⚠️ Requirements and fees change — always confirm current details with the SJC Health Department before paying. Links verified 2026-08.

## Do This In Order

### 1 Certified Food Protection Manager Do this first

What: Indiana requires at least one Certified Food Handler/Manager per establishment (since Jan 1, 2005). The rule is exam-based — you pass an accredited (ANAB/ANSI) exam. ServSafe Manager is the standard credential. This is a person's certification, not the business's.

Who: You (Samuel) AND Kiowa — and eventually your Location Manager. Get at least 2 people certified so the trailer is never operating without a certified person present.

Cost: ~$179 online bundle (course + proctored exam), or ~$75 in-person class (book/exam separate). Valid 5 years.

Where to sign up

- ServSafe Manager (online course + remote-proctored exam — fastest):
  servsafe.com/ServSafe-Manager
- ServSafe Manager exam details:
  servsafe.com/…/ssmct7x
- In-person class + exam nearby (MSU Extension, SW Michigan/Berrien, ~$75):
  canr.msu.edu/servsafe
- Ivy Tech (South Bend area) also offers ServSafe training — call the South Bend/Elkhart campus.

Do this FIRST — it's independent of the trailer, takes time to schedule/pass, and the knowledge helps you design the buildout correctly.

### 2 Mobile Food Establishment Plan Review

What: The SJC Health Department reviews your trailer's layout, water supply, waste system, sinks, handwashing, and refrigeration before you finalize the build. This is where your self-contained fresh/gray/black tank + hand-wash + 2-comp sink setup gets approved (and where the "daily commissary return" question gets settled).

Why order matters: Submit this BEFORE spending on the buildout/window cut — so they don't reject a layout you've already paid for.

Where

- SJC Health Dept — Food Services program & documents:
  in.gov/localhealth/stjosephcounty/food-services-and-pool-program
- Ask for the "Mobile Food Establishment Plan Review packet" and the Commissary Agreement form.
- Phone: (574) 235-9721 · 227 W. Jefferson Blvd., 9th Floor, South Bend, IN 46601

Cost: Plan review fee (confirm current — budget ~$100–200).

### 3 Build / Finish the Trailer to the Approved Plan

Build exactly to what plan review approved. Any change → re-confirm with the health dept.

### 4 Mobile Food Establishment Permit + Inspection

What: After the trailer is finished, SJC inspects it. Pass = your Mobile Food Establishment permit (your license to operate). Renewed annually.

Cost: ~$200 permit + ~$100 inspection (already in materials.csv). Confirm current fees.

Where

- Same SJC Health Dept contact as Step 2:
  in.gov/localhealth/stjosephcounty/food-services-and-pool-program

### 5 Food Handler Cards for Staff

What: Basic food-safety cards for the rest of your staff (simpler than the Manager cert). Indiana's per-establishment requirement is met by the certified Manager (Step 1), but individual food handler cards for all staff are best practice and may be required for the mobile permit — confirm with SJC.

Cost: ~$10–15 per person, online, ~1–2 hours. ANAB-accredited.

Where to sign up

- StateFoodSafety — Indiana Food Handler course:
  statefoodsafety.com/food-handler/indiana-courses
- ServSafe Food Handler (basic):
  servsafe.com/ServSafe-Food-Handler
- Indiana Dept. of Health — food handler requirements:
  in.gov/health/food-protection/retail/certification-of-food-handler-requirements

When: Each staff member before their first shift.

## Quick Reference — Costs & Timing

Step | Item | Cost | Valid | Timing
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
1 | ServSafe Manager (×2 people) | ~$179 ea | 5 yrs | FIRST — before buildout
2 | Plan Review | ~$100–200 | per build | Before finishing trailer
4 | Mobile Food Permit | ~$200 | 1 yr | Before opening
4 | Inspection | ~$100 | per inspection | Before opening
5 | Food Handler cards (per staff) | ~$10–15 ea | 3 yrs | Before each hire works

### Key Contact — St. Joseph County Health Department

227 W. Jefferson Blvd., 9th Floor, County-City Building, South Bend, IN 46601
Phone: (574) 235-9721 · Fax: (574) 235-9497
Web: sjchd.org · Food Services program page

Call them first and ask three questions:

1. "For a mobile coffee trailer, do you require food handler cards for all staff, or just one certified manager?"
2. "Can I get the Mobile Food Establishment Plan Review packet and the Commissary Agreement?"
3. "With self-contained water/waste tanks on board, can I operate without daily return to a commissary?"

### ☕ Coffee = low-risk (good news)

No raw meat, minimal cooking, mostly beverages + pre-packaged/bakery items = simpler plan review. Your main scrutiny areas: water supply/waste, handwashing sink, refrigeration temps, milk handling. Your equipment list already covers all four.

Compiled 2026-08. Indiana per-establishment certified-manager requirement per 410 IAC 7-24; food-handler-card specifics vary by county — confirm with SJC.