Food Handler Card Requirements in Minnesota
Minnesota takes a different path: there is no individual food handler card here at all. This page explains what the state requires instead, and who actually needs a food safety certification — every fact checked against the official sources cited below.
Minnesota Food Handler Card at a Glance
- Card required?
- Not required — no food handler card exists here
- Cost
- State CFPM fee: $45 nonrefundable certification fee for initial certification or renewal, plus a $5 technology fee on every initial, renewal, or duplicate application (Minn. Stat. 157.16 subd. 2a). A duplicate certificate costs $25. These are the MDH registration fees only; the training course and accredited exam are priced separately by private providers and no state-set figure exists. No food handler card fee exists because there is no card.
- Valid for
- Minnesota CFPM certificate is valid statewide for 3 years from the effective date printed on the certificate (Minn. Rules 4626.0033 item N). The effective date of an initial certificate is the date the applicant passed the approved exam; a renewal certificate takes effect one day after the previous certificate expired. A renewal application may be submitted up to 6 months after the expiration date; beyond that the applicant must retake an initial course exam. A CFPM certificate is not transferable to another person.
- Approved courses
- Official Minnesota approved-provider list
This table shows only facts we could verify from official pages or Minnesota law. If a detail you need is missing, confirm it with the agency above before you rely on it.
FoodHandlerTest is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) or any certifying organization.
Does Minnesota Require a Food Handler Card?
Every state writes its own food safety rules. Of the 25 states we have published so far, 8 require food handler training statewide, 6 leave the decision to counties, and 11 require no individual card at all. Minnesota sits in the last group: line employees need no card, and the state's training rules attach to supervisors and managers instead.
What Minnesota Requires Instead
No food handler card exists in Minnesota, so no training is mandated for individual line employees. For the Minnesota Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) - the credential the food code does require - Minn. Rules 4626.0033 item H says the commissioner accepts only examinations evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection recognized accrediting agency as conforming to the CFP Standards for Accreditation of Food Protection Manager Certification Programs (the ANSI/ANAB-CFP accreditation). An applicant must complete an approved training course and pass an approved exam, then apply to MDH within six months of passing. Renewal requires at least 4 contact hours of MDH-approved continuing education taken within the effective dates of the valid certificate. MDH does not run training itself but approves instructors and courses, offered by private companies, community and technical colleges, some local agencies, and University of Minnesota Extension.
FoodHandlerTest is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) or any certifying organization.
Statewide vs. County Rules in Minnesota
No county or city food handler card programmes were identified. MDH states that local jurisdictions may impose requirements beyond the state food code, and Minneapolis is the notable example: the city requires a food establishment licensee (other than short-term establishments) to employ at least one full-time person with supervisory responsibility holding a current MDH food manager certificate, and the city's published guidance states that ONLY Minnesota Department of Health CFPM certificates are recognized in Minneapolis - an out-of-state or unregistered accredited-exam certificate is not enough. Licensing is split between MDH, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and delegated local authorities depending on establishment type, so operators should confirm with whichever agency issues their licence.
Food Manager Certification in Minnesota
Minnesota does not issue food handler cards, but it does have a separate requirement for certified food protection managers:
Yes. Minn. Rules 4626.0033 item A requires a food establishment licensee to employ a certified food protection manager for each establishment, including establishments that reheat ready-to-eat TCS foods for hot holding. One CFPM per establishment is the state minimum, and a CFPM may not serve more than one location. A licensee that ceases to employ a CFPM must employ a new one within 60 days. Only upon opening or reopening may a licensee employ one full-time employee who has passed an approved exam within the past six months and who obtains certification within 60 days. The current original or duplicate certificate must be displayed in the establishment. Exemptions (item B): low-risk food establishments as defined in Minn. Stat. 157.20; special event food stands; retail food vehicles, portable structures, or carts; and establishments whose food preparation is solely limited to preparing or packaging non-TCS foods made from non-TCS ingredients, processing raw meat/poultry/fish/game intended for cooking by the consumer, or heating or serving precooked hot dog or sausage products, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, or frozen pizza.
Preparing for a manager exam?
Manager exams go deeper than food handler courses — HACCP, active managerial control, and temperature rules in detail. Our free practice test mirrors that format, with an explanation for every answer.
Free Food Manager Practice TestMinnesota Food Handler Card FAQs
Do you need a food handler card in Minnesota?
No. Minnesota has no individual food handler card requirement. The state's food safety training rules apply to the person in charge and managers instead.
What food safety training does Minnesota require?
No food handler card exists in Minnesota, so no training is mandated for individual line employees. For the Minnesota Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) - the credential the food code does require - Minn. Rules 4626.0033 item H says the commissioner accepts only examinations evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection recognized accrediting agency as conforming to the CFP Standards for Accreditation of Food Protection Manager Certification Programs (the ANSI/ANAB-CFP accreditation). An applicant must complete an approved training course and pass an approved exam, then apply to MDH within six months of passing. Renewal requires at least 4 contact hours of MDH-approved continuing education taken within the effective dates of the valid certificate. MDH does not run training itself but approves instructors and courses, offered by private companies, community and technical colleges, some local agencies, and University of Minnesota Extension.
Does Minnesota require a certified food manager?
Yes. Minn. Rules 4626.0033 item A requires a food establishment licensee to employ a certified food protection manager for each establishment, including establishments that reheat ready-to-eat TCS foods for hot holding. One CFPM per establishment is the state minimum, and a CFPM may not serve more than one location. A licensee that ceases to employ a CFPM must employ a new one within 60 days. Only upon opening or reopening may a licensee employ one full-time employee who has passed an approved exam within the past six months and who obtains certification within 60 days. The current original or duplicate certificate must be displayed in the establishment. Exemptions (item B): low-risk food establishments as defined in Minn. Stat. 157.20; special event food stands; retail food vehicles, portable structures, or carts; and establishments whose food preparation is solely limited to preparing or packaging non-TCS foods made from non-TCS ingredients, processing raw meat/poultry/fish/game intended for cooking by the consumer, or heating or serving precooked hot dog or sausage products, popcorn, nachos, pretzels, or frozen pizza.
Sources
Last reviewed July 26, 2026. Every fact on this page was checked against the primary sources below on the dates shown.
- Minnesota Rules 4626.0033 - Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) Requirements for Food Establishments (full rule text: items A-B exemptions, C/E 60-day rules, G-I certification, H accreditation, N 3-year validity) Accessed July 26, 2026
- Minnesota Statutes 157.16 subd. 2a - Food manager certification fee ($45 certification, $25 duplicate, $5 technology fee) Accessed July 26, 2026
- MDH - CFPM Requirements for Food Establishments Accessed July 26, 2026
- MDH - Minnesota Certified Food Protection Manager Fact Sheet (duties, 60-day rule, exemptions, ANSI-CFP exams) Accessed July 26, 2026
- MDH - Initial and Renewal Process, Minnesota CFPM (3-year validity, 4 hours continuing education, 6-month windows) Accessed July 26, 2026
- City of Minneapolis - Food Safety Trainings ('Only Minnesota Department of Health CFPM certificates are recognized in Minneapolis') Accessed July 26, 2026
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FoodHandlerTest is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Restaurant Association (ServSafe) or any certifying organization.