Well DoneFood Manager · EN/ES
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Important notice. Well Done is a private app by El Tarantin. It does not represent the FDA, the United States government, or any federal, state or local government entity, and it is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any of them, or by any certifying body. This page is informational and does not guarantee that you will pass any exam. The official word comes from Florida's DBPR: the links are below.
The Florida Food Protection Manager exam
If you are going to run a kitchen or a restaurant in Florida, the state asks you for a food manager certification. Here is what is worth knowing before you pay for the exam, with the official sources so you can check it yourself.
The short version
- Who: managers of food service businesses licensed by Florida's DBPR.
- Deadline: 30 days from the day you start working as a manager.
- How long it lasts: five years. After that you take the exam again.
- Where: with any of the 13 private programs the DBPR accepts.
What it is
Certified Food Manager is the title you earn by passing a written food safety exam. The standards are developed by the Conference for Food Protection (CFP), a national food safety body, and endorsed by the FDA. The state does not give the exam: private companies accredited by the CFP do.
Who needs it
Florida law (Section 509.039, Florida Statutes) requires the managers responsible for storing, preparing, displaying and serving food in a DBPR-licensed establishment to pass the exam. Every establishment needs at least one certified food manager, and one has to be present any time four or more employees are preparing, storing or serving food. If you start as a manager, you have 30 days from your first day to get certified.
This is not the same as training for the rest of the kitchen staff. Managers pass a written exam; other food workers complete a training that does not require a written exam, and a certified manager does not have to take it.
How long it lasts, and if it follows you to a new job
The certificate belongs to you, not to the restaurant. If you change jobs, it stays valid until it is five years old. Then you take the exam again.
Where to take it: 13 options
The DBPR accepts the exam from 13 private programs accredited by ANAB and the CFP, and any of the 13 counts in Florida. Choose by price, by available date and by language. The official list, with each program's name, is published by the DBPR (link below).
The language changes from one program to another. In our last review (September and October 2026), nine of the 13 offered the exam in Spanish as well, and the rest in English only. At least one gives you the Spanish version only if you ask for it after paying. Ask before you pay.
The printed dictionary
The examinee handbook of one of the accredited programs lets people whose first language is not English bring a printed bilingual dictionary, for example English-Spanish. It has to be clean, with no loose papers or notes inside; the proctor checks it before the exam starts, and electronic dictionaries are not allowed.
Each program sets its own rules, and some do not accept a dictionary. Confirm it with your testing center before exam day.
How to practice with Well Done
Well Done is a free app, with no ads and no account, to practice this exam in English with Spanish one tap away. Every question shows in English, like the real exam. If you need Spanish, you see it first for the question and then, if needed, for the answer choices. A traffic light tells you whether you missed it because of the topic or because of the English.
- 338 original questions across the 9 areas of the exam, with an explanation for every choice.
- A 90-question, 2-hour practice exam.
- An English-Spanish glossary of 200+ terms, with a printable sheet to bring if your testing center allows it.
- It works offline and keeps your progress on your phone.
It opens in your browser and can also be installed as an app.
Official sources
- Florida DBPR: Food Service Manager Certification, with the list of the 13 programs.
- DBPR: Who must be a Certified Food Manager? (frequently asked questions).
- Section 509.039, Florida Statutes.
- FDA: Food Code 2022, the base of what you study.
Independent study material based on the FDA Food Code 2022 and its 2024 Supplement (fda.gov), a U.S. Government publication in the public domain. This app does not represent the FDA, the U.S. Government or any government entity, and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any certifying body. Passing any exam is not guaranteed. Requirements change: always check them with the DBPR. © 2026 El Tarantin · Privacy policy · Leer en español