Get or Renew Your New York Food Manager Certification

New York State does not have a statewide law requiring a certified food manager at food service establishments. However, local jurisdictions may have their own requirements — so the rules depend on where you operate.

New York City is one example, but it operates under its own program and only accepts its own food protection certificate — a third-party certification like FoodSafePal’s does not satisfy the NYC requirement.

Outside of NYC, if your county or city does require a certified food manager, that certification typically applies to establishments that handle and cook raw meat, poultry, or seafood. This includes restaurants, diners, cafes, food trucks, catering companies, delis, school cafeterias, hospital cafeterias, nursing home kitchens, assisted living facility kitchens, correctional facility kitchens, military base dining facilities, and any operation that cooks, cools, or reheats food.

Higher-complexity operations like sushi restaurants, establishments that cure or smoke meats in-house, or those using specialized cooking techniques like sous vide may also be required to have a certified manager on-site.

If you own multiple permitted departments within the same building — such as a grocery store with a deli, bakery, and hot food counter — one certified manager can typically cover all departments.

Coffee shops, convenience stores, and establishments that only serve pre-packaged or minimally handled food are generally exempt.