People search for a NYC food handlers card or license, but the official credential from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is the Food Protection Certificate. The NYC Health Code requires food service establishments to have a supervisor who holds the certificate on site during all hours of operation. The course is open to anyone, and the Health Department encourages restaurants to certify more staff so there are no gaps in supervision.
| Online course | Classroom course | |
|---|---|---|
| Course cost | No charge | $114, including the final exam |
| Exam cost | $24 base price, taken in person | Included |
| Format | Self-paced, 15 lessons with a quiz after each | 15 hours over five days, three hours a day, usually Monday to Friday |
| Course languages | English, Spanish, Chinese | English, Spanish, Bengali |
| Exam | Scheduled after you pass the course | Given on the last day of class |
| Where | Exam at the NYC Health Academy in Manhattan or the College of Staten Island | NYC Health Academy, Riverside Health Center, 160 West 100th Street, Manhattan |
Study guides and final exams are offered in 37 languages. At the Health Academy, paying for the exam by card adds a $0.60 fee. When Monday is a City holiday, the classroom course runs Tuesday to Friday with longer daily sessions.
The course trains people in food protection practices used in NYC food establishments. Expect topics such as foodborne illness, time and temperature control, personal hygiene, cross-contamination, cleaning and sanitizing, pest control and the Health Code rules inspectors check. The Health Department publishes a Food Protection Course Training Manual and a study guide you can read before the exam.
You must sign up again for the classroom course or retake the online course, and pay the fees again.
No. According to NYC Business, the Food Protection Certificate does not expire and does not need to be renewed, and you can use it at any NYC food establishment that holds a Health Department permit. If you lose it, a replacement costs $16 by appointment, as long as you passed the course within the last 10 years. If it has been longer, you must retake the course and exam.
Applicants for a NYC Mobile Food Vendor license take a separate Food Protection Course for Mobile Vendors: eight hours over two days, $53, registered in person at the Citywide Licensing Center. The license itself is applied for and paid separately ($50). There is also a separate renewal course for mobile vendors.
EZTime scheduling lets you see who is on each shift before you publish, and time-off requests show you gaps early. Digital forms keep certificates in one place. See also restaurant manager duties and how to start a food truck business.
The online Food Protection Course has no charge and the in-person exam costs $24. The classroom course is $114 including the exam.
No. NYC says the certificate does not expire and does not need to be renewed. A replacement costs $16 if you passed within the last 10 years.
Food service establishments must have a certified supervisor on site during all hours of operation. Mobile food vendor license applicants take a separate course.
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Updated November 2026. General information only; not legal advice. Fees and rules from NYC Health Department and NYC Business pages; confirm current details with NYC Health before you register.