How much does HACCP certification cost?

The cost of HACCP certification varies depending on a number of factors, with one of the main costs being the audit itself, where you can expect the cost to be anywhere between $400 and $3,000 dollars per day of auditing. Remember, that this is for the audit itself so the overall cost can be a lot higher. When you factor in the other costs involved, gaining your HACCP certification can seem quite costly. As well as the importance of food safety and receiving a hygiene certificate, there are a number of benefits that come with earning your HACCP accreditation.

How do the HACCP certification costs add up?

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to receive free HACCP certification. As mentioned previously, one of the main costs of HACCP certification is the audit itself. The costs do vary depending on the auditor you choose, so you should always shop around before applying for your HACCP examination to make sure you are pleased with the cost. However, there are costs involved in the planning stages, as well as the audit itself.

Training and planning

Training can cost a huge amount of money when preparing your team for HACCP certification. One way that the costs can dramatically increase is by hiring a food safety consultant to train your team. This may be unnecessary in your case, so it is highly advisable for you to consider HACCP training online rather than hiring a consultant. There are also a vast amount of HACCP certification training courses available online, all with their own prices to add on.

The same can be said for your planning. Your HACCP plan is instrumental to gaining your HACCP certificate, and by hiring a consultant to assist you with this, not only could you lose out on time, the cost will be much higher than using a more affordable online tool. FoodDocs offers an easy-to-use plan builder, which is convenient and extremely cost-effective.

HACCP certification fee

As well as the training and planning costs, and the audit, you will more than likely need to pay a HACCP certification fee to your local food safety regulatory authority. How much the fee depends on your own local authority, so you should check with them directly to see how much this cost is. 

HACCP certification expiration

This particular point is very important to keep in mind - HACCP certification is not a one-time expenditure. Depending on the third-party auditor you have selected, your HAACP certificate will have an expiration date. The majority of HACCP certificate expiration happens after 12 months, but some can also be valid for up to 3 years, so this is definitely something to consider when selecting your auditor. To summarise, remember that HACCP is not a one-time cost, and it will need to be renewed.

Is it worth it?

The short answer is yes, it is most definitely worth it to make sure your food business is HACCP certified. The first thing to remember is the importance of food hygiene, and keeping your customers safe. By making sure your company has HACCP accreditation, you have proven to yourself and your customers that you take your food hygiene seriously. This also works to your advantage from a marketing standpoint. When customers see that you have a HACCP certification, they can instantly trust your brand.

How much does FoodDocs cost?

With the high costs of hiring food safety consultants, as well as your auditing and regulatory fees, FoodDocs is an excellent way to cut your costs, paying for exactly what you need in one app. FoodDocs has a number of different pricing options available, with different possibilities for home producers, small to medium size restaurants, up to large-scale food businesses. Feel free to check out our pricing page here.