Frequently asked questions

No. The course and the exam are free and require no sign-up. You only pay the €16.95 if you pass and want to receive your Certificate + Card.

1) Read the 10 units of the course or the PDF manual. 2) Take the 10-question exam. 3) If you pass, enter your first name, surname, email and ID number, and pay. 4) You receive the PDF by email within minutes.

With Bizum or card, the PDF is generated instantly and you receive it within minutes. By bank transfer, as soon as we see the payment (usually the same working day). Check your spam folder too.

Yes. The regulations (Reg. EC 852/2004 and Royal Decree 109/2010) require food handlers to be trained in food hygiene and the employer to be able to prove it; since 2010 there is no official card issued by the public administration and no approval scheme for training providers. Our certificate has a unique number and any inspector can check it on the verification page.

Yes. The regulations are national and European, and food hygiene training does not depend on the region (comunidad autónoma).

The course, the exam and this website are in English, so you can study and take the test in your own language. The certificate and card are issued in Spanish, because they are the documents your employer keeps for the Spanish health inspection; they include one line in English describing what they certify, and they can be verified online.

Yes. The certificate can be issued with your NIE or your passport number. Enter it exactly as it appears on the document, without spaces or hyphens.

Our certificate is valid for 4 years, printed on the document (“Válido hasta”). The law does not set a deadline, but it requires ongoing training; most employers and inspectors ask for a recent date. One month before it expires we email you. If your card is from before 2010 (under the old Royal Decree 202/2000) or you got it more than 4 years ago, renew it. You can check here whether it is still valid.

None in terms of validity: the certificate is the A4 document kept by the employer and the card is the wallet-sized format to carry with you. They come in the same PDF.

Bizum, card or bank transfer. Payment is secure: your bank details do not pass through our website, they go directly to the bank’s payment gateway.

You can retake the exam as many times as you need, free of charge. We tell you which units to review.

15 days. If you do not pay within that period, you will have to take the exam again (it is still free).

The PDF is the valid document; print it in colour. If you want us to post you a printed copy (colour certificate and card), you can choose that option at checkout for a small supplement; delivery within Spain only.

Yes. You receive the invoice with your order. For companies, give us the invoicing details and we issue it in the company’s name.

Message the tutor on WhatsApp at 600 39 93 48 or email hola@socialchefformacion.com. He replies during working hours, in English or Spanish.

If your certificate has not yet been generated, yes, within 14 days of purchase. Once the PDF has been generated and sent, the service has been performed and a refund is not possible, as stated when you accept the purchase terms.