33-30-02-04.1. Qualifications and requirements for licensure as a certified professional - Food safety.

1. The applicant shall complete an application for licensure and pay the required application fee.

2. The applicant shall meet at least one of the following criteria in the "degree" or "experience" track: a. Degree track: (1) A baccalaureate degree in an accredited environmental health or food science curriculum or a baccalaureate in physical, chemical, or biological sciences, including at least thirty semester hours or forty-five quarter credits in a physical, chemical, or

biological science, or a degree beyond baccalaureate in environmental health or in a physical, chemical, or biological science;

(2) A bachelor's degree with at least two years' experience in food protection; or (3) A bachelor's degree and possession of the NEHA REHS/RS credential.

b. Experience track:

(1) An associate's degree; and (2) Four years of progressive experience in food safety work and successful passage of the certified professional food manager (CPFM) or food safety managers certification examination (FSMCE), supersafe mark examination, or servsafe examination; or (3) A high school diploma or general educational development and five years of progressive experience in food-related work, and successful passage of the certified professional food manager (CPFM), food safety managers certification examination (FSMCE), supersafe mark examination, or servsafe examination.

3. The applicant shall pass the national certified professional - food safety (CP-FS) examination administered by the national environmental health association or equivalent. An applicant meeting the requirements in subsections 1 and 2 who have not yet passed the CP-FS examination is considered board eligible. An individual who is board eligible may work in the field of food safety but such work must be under the direction and supervision of a licensed certified professional-food safety, doctor of veterinary medicine, medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy, dentist, registered sanitarian, or registered environmental health specialist. An individual who is board eligible may work under the supervision of those previously listed for no more than a total of five years after which the individual may work in the field of food safety only after passing the CP-FS examination.

History: Effective May 1, 2004; amended effective April 1, 2012; January 1, 2026.

General Authority: NDCC 43-43-04

Law Implemented: NDCC 43-43-04