Can you take the ServSafe Manager exam online?

What you need

• A laptop or desktop computer. Phones, tablets and Chromebooks aren’t supported.
• A working webcam and microphone, and a strong internet connection.
• A government-issued photo ID, or a valid student school ID.
• A private room and a clear desk.
• Your exam access code. For ProctorU it starts with "SSMPU".

How it works

1. Buy the exam, or the course and exam bundle, from ServSafe.
2. Create a ProctorU account and book a session. Booking more than 72 hours ahead avoids an extra fee.
3. Log in at least 20 minutes early. Allow about 2.5 hours in total.
4. Once you start, you have 2 hours for the 90 questions.
5. You get your result by email. If you pass, your certificate shows up in your ServSafe account, usually within 24 hours.

Rules during the exam

No books, notes, websites or calculators. No food or drink. You can’t talk out loud, look away from the screen, leave the camera view or let anyone into the room. You can use only one monitor.

If you show up more than 15 minutes late, ProctorU cancels the appointment.

What doesn’t count as an online exam

You can do ServSafe’s online course on your own, but the exam must always be proctored. You can’t proctor yourself, and a registered ServSafe proctor can’t run an exam remotely through a video app. ProctorU is the only web-based proctor ServSafe has approved.

Other providers offer online exams too. National Registry (NRFSP) works with ProctorU, and Always Food Safe’s exam is remotely proctored from home.

Languages online

ServSafe’s FAQ lists the online exam in English, Spanish and Chinese. The paper exam comes in more languages, including Korean, Japanese and French Canadian, each with English, plus large print.