANAB-CFP accredited (ServSafe, NRFSP, …)
Real written-test languages
English · Spanish · Chinese · Korean · Japanese
To pass
Set by the accredited exam (e.g. ServSafe 75%)
Fee
At least one accredited exam must be ≤ $60 and offered online (CA law)
Official source ↗

🗓️ Last updated: 2026-07-03

📄 Based on: CA Health & Safety Code §113947.1/.3 (leginfo.legislature.ca.gov), checked 2026-07-03

✍️ Reviewed by the PassPrep editorial team · How we verify →

🎯 Practice for this exam

Jobs and next steps

Can help you move up

Dishwasher

BLS states kitchen staff may advance to food-preparation/cook work and then supervisory or food-service-manager positions. This is a multi-step path, not a direct promotion guarantee.

Requirements vary by state and locality. Check the authority for where you plan to work.

View Dishwasher job guide
Why this is linked: Dishwasher

BLS states kitchen staff may advance to food-preparation/cook work and then supervisory or food-service-manager positions. This is a multi-step path, not a direct promotion guarantee.

varies by employer/state/locality

Official or authoritative source:

Reviewed 2026-08-17

PassPrep is an independent study resource. It is not a government agency, state board, NHA, CTEC, IRS, employer, or testing provider.

Can help you move up

Fast Food Crew Member

Food-service kitchen staff may progress through preparation/cook/supervisory work to food-service management; food-manager certification may be useful or locally required but is not an entry requirement for crew work.

Requirements vary by state and locality. Check the authority for where you plan to work.

View Fast Food Crew Member job guide
Why this is linked: Fast Food Crew Member

Food-service kitchen staff may progress through preparation/cook/supervisory work to food-service management; food-manager certification may be useful or locally required but is not an entry requirement for crew work.

varies by state/locality/employer

Official or authoritative source:

Reviewed 2026-08-17

PassPrep is an independent study resource. It is not a government agency, state board, NHA, CTEC, IRS, employer, or testing provider.

Can help you move up

Food Preparation Worker

Food-preparation work is an established rung toward cook/supervisory/food-service-manager work; manager certification depends on jurisdiction.

Requirements vary by state and locality. Check the authority for where you plan to work.

View Food Preparation Worker job guidePractice English for this job — Food Preparation Worker
Why this is linked: Food Preparation Worker

Food-preparation work is an established rung toward cook/supervisory/food-service-manager work; manager certification depends on jurisdiction.

varies by state/locality/employer

Official or authoritative source:

Reviewed 2026-08-17

PassPrep is an independent study resource. It is not a government agency, state board, NHA, CTEC, IRS, employer, or testing provider.

Can help you move up

Line Cook

BLS explicitly identifies cooks as a common prior occupation for food-service managers.

Requirements vary by state and locality. Check the authority for where you plan to work.

View Line Cook job guide
Why this is linked: Line Cook

BLS explicitly identifies cooks as a common prior occupation for food-service managers.

varies by state/locality/employer

Official or authoritative source:

Reviewed 2026-08-17

PassPrep is an independent study resource. It is not a government agency, state board, NHA, CTEC, IRS, employer, or testing provider.

Can help you move up

Restaurant Server (Waiter/Waitress)

BLS explicitly identifies waiters/waitresses as a common prior occupation for food-service managers. Certification is jurisdiction-dependent.

Requirements vary by state and locality. Check the authority for where you plan to work.

View Restaurant Server (Waiter/Waitress) job guide
Why this is linked: Restaurant Server (Waiter/Waitress)

BLS explicitly identifies waiters/waitresses as a common prior occupation for food-service managers. Certification is jurisdiction-dependent.

varies by state/locality/employer

Official or authoritative source:

Reviewed 2026-08-17

PassPrep is an independent study resource. It is not a government agency, state board, NHA, CTEC, IRS, employer, or testing provider.

Can help you move up

Sushi Chef

The governed sushi-chef record is encoded under a cook SOC; BLS identifies cooks as common prior work for food-service managers.

Requirements vary by state and locality. Check the authority for where you plan to work.

View Sushi Chef job guidePractice English for this job — Sushi Chef
Why this is linked: Sushi Chef

The governed sushi-chef record is encoded under a cook SOC; BLS identifies cooks as common prior work for food-service managers.

varies by state/locality/employer

Official or authoritative source:

Reviewed 2026-08-17

PassPrep is an independent study resource. It is not a government agency, state board, NHA, CTEC, IRS, employer, or testing provider.

Requirement and accepted-certification facts are confirmed from each state's official page (linked per row). Most states accept any nationally ANAB-CFP-accredited manager exam, so the exam LANGUAGE is set by the provider you pick (ServSafe/NRFSP offer Chinese, Korean and Japanese; Spanish is everywhere), not by the state — the exception is Texas's own DSHS-licensed exams and New York City's city exam. Pass marks and fees marked “to confirm” were not published on the official page. Always verify the current rule with your state or local health department before you register.