How to Get ServSafe Manager Certified in 2027: Step by Step

Step 1: Confirm what your job requires

Start with the rule that applies to you, not with a purchase. The FDA Food Code says the person in charge of a food establishment must be a certified food protection manager who passed a test that is part of an accredited program, unless the regulatory authority deems the operation minimal risk. ServSafe says its Food Protection Manager Certification is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) under Conference for Food Protection standards.

ServSafe also says that for the certificate to be recognized by your state or local health department, you must meet local requirements, which may include food safety training as well as the exam. So before you buy, ask your health department or employer:

• Is the manager certificate required for my role, or is a food handler card enough? The manager vs food handler guide compares them.
• Does the jurisdiction require a course as well as the exam?
• Does it accept any ANAB-accredited manager exam, or name specific ones?

Step 2: Choose how you'll take the exam

ServSafe's manager exam is always proctored. Three ways to sit it:

For the online exam, ServSafe's instructions require:

• a desktop PC or Mac with the Guardian browser installed; Chromebooks, tablets, and smartphones aren't supported
• a government-issued or school photo ID
• a private location with a clean desk; no couch, headphones, smartwatch, or non-religious headwear
• the exam access code from your purchase email, which starts with SSMPU

The online exam is 2 hours, and ServSafe says to allow 2.5 hours in total for launch and testing. Proctoring is included when you book more than 72 hours ahead; ServSafe lists an $8 fee for 24 to 72 hours' notice and $12 for less than 24 hours. The online exam guide covers the setup in more detail.

Step 3: Buy the matching product

Buy the exam product that matches your Step 2 choice. An access code, a printed exam voucher, an online-proctored exam, and a testing-center exam are different products, and some still need a proctor. If you need training, ServSafe also sells course-plus-exam bundles. The cost guide lists ServSafe's prices as checked on October 16, 2026.

Watch the clocks on what you buy. ServSafe says unused online courses are valid for one year from purchase, a started Manager course must be finished within 90 days, and online courses aren't refundable or extendable.

Step 4: Study the Food Code the exam uses

As of October 27, 2026, ServSafe's materials follow the 2022 FDA Food Code and its Supplement. FDA released a 2026 Food Code in September 2026, but ServSafe's update page doesn't mention it yet. The ServSafe Manager 2027 guide explains what that means for a 2027 date.

Spend your time on decisions with numbers and conditions attached: cooking, holding, and cooling temperatures, storage order, allergens, cleaning and sanitizing, employee illness, and HACCP. The study guide has a two-week sample schedule. Plan your ServSafe study weeks before the exam date → so the hardest topics get the most time.

Step 5: Take and pass the exam

ServSafe's passing-score answer and its exam instructions describe the exam:

Before you book, practice ServSafe Manager questions with explanations → until you're scoring comfortably above 70% on mixed sets. The free practice questions are a quick starting check. If you don't pass, the retake guide explains the 30-day, 60-day, and four-attempt rules.

Step 6: Get your certificate and note the date

After an online exam, ServSafe says you get a pass or fail notice when the session ends and official results by email, and that you can print your Food Protection Manager certificate right away. ServSafe says the certificate is valid for 5 years, and that this can vary by state or local regulation.

Write the expiration date down now. A certificate earned in 2027 runs to about 2032 under the 5-year rule, and renewing means passing the exam again. The recertification guide explains how that works.

A sample 2027 timeline

An illustration, not a required schedule:

If you already know food safety well, you may need less time; if you're new to kitchens, plan more.