Were your questions not answered? Below we have covered a range of questions and curiosities regarding the entire CCHP designation process and applicant information.
If you still require more information, please do not hesitate to contact FPSC directly.
- All
- About the CCHP Designation
- The Exam
- Preparing for the Exam
- Online Proctoring
- Canadian Certified HACCP Professionals
- Employers
- Educators
To challenge the CCHP exam, all candidates must demonstrate a minimum of three (3) years practical work experience related to the role of a HACCP professional within the past five (5) years. Volunteer, research, internships and hands-on practical academic courses may also count for up to one (1) year, out of the required 3 years of HACCP work experience.
Candidates must gather information on the various types of experience in order to complete the Work Experience Portfolio, before it is submitted for review. This document, along with the online registration and payment, will begin the application process.
No, you do not have to be Canadian to challenge the exam. However, this Canadian designation is solely based on Canadian food regulations and may only be recognized in Canada. All applications will be reviewed by the registrar’s office on a case-by-case basis.
For the candidates’ convenience, we have outlines the eight important steps in the CCHP process in two ways: a video, and a step-by-step guide.
Please watch this detailed step-by-step video below on how to apply for the designation exam. This video carefully explains the various details before, during, and after the exam takes place.
The Candidate’s Preparation Handbook is a free download that outlines every aspect of the CCHP designation and exam, steps to apply, information regarding fees, contact information, how to use the designation, and each policy and form required by candidates. This handbook is necessary reading for all applicants.
It costs $450 to write the official CCHP designation exam. After certification, a fee of $225.00 (CAD) will be required every three years to maintain the CCHP title.
Click here to view more information regarding the fees.
The exam is available online on-demand, 24/7. Once your application and payment is accepted by the registrar, you are free to write the exam when and where you are comfortable.
The exam must be scheduled within 30 days of receiving the application confirmation email from the registrar, and must be written within 365 days (1 year) of being scheduled.
Once you have determined you are eligible to take the exam, complete the Work Experience Portfolio. This form must be completed, submitted, and approved by the registrar prior to writing the exam.
After this step, you may proceed with the second portion of the application process, which is the online registration and payment portion.
- Register for Exam: Click the “Register for the Exam” link and complete the online registration form.
- Please note: It is important that the information filled out on the online registration form, matches the name submitted on the “Work Experience Portfolio”. Differing information could cause an error in the processing of your application.
- Pay your Exam Fee: After completing your online registration form, you will be prompted to pay the exam fee via Credit Card with your choice of Visa, Master Card, or American Express. If you have a pre-paid voucher number, provided by your employer or FPSC, you will need to have this number on-hand to complete the payment process.
The exam is made up of 100 multiple choice questions based on industry knowledge and on-the-job experience. Every applicant is given 2.5 hours to complete the exam. At the end of this time, the system will automatically close down.
You must earn a grade of 70% or higher to pass the CCHP exam.
Candidates will use the Work Experience Portfolio to record their relevant experience including employment history, professional voluntary activities, and completed education and training. The purpose of the portfolio is to determine if a candidate has the mandatory workplace experience required to challenge the exam. Candidates will submit this summary of experience for review by the Registrar’s Office.
Click here to complete the Work Experience Portfolio.
If you have a disability or other special needs that could interfere with your test performance, you may be entitled to receive special accommodations. If this is applicable to your situation, fill out and submit the Accommodation Request Form to the Registrar’s Office, as soon as possible. At the latest, the form must be submitted a minimum of 5 business days before your scheduled exam.
Special accommodation requests will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If a candidate fails the exam, they will receive information on the costs and steps associated with re-writing the exam. Candidates must wait 30 days before they are eligible to re-write. Refunds will not be provided to candidates who fail the CCHP exam.
Candidates who fail more than three times will have their files closed for that year. The candidate must wait a minimum of one (1) year before applying and attempting the exam again.
To successfully prepare for the CCHP designation exam, we have clearly outlined multiple tools, resources, and information below that candidates should find helpful:
Exam Content
There are five (5) main Categories and eleven (11) major Skills Areas from FPHRC’s National Occupational Standard for a HACCP Professional, in which candidates will be evaluated against. Click here to view a detailed chart outlining the distribution and weight of each Category and Skill in relation to the CCHP examination.
Sample Exam Questions
Click here to view 6 example practice questions, similar to the types of questions that candidates will see on the CCHP exam.
Study Resources
- National Occupational Standards and Skills Assessment Checklist – $50.00 /package CAD
- Practice Exam – $45.00 CAD
- Developing a HACCP Plan Workbook – $65.00 CAD
- Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP) Manual
- University and College Training Programs
Practice Exam
The Practice Exam is a great resource to test your knowledge of HACCP and to familiarize yourself with the format and types of questions that will be asked. It can be taken on demand, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from your computer. Before you are eligible for the Practice Exam, you must submit your CCHP Designation Exam application and pay all fees. Once this is fully submitted to the registrar, you will then be able to register and pay for your practice exam.
Click here for more information, and to register and pay for the Practice Exam.
The Practice Exam can be taken on demand, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the computer. Before you are eligible for the Practice Exam, you must submit your CCHP designation exam application and pay all fees. Once this is accepted by the Registrar, you will then be able to register and pay for the Practice Exam.
The Practice Exam is made available to all individuals who have already registered and paid for their CCHP Designation. Once this is fully submitted to the registrar, you will then be able to register and pay for your practice exam.
The Certified Online Proctors help students schedule their exam, test their technology components, and successfully complete their online examination while at home.
The CCHP Exam is taken in a “virtually proctored” environment. An online supervisor monitors the examinee via a webcam as he/she completes the exam. Examinees are required to provide the proctor with two pieces of Government issued ID. Virtual proctors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and can be scheduled “on demand”.
For the purposes of this exam, all forms of ID must include a photo and your full name. In Canada, the following are acceptable forms of Government Issued ID:
- Registered driver’s license
- Passport
- Nexus Card/ Pass
- Health Card – must have picture to be valid
- Citizenship, Permanent Resident, Immigration/ Refugee Card – must have picture to be valid
- Certificate of Indian Status (laminated card issued by Indian & Northern Affairs Canada)
- Age of majority card
For questions relating to acceptable forms of ID, please contact registrar@fpsc-ctac.ca; all discrepancies will be handled on a case-by –case basis.
The CCHP exam can only be taken online, using a computer with a webcam – no exceptions. If you do not have the sufficient technology required to write the exam, we encourage you to contact nearby libraries or community centers.
Technical requirements include:
- A well-working computer with 1 GB of RAM or higher
- A high-speed internet connection (3MBps). Wireless is acceptable; however a wired-connection is preferred
- A webcam with 640×480 video pixel resolution (a laptop camera is acceptable)
- Working speakers connected to the computer
- A microphone connected to the computer (consider a webcam with a built-in microphone)
- Flash player version 7 or higher
- Browser compatibility: IE, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
PLEASE NOTE: Reliable access to the internet is necessary. An internet connection disruption will suspend the test session.
Yes. The exam is only available online.
If you require special accommodations to write the exam, please click here to find the Accommodation Request Form and Policy.
The CCHP designation requires a renewal every three (3) years, which includes an online renewal application and a renewal fee.
Renewal is due every three (3) years for CCHP’s.
An exam is not required to renew the designation. Candidates will submit an online renewal application that includes information on their professional activities, commitment to training, and current experience. A fee of $225 is also required in this renewal.
To maintain their status as a Canadian Certified HACCP Professional, candidates must meet the following minimal requirements:
- Continue to work in the food processing industry in a HACCP role, or similar role, over the 3 years since first receiving the designation or since the past renewal.
- Attendance in 5-10 workshops, courses or conferences – related to HACCP, food safety, leadership, etc. – throughout the 3 year period. Each event must be a minimum of 4-hours in duration. Evidence, such as a letter from the host or a certificate of completion, of participation and attendance is required.
- Complete and submit the CCHP renewal form every 3 years.
Please click here for more information on the renewal process and requirements, and to download the renewal form.
Unfortunately, failure to renew the certification after three years results in a suspension. After four years without a renewal, an individual’s status is changed to “inactive” and candidates who wish to be re-certified will be required to apply again and re-write the exam.
Contact the Registrar’s Office (registrar@fpsc-ctac.ca) and let them know how many people from your food processing facility you would like to certify. Each candidate will need to fill out the Work Experience Portfolio and submit that to the registrar’s office. In regards to paying the registration fees for your staff, you will be provided with vouchers/group codes for each candidate to complete the payment process online. Once the candidates enter the voucher/group code, a total amount of $0 will appear on the screen and they can proceed to schedule their online exam.
There are many simple ways to have your students prepare:
- Introduce the HACCP Standards early in the course or program;
- Accredit your course curriculum against the standard;
- Ensure that students have a copy of the standards;
- Integrate the standards into your courses – reference them in your classes, make them a required resource, use them in projects and assignments;
- Utilize the other certification resources – Log Book for Educators, Educators’ User Guide;
- Conduct a Certification Prep Session with students – review the presentation for students, review the prep tips; and
- Complete the practice exam in class – review the results with students – identify areas that need improvement and return to the standards for more information.