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United States · Food safety certification

Arkansas CFPM rule: is ServSafe certification the only option?

Arkansas has required at least one certified food protection manager in retail food establishments since September 7, 2019. A business permitted under the current rule has 12 months from its permit date to comply. Section 2-102.12 takes any exam accredited under the Conference for Food Protection standard, so ServSafe certification in Arkansas is accepted along with NRFSP, StateFoodSafety and the others.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Arkansas in brief

Who needs a CFPMAt least one supervisory employee
Deadline12 months from your permit date
ExemptCommercially prepackaged food only, or approved low-risk non-TCS food
Exams acceptedCFP-recognized accredited programs
Where to askYour county health unit

Who needs a certified manager in Arkansas?

Section 2-102.11 of the Arkansas Rules Pertaining to Retail Food Establishments (effective October 24, 2022) says at least one employee with supervisory and management responsibility must be a certified food protection manager.

Establishments that only sell commercially prepackaged foods are exempt, and so are those offering only low-risk, non-TCS foods the regulatory authority has approved.

Does ServSafe certification count in Arkansas?

Section 2-102.12 accepts a certificate from a program evaluated and listed by a Conference for Food Protection-recognized accrediting agency. ServSafe Manager, the National Registry exam, StateFoodSafety's exam and the others that say they're ANAB-accredited qualify.

There's no Arkansas renewal period in the rule. Renew by the date your exam provider puts on the certificate.

How renewal works →

Where to ask

Permits and plan review go through your county health unit, so that's the office to ask about your business.

Sources: Arkansas Department of Health · ServSafe · National Registry and 3 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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