For those seeking to advance their food safety knowledge and fulfill state requirements, becoming a Certified Food Protection Manager in Washington State is a smart career move. This certification not only elevates your professional credentials but is also a vital step toward ensuring public health and safety in food establishments across the state.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through what it takes to earn your Food Protection Manager Certification, the types of programs you should consider, and why national accreditation matters. Whether you’re already working in food service or looking to take on a managerial role, this blog is your roadmap to certification success.
A Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) is an individual who has demonstrated food safety knowledge by passing an exam from a program recognized by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)) and the Conference for Food Protection (CFP). This certification is nationally recognized and often required by health departments across the U.S.
In Washington State, the Food Protection Manager Certification plays a critical role in ensuring food establishments are operated under the supervision of trained and qualified personnel.
Here are the steps to becoming a certified food protection manager in Washington State:
Look for a nationally accredited food manager certification program that has been approved by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)) in partnership with the Conference for Food Protection (CFP). These programs are designed to ensure that managers understand food safety principles.
AAA Food Handler offers a nationally recognized and ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited Food Protection Manager Certification that is accepted in Arizona and across the U.S.
Whether you prefer online or in-person learning, there are plenty of study options available. Most ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited programs offer practice tests, review guides, and interactive learning tools to prepare you for the certification exam.
AAA Food Handler provides flexible, online training designed for busy professionals.
The exam typically includes 80-90 multiple-choice questions covering areas like personal hygiene, cross-contamination, time and temperature control, and cleaning/sanitizing. A passing score is required to earn your Food Safety Certification and become a Certified Food Protection Manager.
In Washington State, the Certified Food Protection Manager credential is valid for five years. After that, you’ll need to retake the exam through a nationally accredited food manager certification program to renew your status.
AAA Food Handler provides instant access to your certificate once you pass the exam.
Yes, AAA Food Handler offers a Food Manager Certification program that is fully accepted in Washington State. Our course is nationally accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)) and recognized by the Conference for Food Protection (CFP)—meeting all regulatory requirements.
Choose a program that fits your schedule, supports your goals, and is officially recognized—AAA Food Handler is that choice.
Another frequently asked question. A food handler is typically responsible for day-to-day food preparation tasks and must follow safe handling procedures. In contrast, a food manager oversees food safety protocols, ensures regulatory compliance, and trains staff.
In most cases, a food handler certification is faster and easier to obtain, while the Food Protection Manager Certification involves more in-depth training and a proctored exam. Many establishments in Washington require both certifications for full coverage and safety assurance.
If you need more details about requirements or regulatory updates, contact:
Washington State Department of Health
Food Safety Programs
PO Box 47824
Olympia, Washington 98504
They provide guidance on certification requirements, food safety laws, and local health codes.
Earning your Certified Food Protection Manager Washington State credential is more than just checking a box—it’s a professional investment. With food safety becoming more complex and heavily regulated, having a nationally accredited food manager certification from a program approved by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)) and Conference for Food Protection (CFP) ensures you’re both compliant and competent.
At AAA Food Handler, we have years of experience helping professionals like you succeed in the food safety industry. We encourage you to take that next step and become a certified food protection manager in Washington State—your team, your customers, and your career will thank you.
FOOD
HANDLER
Food Handler Reviews
4.9
Food-Handler Course
The course itself was easy to understand, and overall easily digestible with straightforward but detailed modules.
good
the course is good and easy to learn
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food handler
good
food handler
overall good
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Informative but lacking
I found this course to be very informative as I have not been in the food industry before. However some of the questions asked were not covered in the course and there was one specific questions that was so grammatically incorrect it was confusing to understand what it was asking.
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Timing
Went well , however; tablet was having issues
Easily Understandable
Good course and user friendly
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One simple word...
Great
It was knowledgeable
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Understood
Great!
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Very informative
The course was informative and easy to follow.
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Food Handler Reviews
4.9
Food-Handler Course
The course itself was easy to understand, and overall easily digestible with straightforward but detailed modules.
good
the course is good and easy to learn
No Title
food handler
good
food handler
overall good
No Title
Informative but lacking
I found this course to be very informative as I have not been in the food industry before. However some of the questions asked were not covered in the course and there was one specific questions that was so grammatically incorrect it was confusing to understand what it was asking.
No Title
Timing
Went well , however; tablet was having issues
Easily Understandable
Good course and user friendly
No Title
One simple word...
Great
It was knowledgeable
No Title
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Understood
Great!
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Very informative
The course was informative and easy to follow.
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Starting at $6.95
FOOD MANAGER
Food Manager Reviews
4.9
No Title
Very simple and understandable
Highly recommended!!
Beneficial Information
I learned a lot. Very detailed information given.
Great course
Well written and organized
This was a well written course. It flowed well.
Great site
n/a
n/a
What a great informative course
The course is very thorough and informative. I can go with my own pace with helps me to understand the informations better. Highly recommended
No Title
Easy and Informative
Watch each section and answer a few questions and then there is your final test. You will definitely learn a lot.
Excellent course
I highly recommend this course to anyone needing to get their food handler manager certification. This was an easy to follow course and you can always replay to completely understand the information. Very satisfied, thank you.
Great information for food managers
Well structured, easy to follow.
Work at your own pace.
All subjects covered clearly.
Great Training
great training before taking practice exams and final test
Course was engaging
The course was engaging and kept me interested.
Very Informative
Very Informative and straight forward.
Buen programa
Facil de comprender
Muy buen programa para aprender
Great Course to take
Was informative and easy self guided
length
it felt a bit long but very thorough.
Easy to Follow
The online food handling course was clear, informative, and easy to follow. It covered all the essential topics with practical examples, making it easy to understand even for beginners. I appreciated the flexibility to complete it at my own pace. Highly recommended for anyone needing certification or a refresher!
Food Manager Reviews
4.9
No Title
Very simple and understandable
Highly recommended!!
Beneficial Information
I learned a lot. Very detailed information given.
Great course
Well written and organized
This was a well written course. It flowed well.
Great site
n/a
n/a
What a great informative course
The course is very thorough and informative. I can go with my own pace with helps me to understand the informations better. Highly recommended
No Title
Easy and Informative
Watch each section and answer a few questions and then there is your final test. You will definitely learn a lot.
Excellent course
I highly recommend this course to anyone needing to get their food handler manager certification. This was an easy to follow course and you can always replay to completely understand the information. Very satisfied, thank you.
Great information for food managers
Well structured, easy to follow.
Work at your own pace.
All subjects covered clearly.
Great Training
great training before taking practice exams and final test
Course was engaging
The course was engaging and kept me interested.
Very Informative
Very Informative and straight forward.
Buen programa
Facil de comprender
Muy buen programa para aprender
Great Course to take
Was informative and easy self guided
length
it felt a bit long but very thorough.
Easy to Follow
The online food handling course was clear, informative, and easy to follow. It covered all the essential topics with practical examples, making it easy to understand even for beginners. I appreciated the flexibility to complete it at my own pace. Highly recommended for anyone needing certification or a refresher!
Starting at $49.95
ALCOHOL TRAINING
Alcohol Training Reviews
4.8
Great Course!
Simple and quick process
Informative Refresher
This course really gave me more confidence with my knowledge and helped me to gain a better understanding with topics that are a bit tricky.
Thorough and Easy to navigate
Overall great way to get a course done. The on screen prompt was well read and paced well.
Responsible Beverage Service
This course was informative.
very good
No Title
simple to follow
great
good
good
Clear and concise education
I’d recommend this training course to any one wanting the certificate. The price is certainly right!
No Title
Way too lengthy, thought it would never end
Informative course
This course was easy to moderate as far as content and delivery. I’m glad I took this class also because it was very affordable.
Great Videos
As someone who can have a hard time reading, I very much appreciate that the entirety of this training was videos. They went into just enough detail to get you the information and didn’t force you to sit through unnecessary information. Great training program would defiantly recommend
gr8
gr8
RBS Training Review
The RBS Training was very impactful. there was a plethora of information.
The training was informative and thorough , offering a strong reiteration of key information. The course effectively reinforced laws, polices. and best practices by presenting questions in multiple formats, ensuring comprehension and retention.
No Title
No Title
Ok
No Title
Excellent course
The course was genuinely very helpful.
nice work
easy to use, and did what i needed it to do
Alcohol Training Reviews
4.8
Great Course!
Simple and quick process
Informative Refresher
This course really gave me more confidence with my knowledge and helped me to gain a better understanding with topics that are a bit tricky.
Thorough and Easy to navigate
Overall great way to get a course done. The on screen prompt was well read and paced well.
Responsible Beverage Service
This course was informative.
very good
No Title
simple to follow
great
good
good
Clear and concise education
I’d recommend this training course to any one wanting the certificate. The price is certainly right!
No Title
Way too lengthy, thought it would never end
Informative course
This course was easy to moderate as far as content and delivery. I’m glad I took this class also because it was very affordable.
Great Videos
As someone who can have a hard time reading, I very much appreciate that the entirety of this training was videos. They went into just enough detail to get you the information and didn’t force you to sit through unnecessary information. Great training program would defiantly recommend
gr8
gr8
RBS Training Review
The RBS Training was very impactful. there was a plethora of information.
The training was informative and thorough , offering a strong reiteration of key information. The course effectively reinforced laws, polices. and best practices by presenting questions in multiple formats, ensuring comprehension and retention.
No Title
No Title
Ok
No Title
Excellent course
The course was genuinely very helpful.
nice work
easy to use, and did what i needed it to do
Starting at $7.95
ALLERGEN TRAINING
Alcohol Training Reviews
4.8
Great Course!
Simple and quick process
Informative Refresher
This course really gave me more confidence with my knowledge and helped me to gain a better understanding with topics that are a bit tricky.
Thorough and Easy to navigate
Overall great way to get a course done. The on screen prompt was well read and paced well.
Responsible Beverage Service
This course was informative.
very good
No Title
simple to follow
great
good
good
Clear and concise education
I’d recommend this training course to any one wanting the certificate. The price is certainly right!
No Title
Way too lengthy, thought it would never end
Informative course
This course was easy to moderate as far as content and delivery. I’m glad I took this class also because it was very affordable.
Great Videos
As someone who can have a hard time reading, I very much appreciate that the entirety of this training was videos. They went into just enough detail to get you the information and didn’t force you to sit through unnecessary information. Great training program would defiantly recommend
gr8
gr8
RBS Training Review
The RBS Training was very impactful. there was a plethora of information.
The training was informative and thorough , offering a strong reiteration of key information. The course effectively reinforced laws, polices. and best practices by presenting questions in multiple formats, ensuring comprehension and retention.
No Title
No Title
Ok
No Title
Excellent course
The course was genuinely very helpful.
nice work
easy to use, and did what i needed it to do
Allergen Training Review
4.9
great learning tool
this course was well put together and helped me retain what i have learned. the guide for the test at the end helped. learn some new things as well that i will let my team know about.
Great Review for people working in the Food Industry
It started with good statistics of how poor communication & food service can create an emergency for someone with food allergens.
Easy to understand, confident training
This module was communicated very well. I felt confident in the material at the end and passed the exam easily.
food allergies
it was good
Efficient and Informative: AAA Food Handler Training Experience
I recently completed the training and test with AAA Food Handler and found the experience smooth and professional. The course material was clear, up-to-date, and easy to follow, even for first-timers. The training covered essential food safety practices, and the test was straightforward, reflecting what was taught. I appreciated the quick certification process and would definitely recommend AAA Food Handler to anyone in the food service industry.
No Title
Easy to understand!
This is my second time taking this exam. Very easy to understand. I enjoyed the refresher.
allergen course
very informative
No Title
i highly recommend these courses to be taken for either knowledge or advance your career! worth every penny and easy to use.
No Title
Great and fun learning experience
Great and fun learning experience! Easy to learn and loved the different segments.
food allergy
i really like this course class its helpful in the kitchen
In Depth & Informitive
worth gaining the knowledge on how to remain safe and hold regard to public health
Great
Very informative. Thank you
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Great
Thanks
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Learned a lot
very good and intuitive course!
awesome test
its a very good course, clear and very direct studying.
No Title
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