Certified Food Manager Guidelines

Food establishments operating in Fairfax County (including the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church) must be under the immediate supervision of a Certified Food Manager (CFM). However, an establishment defined as a "Limited Food Establishment" may operate under the control of a Limited Certified Food Manager (LCFM). A Limited Food Establishment is one that serves only hotdogs or frankfurter-type foods, pre-packaged foods, or foods that are not potentially hazardous.

To obtain a Northern Virginia CFM or LCFM card you must go to ORS Interactive, Inc. You will need to show proof of passing one of the "Recognized Exams" listed below. If you have not yet taken an exam, you can do so at the ORS Interactive, Inc. office and receive your card the same day. Call ORS Interactive, Inc. for information about taking an exam and any applicable fees. A Northern Virginia Food Manager Card is valid in Fairfax County, Arlington County, and the City of Alexandria. CFM and LCFM cards must be renewed every five years based on the successful completion of another exam at the time of renewal. Also listed below are organizations that offer exam preparation courses. Many give the exam at the end of the course.

ORS Interactive offers exams in the following languages: English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, French and Arabic. The Health Department also has a limited lending library of written materials and videos available for use by the general public.

ORS Interactive, Inc.
Located in the Doctors Building at
6316 Castle Place, Suite 201
Falls Church, VA 22044
Ph: 703-533-7600 Fax: 703-533-7630

The following food manager examinations are approved by the Health Departments in Fairfax County, Arlington County, and the City of Alexandria:

Experior Assessments: 703-578-9606
National Registry of Food Safety Professionals: 800-446-0257
Serve-Safe (The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation): 800-765-2122

The following are some of the organizations that offer preparation courses with recognized exams.

Alexandria City Public Schools	703-824-6850
Alexandria Health Department	703-838-4400 Ext.260
American Food Safety institute (Courses offered in Spanish & Chinese)	800-723-3873
ATI Career Institute (Offers the course & the exam)	703-821-8570
Boston School Company (Courses available in Spanish)	301-490-9222
Byong Yoo & Associates	800-676-3121
E. Archer Taylor - Quality Assurance for Foodservice (for Groups of 8 or more)	540-368-0454
Food Safety and Salud (Course offered in English and Spanish)	703-333-5707 1-888-925-7433
Foodsense Inc.	703-848-0858
Guest Services	703-849-9338
Learn 2 Serve (www.learn2serve.com)	1-888-360-8771
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Annandale Campus	703-323-3168
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) Manassas Campus	703-257-6632
ORS Interactive, Inc. (Course offered in English and Spanish)	703-533-7600
Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW)	202-331-5934
Vie De France Yamazaki Inc.	703-442-9205

This information is provided as a courtesy. Fairfax County does not endorse or recommend any company or service provider and does not guarantee the accuracy of the information.