FOODSAFE Level 1 FAQ

FOODSAFE Level 1 is British Columbia's basic food safety certificate for people who work with food. It is a program of the Province of BC, run with the BC Centre for Disease Control and the regional health authorities. In plain terms, it is the BC version of a food handler certificate.

Yes. FOODSAFE Level 1 is the name BC uses for its food handler certificate. Other provinces simply call it a food handler certificate, but the training and the purpose match. If you want the general version, see our food handler certificate FAQ.

Yes. Under the BC Food Premises Regulation, every food service business must have at least one worker on each shift who holds a valid FOODSAFE Level 1 certificate or an approved equivalent. Inspectors check for this.

Anyone who prepares, serves, or handles food in a BC food business can take it, and the law requires at least one certified person on every shift. It is common for cooks, servers, dishwashers, and caterers.

The legal minimum is the operator plus one certified person on every shift. Many businesses certify all of their food staff anyway, so they stay covered when shifts and schedules change.

Environmental Health Officers from the five regional health authorities, which are Vancouver Coastal, Fraser, Island, Interior, and Northern Health, check FOODSAFE credentials during routine and complaint inspections.

Yes. You can do the whole thing online from home, including the exam. An approved online course counts the same as a classroom one in BC.

You sign up, work through the course, pass the exam at 70%, and download your certificate. With Probe It you do all of it online and get your certificate the same day. Start here.

Anywhere in the province. Because it is online, you can take it from Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, Kelowna, or anywhere else in BC, on any device with a camera.

Yes. The moment you pass the exam you can download and print your certificate. Most people finish and have it the same day.

With Probe It it is $49.95, paid once, with no hidden fees. That price includes the course and the exam.

Yes. The price covers both the course and the exam, and there is no extra charge to sit it or to retake it.

Most people finish in about 6 hours. You set the pace, so you can do it in one sitting or split it into shorter sessions.

You have 30 days from the day you log in to finish the course and the exam. Within that window you can stop and restart as many times as you want.

Yes. Any device with a working camera will do, including a phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop. The camera is needed for the exam.

Yes. The course is self paced. Begin when it suits you, pause, and return to it any time inside your 30 days.

The exam has 50 multiple choice questions, which is the standard FOODSAFE Level 1 format.

You need at least 70% to pass and receive your certificate.

No, it is closed book and proctored. That is what keeps the certificate trusted by employers and health officers.

Yes. The exam is watched by webcam, and you show photo ID before you begin. Health authorities require this to confirm who is taking the test. Your ID is not stored.

You can take it again. Retakes are free and unlimited, so you can keep going until you pass. Most people pass on the first try.

Your FOODSAFE Level 1 certificate is valid for five years from the date it is issued. To stay compliant, retake the training and pass the exam before your current certificate expires.

You renew by taking the course and exam again before your current certificate expires. You can renew with Probe It here.

You can log back in and download your copy again, since it is stored digitally. Employers can also confirm it with our Verify Certificate tool.

Yes. An approved online course is accepted the same as a classroom one. Probe It meets the FOODSAFE Level 1 requirement, so your certificate counts at inspection.

Yes. FOODSAFE Level 1 is recognized across Canada as a food handler certificate, so it stays valid if you move to another province. Local rules can differ, so confirm with the health unit where you work.

Yes. Probe It's course is recognized in British Columbia and meets the FOODSAFE Level 1 requirement, so you can use it to satisfy the rule at your workplace.

Yes. Your employer can confirm it with the Verify Certificate tool on our site.

Yes. Payments are handled securely through Stripe, and our own server never stores your card details.