Looking to earn your DC food safety certification? Whether you work in a restaurant, food truck, grocery store, or catering business in Washington, D.C., food safety training is essential to protect public health and meet local health department standards.
Our online course is ANAB-accredited and accepted for food handler certification in D.C. It’s designed for food workers at all levels who need to understand safe food handling, hygiene practices, and how to prevent foodborne illness.
✅ 100% Online – Learn on your schedule
✅ Accepted for DC food safety certification
✅ Works on any device – phone, tablet, or computer
✅ Simple, fast, and beginner-friendly
✅ Get your certificate instantly after completion



















Education is the best tool to prevent, minimize, or eliminate foodborne illnesses and food hazards.
Training helps reduce or eliminate food safety hazards before they become major issues.
Reducing food safety complaints will create a happier workplace and in turn increase productivity.
Serving safe food will increase productivity will in turn increase workplace satisfaction.
Yes. Washington, D.C. follows the FDA Food Code, which requires a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) at each licensed food establishment.
A CFPM is someone who has passed a nationally accredited food manager certification exam through the ANAB and the Conference for Food Protection (CFP). This ensures managers have advanced food safety knowledge.
Yes. Anyone selling food at street fairs, farmers’ markets, or festivals in D.C. must follow health department rules, and many require a CFPM or trained food handler to be present.
Completing food handler training through AAA Food Handler not only boosts your job prospects by showing employers that you take food safety seriously, but it also helps protect public health. The CDC estimates that a large percentage of norovirus outbreaks—often mistaken for the “stomach flu”—are linked to food workers handling food while contagious. In fact, Washington, DC has experienced several foodborne illness outbreaks in recent years. By applying the safe food handling practices you learn in training, you can make a real difference in preventing foodborne illnesses and keeping your community safe.
You must complete a Food Protection Manager Certification exam from an ANAB-accredited provider. AAA Food Handler offers online courses to help prepare for the exam.
Most Food Handler courses take about 2–3 hours, while the Food Manager course usually takes 6–8 hours before you attempt the certification exam.
The passing score is generally 70% or higher on an ANAB-accredited exam.
Yes. Any school or childcare program that prepares and serves meals must follow food safety rules, and many require trained staff or a Certified Food Protection Manager.
Yes. CFPM certification is valid for five years. Renewal requires retaking and passing the accredited exam. AAA Food Handler provides refresher courses to make the process easier.
Yes. AAA Food Handler provides nationally accredited Food Protection Manager Certification, Food Handler training and allergen awareness programs that comply with D.C. standards.
Yes. AAA Food Handler provides group accounts with dashboards to help employers manage certification dates, renewals, and staff compliance.
Foodborne illness remains a serious concern across the U.S., including in Washington, DC. In fact, between 2003 and 2012, the Center for Science in the Public Interest recorded 19 outbreaks in the District—most commonly caused by preventable viruses like Norovirus and Sapovirus. Because food service managers are responsible for training staff and enforcing food safety practices, they play a critical role in prevention. Earning an ANAB-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certification through AAA Food Handler ensures managers have the knowledge and skills to maintain the highest safety standards. These certifications are backed by the FDA and CDC, reinforcing their value in protecting public health.
Food Handler Reviews
4.9
Easy and fast fantastic
Awesome
I actually love it though there are ALOT of videos it was easier to understand and gather information
It was not that hard gets straight to point does not take long at all but still very helpful learned a lot about food
easy to follow, simple graphics/stock images, but I really appreciate subtitles and ability to speed up the instructing videos.
How it is so easy to contaminate food with foodborne illnesses.
I feel that the modules could have been combined a bit more.
This course was very interesting, Having worked in the food industry for over 40 yrs., it was a great way to re-learn and learn up to date standards in the food industry, .Highly recommend taking this coure
Get informed for proper handling of foods for your health and others health care
The process was easy to follow and informative.
This course was very informative. My attention is always drawn to prevention strategies, such the information discussed in this course, of any kind that serve to reduce or even eliminate bad outcomes. I learned a lot, and this was easy to understand. And, you can tell there is a lot of biology, chemistry, and public health knowledge here which also draws my attention. Now I am at least aware of the tools and procedures needed to protect the public which I can now use. I have a newfound respect for food handlers who are diligent in this aspect of their job. It is a sign they care and are protecting people like me. And now I can critique a business to determine if that entity is performing best practices for protecting the public including myself, and to not patronize a business that is not (better able to protect myself).
easy to understand
Short and clear information.
the course was clear and helpful.
it was good
Food Manager Reviews
4.9
This was just a longer version of the standard food handlers course. Feels more bureaucratic than useful.
Would like take away notes and to be able to rewind and replay without starting over. Excellent presentation and useful thank you
Every course was easy to understand and to remember! Everything was fantastic.
Great and fun to learn!
This course has been extremely informative about how to properly handle food when cooking cooling and storing. Not handling food properly could cause illness and even death. It is always safe to follow proper procedures and guideline when preparing food. Where you dine is equally as important as to where your purchase food for cooking. For our own safety and the safety of our loved ones it is important that we do everything possible to stay safe from any foodborne illnesses. Those of us that prepare food for others must be aware of all dangers that could take place by not washing our hands effectively. There is so must to learn about keeping everyone safe in the food industry, this course is an important leap forward in doing just that. There should be no corners cut when preparing food.
Course was easy to maneuver through. English was presented clear and understandable. I like the fact you can pause and pick up later where you left off without trying to find out where you left off at. It starts automatically.
Great
I found this food manager course to very informative. I learned a great deal of information regarding handling and managing food.
The modules were very clear, broken into appropriate sections and easy to follow.
I thought the course was easy to follow along with and well presented. The follow up questions within the modules were helpful as well.
I enjoyed learning again all information. I was happy to know that there are new things out that can affect what I do at my job. The teachings were very helpful.
Very informative and easy to follow
Information is kept straightforward and simple to remember
Information communicated concisely! Website a tad glitchy but nothing that inhibited continuing the training. Glad to have some clear answers to a few looming questions. Thanks to Maria!
I like the way AAA kept the course simple and easy to understand. Giving the details of food safety in a logical easy to remember way.
Food Allergen Reviews
5.0
SImple, informative, and decent time.
Long, but good
This training was very helpful with helping food preparers understand the severity of food allergens and how to work with foods that cause potential allergies.
It was good.
Most staff members take this course while still performing other on the clock duties. The case study does not offer anything productive to the course, and increases the time (and cost) to go through unnecessarily.
Other than that, solid and informative.
easy and informative
Loved it. Easy, fast, and reliable and worth it.
Very good leaning experience
Not bad pricing well worth it.
Very Informative and most salient in today’s restaurant industry.
great
It was a course, but honestly, this could of been done during the food handlers course. No reason to pay an extra $13 for a course
For starters, I love the freedom of working from home. Being able to review each module a second time if necessary allows the ability to get a clear understanding of the lesson. The practice test preps you for the final exam!
great information
imforamitive and educational
informative and educational
Harassment Training Review
5.0
learned a lot