Colorado requires every retail food establishment to have a Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) on staff per the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules. Boulder restaurants must show certification on demand to Boulder County Public Health inspectors.
Under the Colorado Retail Food Establishment Rules adopted statewide, every licensed retail food establishment must employ at least one Certified Food Protection Manager who has passed an ANSI-accredited exam such as ServSafe, Prometric, or NRFSP. The CFPM is responsible for active managerial control over food safety. Colorado does not impose a separate state-issued food-handler card on every employee, though Boulder County Public Health strongly recommends ANSI food-handler training and may require it as a corrective measure after a foodborne-illness investigation. Certificates must be on-site and produced for inspectors. New operators are given a grace period — typically 30 days from license issuance — to bring a CFPM on board.
Operating a restaurant without a Certified Food Protection Manager, or failing to produce a current CFPM certificate during inspection, can result in critical-violation citations and permit-suspension proceedings.
Boulder, CO
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