Course and certificate
Level 3 Food Hygiene and Safety for Supervisors
For supervisors, head chefs, kitchen and shift managers, owners of small food businesses and anyone responsible for a food safety management system in the UK. Ten lessons in plain English go beyond doing the job safely to managing it: food law and enforcement, microbiology, HACCP and Safer Food, Better Business, temperature control, staff hygiene, premises and cleaning, pest management, allergens, traceability and recalls, food safety culture and inspections, followed by a 30-question test.
- Jurisdiction
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Languages
- English, Български, Español, Italiano, Polski, Português, Română, Українська
- Lessons
- 10
- Time needed
- About 60 minutes for the lessons and the test
- Assessment
- 30 questions, pass mark 80%
- Refresher
- Recommended after 3 years
- Content updated
- 27 October 2026
- Certificate fee
- £29.00, payable after passing
01Who this course is for
- Supervisors, head chefs and sous chefs
- Kitchen managers and shift managers
- Owners of small food businesses, cafés, takeaways and pubs
- Anyone responsible for the food safety management system (HACCP, SFBB or CookSafe)
- Level 2 food handlers who are moving into a supervisory role
02Syllabus
- 01Law, enforcement and registration
- 02Microbiology: how bacteria grow and cause illness
- 03Food safety management: HACCP, SFBB and CookSafe
- 04Temperature control and monitoring
- 05Supervising staff hygiene, fitness to work and training
- 06Premises, equipment and cleaning schedules
- 07Pest management
- 08Allergen management for managers
- 09Traceability, product recalls and records
- 10Leading a food safety culture and getting ready for inspection
03Assessment
30 multiple-choice questions drawn from the whole course. The pass mark is 80%. The test is free and can be retaken as often as needed; wrong answers point to the lesson to read again.
04The certificate
- With your name, your score and the date you passed.
- A unique number, recorded in our register.
- Your employer or an inspector scans it to see that it is genuine.
- Download it, print it or show it on your phone.
05Sources
The course follows the published guidance below. We are not affiliated with the bodies that publish it.
- FSA — Safer Food, Better Business
- Regulation (EC) 178/2002, Articles 18 and 19
- FSA — Allergen guidance for food businesses
- FSA — Food hygiene rating scheme guidance for businesses
- Regulation (EC) 852/2004, Article 5
- FSA — Fitness to work
06Questions
Do I need a Level 3 certificate to supervise a kitchen?
UK law does not name a certificate. It requires food handlers to be supervised and instructed or trained to suit their work, and the people who run the HACCP-based system to be trained in HACCP principles. Many employers ask supervisors for Level 3 as evidence of that training.
Is this certificate accredited?
No. It is a certificate of completion: it shows you finished the course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification, and your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.
How is this different from Level 2?
Level 2 teaches you to do the work safely. This course teaches you to manage it: food law and enforcement, HACCP, temperature tolerances and monitoring, supervising staff, allergen management, records, recalls and inspections.
What must my business still do itself?
This course does not replace your own food safety system and site-specific training. You still need your own HACCP-based procedures, risk assessments, instruction on your equipment and menu, practical supervision and records for your premises.
How long does it take?
Most people finish the ten lessons and the 30-question test in two to three hours. You can stop and come back at any time on the same device.
What if I fail the test?
Nothing is charged. You see which lessons to read again and can retake the test as often as you need.
When do I pay, and how much?
Only after you pass: £29 for the certificate. The course and the test are free.
How does my employer check the certificate?
Every certificate has a number and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the number on our check page, shows your name, the course and the date you passed.
How long is the certificate valid?
The law sets no expiry date. Refresher training every three years is common practice, so the certificate shows a renewal date three years after you pass.
Does this cover Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The course is written for the UK. It explains where the rules differ, for example CookSafe, the 82°C reheating requirement and the rating scheme in Scotland. Check the regulator for your nation for the details that apply to you.
The certificate confirms that you completed this course and passed its test. It is not a regulated or accredited qualification; your employer decides whether this training meets their requirements.