ServSafe Manager Exam Explained (2026): Format, Passing Score, Cost & 10 Practice Questions
Chapters
- The Short Answer
- What the Certificate Is
- Format and Exam Day
- Passing Score and Retests
- Cost
- What's on the Exam
- Validity and Renewal
- How to Study
- Practice Questions, Part One
- Practice Questions, Part Two
- Recap
Audio from the Open Exam Hub video of the same name; the video shows the numbers and practice questions on screen.
The ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification exam (National Restaurant Association), explained from servsafe.com as of October 2026. Your exam has 90 multiple-choice questions: 80 scored plus 10 unscored pilot questions, with a 2-hour limit. The passing score is 70% (at least 56 of 80), not the 75% you'll still see on older sites. It's always proctored: in person with a registered ServSafe proctor, at a Pearson VUE test center, or online through ProctorU (no Zoom or self-proctoring). ServSafe store prices: exam only $38.99 (access code or printed voucher, proctor separate), $99 with online proctoring, $108.99 at a test center; online course $125; course + exam $152.95, $179 (online proctor) or $188.99 (test center); ServSafe Manager Book 9th edition $54.99. Retests: two attempts within 30 days, then a 60-day wait, no more than four in 12 months, each a new purchase. The certificate is valid 5 years, though some states set less. The current 9th edition follows the Supplement to the 2022 FDA Food Code; ServSafe doesn't publish percentage weights per area. Then 10 new original practice questions with answers (time as a public health control, thawing, 7-day date marking, cooler storage order, glove changes, illness exclusion, handwashing sinks, hot-water sanitizing, HACCP verification, fryer allergen cross-contact), each checked against the 2022 FDA Food Code. For every critical temperature, see our separate ServSafe Manager temperatures video. Study plan is our own suggestion. Independent guide, not affiliated with ServSafe or the National Restaurant Association.
Full guide
ServSafe Manager critical temperatures and rules (video)
Free ServSafe Manager practice test
ServSafe Manager cheat sheet (all temperatures)
7-day ServSafe Manager study plan
ServSafe Manager study guide
Free practice questions, study guides and cheat sheets, no signup
Chapters
0:00 The Short Answer
1:08 What the Certificate Is
1:50 Format and Exam Day
2:48 Passing Score and Retests
3:24 Cost
4:10 What's on the Exam
5:20 Validity and Renewal
5:41 How to Study
6:37 Practice Questions, Part One
8:45 Practice Questions, Part Two
11:01 Recap
Exam facts are from the official ServSafe (National Restaurant Association) pages as of 2026-10-23. Fees and rules can change, so confirm on the official site before you enroll. Open Exam Hub is an independent study resource, not affiliated with ServSafe or the National Restaurant Association. Practice questions are not from a real exam. Narration is an AI-generated voice.
Music
"Friday Morning" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
"Fresh Air" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
"Reminiscing" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
"Carefree" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Sound effects: Kenney (kenney.nl), CC0.
#ServSafe #FoodSafety #FoodManager