Food Handling Certificate & R638 Hygiene Training

100% online SAACTA Accredited Regulation R638 Person in Charge (8-Hour) and Basic Food Handler (90-Minute) certificates for municipal COA inspections.

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Mandatory Regulation R638 Food Hygiene Certificates

Under Regulation R638 of Act 54 of 1972 (Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises), both the designated Person in Charge (PIC) and every general food handler working with food must hold proof of formal food safety and hygiene training.

Municipal Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs) in Tshwane, Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Cape Town, and eThekwini inspect training certificates before issuing a Certificate of Acceptability (COA). Our online courses let your owners, managers, and kitchen staff qualify rapidly without closing your kitchen.

Two Online Certification Levels

SAACTA Accredited R638 Person in Charge (PIC) — 8-Hour Online Certificate Course
Basic Food Handler Hygiene Certificate — 90-Minute Online Staff Course
Accepted for Municipal EHP COA Inspections Nationwide
Covers R638 Legal Duties, Cross-Contamination, Cold Chain (<= 5°C / >= 60°C) & Sanitizing
Available Standalone or Bundled with Your Turnkey COA Application

Which Food Safety Certificate Do You Need?

Match the right Regulation R638 course to each role in your kitchen, trailer, bakery, or food plant.

Person in Charge (8-Hour SAACTA)

Mandatory for business owners, kitchen managers, and supervisors named on the COA (strictly required upfront by City of Tshwane and audited nationwide).

Basic Food Handler (90-Min)

Designed for chefs, cooks, baristas, servers, packers, and delivery handlers who prepare, pack, or handle unwrapped or perishable foodstuffs.

Instant EHP File Integration

Once completed online, certificates slot directly into your municipal COA compliance file so your Environmental Health inspection proceeds without delay.

Core Regulation R638 Syllabus Covered

R638 Statutory Duties & Records

Legal responsibilities of the Person in Charge under Regulation 10, illness reporting, visitor hygiene rules, and EHP inspection readiness.

Microbial & Allergen Control

Preventing foodborne pathogens, raw-to-cooked cross-contamination, colour-coded chopping boards, and safe food storage.

Temperature Danger Zone

Safe cold storage (<= 4°C), frozen holding (<= -18°C), hot holding (>= 60°C), safe thawing, and daily fridge/freezer log sheets.

Personal Hygiene & Sanitizing

Correct handwashing protocol at dedicated basins, protective clothing, SABS food-grade cleaning vs sanitizing, pest awareness, and waste control.

Bundle Tip: Need both staff training certificates AND your municipal Certificate of Acceptability (COA)? Select both in the form below and our team will package your training and COA filing together.

Transparent Compliance Packages

Clear starting fees tailored to informal/mobile kitchens and formal commercial premises.

Certificate of Acceptability (COA)

Mandatory Regulation R638 municipal health permit for South African food premises.

Informal / Trailer / Home R2 950

Formal Commercial R4 500

*Starting from

✓ Municipal file & submission handled
✓ EHP pre-inspection readiness check
✓ Online R638 training options available

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Business Trading License

Statutory Businesses Act 71 of 1991 trading license for outlets selling meals or perishable foods.

Informal R3 200

Formal Commercial R4 500

*Starting from

✓ Health, Fire & Planning coordination
✓ License delivered to you
✓ Bundle with COA & save time

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a Food Handling Certificate and a Certificate of Acceptability (COA)?

A Food Handling Certificate (or R638 Person in Charge certificate) certifies that an individual person has completed food hygiene training. A Certificate of Acceptability (COA) is the municipal health permit issued for your physical food premises after an EHP inspection — and you need staff food handling certificates in order to get your premises COA!

Is the Person in Charge course SAACTA accredited?

Yes. Our 8-hour Regulation R638 Person in Charge course is SAACTA accredited, meeting the strict upfront owner/manager training requirement enforced by municipalities such as the City of Tshwane.

How long does the online Basic Food Handler course take?

The Basic Food Handler hygiene training takes approximately 90 minutes online, making it fast and practical for chefs, kitchen assistants, baristas, and food truck staff to complete on smartphone or computer.

Do all kitchen staff need a Food Handler Certificate for a COA inspection?

Under Regulation R638, no food handler may handle food without proper hygiene instruction, and municipalities such as Tshwane and Johannesburg require training certificates on file for both the Person in Charge and food-handling staff.

Can I bundle R638 Hygiene Training with my COA application?

Yes! Most clients bundle SAACTA R638 Person in Charge + Basic Food Handler training directly into their turnkey Certificate of Acceptability (COA) package. Request your quote below and mention how many staff members need training.

Explore Other Municipal COA Hubs & R638 Training

National COA Overview COA Johannesburg COA Pretoria & Tshwane COA Cape Town COA Ekurhuleni COA Durban & eThekwini