Michigan requires every licensed food service establishment in Detroit to employ at least one ANSI-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager. Detroit does not impose an additional city-level food handler card on every employee.
Under the Michigan Modified FDA Food Code (R 325.25101+) and MCL §289.2129, each food service establishment must have a Person in Charge with ANSI-CFP accredited Food Protection Manager certification, recognized via ServSafe, National Registry, or Prometric exams. Certification is valid for five years. Detroit Health Department inspectors verify the manager's certificate during routine inspections and may downgrade scores if no certified manager is on duty during operating hours. Unlike Wayne County's neighbor jurisdictions or some California counties, Detroit does not require every line cook to carry an individual food handler card. Employee training is still expected and inspectors will probe staff knowledge of handwashing, cooling, and allergen procedures.
Operating without a CFPM on staff, presenting expired certificates, or having the certified manager absent during operations can result in priority violations, follow-up fees, and risk-tier reclassification at reinspection.
Detroit, MI
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Detroit, MI
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See how Detroit's food handler certification rules stack up against other locations.
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