California Food Manager Certification – Health Department Approved
The Alameda County Food Manager Certification, offered through AAA Food Handler, provides a nationally accredited food manager certification through the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Our training and exams are fully online and flexible, making it easy for food managers in Alameda County to meet compliance requirements without disrupting busy schedules.
This ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) Accredited program fulfills the standards required to earn the Food Manager Certification, as recognized by local and state health authorities. Courses are available in both English and Spanish, giving every participant an equal opportunity to complete their Food Safety Certification.



















With our Conference for Food Protection (ANAB-CFP) aligned program, managers and staff can complete training and exams entirely online. Lessons are self-paced, accessible 24/7, and built to match the unique food safety expectations set by Alameda County and the State of California.
Learn how to anticipate problems before they escalate, protecting both customers and business operations from foodborne illness.
Strengthen your ability to identify risks quickly and make sound decisions during daily food safety oversight.
Replace outdated or unsafe practices with clear, proven methods that uphold safety standards across your kitchen.
Reduce the likelihood of violations and avoid setbacks by staying proactive with compliance and monitoring.
A well-trained leadership team ensures smoother workflows, consistent service, and fewer interruptions.
Staff and managers perform better when food safety protocols are second nature, leading to stronger teamwork and a safer work culture.
From neighborhood eateries in Oakland to large dining establishments in Berkeley and Fremont, AAA Food Handler’s Food Protection Manager Certification is valid across Alameda County. Employers and employees alike can count on streamlined compliance, ensuring their certification is accepted by every health jurisdiction in the county.
Numerous professionals nationwide have already earned and renewed their card with AAA Food Handler — a trusted name in food safety training.
Know Before You Train
The Alameda County Food Manager Certification shows that a food service manager has successfully passed a state-approved food safety exam and is qualified to oversee safe food handling in any establishment. California law requires every food business in Alameda County to have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) on staff. This ensures operations meet county health and safety regulations.
Any person in charge of a food facility—such as a restaurant, café, catering company, food truck, or school cafeteria—must hold a valid Food Manager Certification. If your role involves managing employees who handle unpackaged or perishable food, you are required by law to be certified.
You can earn your Alameda County Food Manager Certification by passing an ANAB-accredited Food Protection Manager Exam. With AAA Food Handler, the process is straightforward—our training materials prepare you for the exam, which you can complete online with an approved proctor. Once you pass, your certificate is valid for five years.
In Alameda County, Food Manager Certification is valid for five years. After that, managers must retake and pass the approved exam to renew their certification and remain compliant.
Yes. AAA Food Handler offers the Alameda County Food Manager exam online through secure remote proctoring. This means you can take the test from anywhere with internet access, without needing to travel to a testing center.
According to the California Health & Safety Code, every food facility in Alameda County that prepares, handles, or serves unpackaged food must employ at least one Certified Food Protection Manager. Temporary food facilities are generally exempt. The certification must be issued by an ANAB-accredited program and be kept on file at the establishment for inspection purposes.
While the law allows either the owner or an employee to be certified, in practice, it is typically the general manager, head chef, or kitchen manager. Many employers in Alameda County require multiple managers or chefs to hold certification, even if only one is legally required.
Food managers play a critical role in protecting public health. They are responsible for:
By maintaining proper certification, food managers help prevent foodborne illnesses and keep their establishments inspection-ready.
Operating without a certified food manager in Alameda County can lead to health code violations, fines, or even the temporary closure of the establishment. Certification ensures compliance and builds trust with both customers and inspectors.
AAA Food Handler provides a county-approved pathway to certification with convenient online training and exams. Our program is accepted across Alameda County, making it simple for managers and staff to meet legal requirements without delays.
Food Manager Reviews
4.9
This course was very helpful and beneficial to the understanding of my duties as a manager. It also helped me prepare for my exam.
As someone who took FCS in high school and has worked, front of house, in restaurants, this was mostly review but was easy to follow and broken down in a way that anyone could understand.
Good information up to date training. Help me under temperature and danger zone.
este curso se trata de los alimentos y como mantenerlos en buenas condiciones, nos habla de como nos afectan si no seguimos las indicaciones de cuidado, nos explia como mantener e aria limpio , adecuadamente, el curso me parese pefecto. gracias
VIDA SALUDABLE
Ninfa trejo
este curso se trata de como mantener los alimentos en buenas ciondicionens, como evitar que se contamines y no habla de como nos afecta ,que enfermedades nos ocacionan sino seguimos las indicaciones de cuidado, me gusto mucho, lo explican muy claro. Gracias
I have been certified before, through a different course. This course was full of important information. Although it took quite some time to go through all the videos, it was definitely informative and i feel i have the knowledge base i need to succeed at my place of business.
Very informative when opening a resteraunt.
I liked the way the course was laid out—it was easy to follow and understand. My only complaint is that you can’t rewind any of the videos until you’ve finished watching the entire thing
it helped me understand and having more knowledge in working in the food business. it allowed me to prepare for working in the food business.
the course of training was easy to follow and easy to learn. it helped me prepare for restaurant working.
I appreciate the straight to the point style of this course. It didn’t have a bunch of fluff to confuse the mind when it came to the reviews. I enjoyed the pace at which the topics were discussed and the questions at the end of each portion. I feel confident that the test will go well because of this.
This course was in bite-size, easy to understand sections with review questions throughout to make sure one understands the information. Even working in the food industry for 13 years, I learned several things. Thank you!
I love how everything was simple and to the point the rewind feature would me nice to go back and no have to star over each time
I wish you could back up the recording. You can pause, but if I wanted to hear something twice the only way is to play the whole thing over. The way my memory works is hearing things twice is helpful.
Very thorough and explained everything
Once I got started I couldn’t stop because this course was so informative and easy to navigate.