Do You Need a Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate?

Is a Level 2 food hygiene certificate a legal requirement?

No. In the UK, food handlers do not have to hold a food hygiene certificate to prepare or sell food, and the Food Standards Agency says so plainly. What the law does require is that food business operators make sure food handlers are supervised and instructed or trained in food hygiene in a way that matches the work they do. That training can come from a course, on-the-job training, self-study or relevant experience.

In practice, Level 2 is the standard way to show it. Council inspectors look for evidence of training when they rate a business, venues and event organisers commonly ask for it, and it is quick and inexpensive to get.

Why is Level 2 the norm, then?

Because it is the simplest proof. When an inspector asks how staff were trained, a certificate answers the question in one sheet of paper. Official guidance has long treated training equivalent to Level 2 as appropriate for people handling open, high-risk food, which describes most catering. And the "confidence in management" part of a food hygiene rating depends partly on training and records, so a caterer without any evidence of training is making a higher rating harder to reach.

What does it cost and how long does it take?

Online Level 2 food hygiene courses are widely sold for around £10 to £30 a person and take a few hours, finishing with a multiple-choice test and a downloadable certificate. Classroom courses cost more and take a day. Some councils run or recommend local courses. The Food Standards Agency does not issue food hygiene certificates, but it does offer free online training on allergens and other topics, with a certificate of completion, which is worth doing alongside.

This site does not sell courses and has no arrangement with anyone who does.

Level 1, 2, 3 or 4: which do you need?

Level 1: for staff who handle only low-risk or wrapped food, such as front-of-house or kitchen porters.

Level 2: for anyone preparing, cooking or serving open food. This is the norm for caterers and their kitchen staff.

Level 3: for supervisors, head chefs and owners responsible for food safety procedures. Useful if you run the business and train others.

Level 4: for managers of larger operations.

In Scotland, courses accredited by REHIS are the common equivalent.

Does a certificate expire?

There is no legal expiry date, because there is no legal requirement for the certificate itself. The industry convention is to refresh training every three years, and many venues and inspectors will look at the date. Refreshing is also a simple way to show that training is current when an inspector asks.

What else does an inspector look for?

Training is one part. The rest is a documented food safety management system based on HACCP principles (the FSA's free Safer Food, Better Business pack is written for small caterers in England and Wales), temperature records, allergen information, the hygiene of equipment and vehicles, and the physical condition of the kitchen, van or trailer. A certificate without the records behind it does not carry a rating.