Erstbelehrung (initial instruction) under §§ 42, 43 IfSG

Get your health certificate (Gesundheitszeugnis) - Erstbelehrung under §§ 42, 43 IfSG

Mandatory before your first job involving food. Completed online in about 15 minutes, supervised by a physician, and valid nationwide.

Supervised by a physician under §§ 42, 43 IfSG Valid nationwide 15-minute course Certificate immediately as PDF

25,00€ (VAT included)

of which 12.50€ goes to the medical instruction pursuant to § 43 IfSG and 12.50€ to our platform and service flat fee

Complete price, no hidden costs.

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Formally valid - guaranteed. Or your money back.

Illustration: certificate of the initial instruction with a verification seal
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Dr. med. Milena Robinzonov, Specialist in occupational medicine

Certified by

Dr. med. Milena Robinzonov

Specialist in occupational medicine

Medically responsible under §§ 42, 43 IfSG

Commissioned by the public health office (Gesundheitsamt) Munich and Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen
  • All course content professionally reviewed
  • Based on the current IfSG
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The process

It's that easy

Get your health certificate in just 4 steps and under 15 minutes

1

Start course

Book online

approx. 2 min.
2

ID card identification

Verify identity via webcam or smartphone

1 minute
3

Watch video training

Watch the short video training, then answer a few quiz questions.

approx. 10 min.

Received certificate

Instant download as PDF

instant

The process briefly explained

In a few minutes you will see how the instruction works.
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What does it cost?

Legal requirement

Mandatory before your first day of work - that's what the law says

Anyone working with food for the first time needs an instruction with a certificate beforehand.

§ 43 (1) IfSG

Persons may only carry out activities under § 42 IfSG for the first time if a certificate proves that they have been instructed about the prohibitions on certain activities and their obligations.

For you

Without a certificate, you may not start a job in the food sector at all. The initial instruction is your proof to get started.

For your employer

Your employer must have your certificate on file before your first day of work, otherwise the business risks fines.

Starting a new job soon? You can complete the initial instruction online in about 15 minutes, with your certificate available immediately as a PDF.

When do you need an initial instruction?

You need an initial instruction under §§ 42, 43 IfSG when you start, for the first time, an activity that brings you into contact with certain foods or work materials. This applies, for example, to jobs in gastronomy, kitchens, catering, bakeries, food retail, care facilities, daycare centres or communal catering.

Typical fields of activity

Hospitality
Kitchen
Catering
Bakery
Food retail
Care
Daycare
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Real customer reviews

What our customers say

Reviews from our participants on Trustpilot.

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“Sehr gute Zusamenfassung und Erklärung in das Video. Fragen waren auch gut angenehm zu beantworten. Das ganzes Verfahren lief problemlos und schnell.”

Vasileios Theodorou

“Ich brauchte das für eine Bewerbung. Habe den Kurs gemacht und konnte das Zertifikat direkt mitschicken.”

Charline Tiffert

“Alles war super toll!!! Information war in verschiedenen Sprachen und gut erklärt. Vielen Dank.”

Ana Parfenie

“Super Service, es bringt eine große Zeitersparnis und man spart sich den Weg zum Gesundheitsamt diesen Service kann ich nur empfehlen. Das Zertifikat kommt als PDF was die Weiterleitung einfach macht.”

Jens Müller

“Habe die Auffrischung hier gemacht. Viel besser als die langweiligen Schulungen, die wir sonst haben.”

Zoltan Kis

“Der Preis ist absolut fair, vor allem, weil man sich die Fahrt und den Stress spart. Fünf Sterne!”

Karolina Masalska

Infection protection instruction (Infektionsschutzbelehrung)

Health certificate through the online initial instruction according to § 43 IfSG.

  • 15-minute course
  • No appointment required - online 24/7
  • Suitable for all professions
  • Nationally valid certificate
  • Money back guarantee if you fail
Available in 13 languages: German, English, Polish, Albanian, Hungarian, Romanian, Turkish, Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic, Russian, Vietnamese.
25,00€ (VAT included)

Complete price, no hidden costs.

25€ incl. VAT - of which 12,50€ for the medical instruction pursuant to §§ 42, 43 IfSG (pursuant to tariff item 3.1.6 GGebV-BY) and 12,50€ platform and service flat fee. A fully private-sector service, not an official fee.

Details on price composition Buy Course
Formally valid - guaranteed. Or your money back. What does that mean?

We guarantee that your certificate is issued as formally valid under §§ 42, 43 IfSG. If it is not accepted for formal reasons, we will refund the full amount within 30 days.

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Note: For school-arranged work placements and voluntary activities, the instruction is free of charge pursuant to § 3 No. 6 GGebV. Write to us at [email protected] before booking - we will unlock your instruction free of charge.
Do you already have an initial instruction? The follow-up instruction, required by law every 2 years, is right here. Go to the follow-up instruction

Checklist

How to recognize a reputable provider

Not every online offer meets the legal requirements. You should check these six points. We fulfill them all.

Officially commissioned

The instruction is delivered on behalf of individually named public health offices, not just by some doctor.

Named specialist doctor

A named specialist doctor is responsible for the instruction, not an anonymous team of doctors.

QR-verifiable

Your employer verifies the authenticity in seconds, via the QR code on the certificate.

Validity guarantee

Written promise: the certificate is formally valid, or you get your money back.

Complete certificate

With all mandatory details: name, date, legal basis, signature and stamp. Valid throughout Germany.

Multilingual throughout

Understandable from purchase to certificate, not just a translated homepage.

All six points fulfilled.

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Authenticity check

How your employer verifies it in 5 seconds

Every certificate carries a QR code. One scan, and its authenticity is confirmed.

  1. Your certificate with QR code

  2. Employer scans

  3. Authenticity confirmed

All questions clarified

Who needs an initial instruction?
An initial instruction under §§ 42, 43 IfSG is required by anyone who must be instructed before starting an activity involving food for the first time - for example in gastronomy, kitchens, catering, bakeries, food retail, care facilities, daycare centres or communal catering.
Is the online initial instruction recognized by employers and authorities?
Yes. The instruction is supervised by a physician and carried out on behalf of named health offices under §§ 42, 43 IfSG. Your certificate is digitally signed, verifiable for authenticity via QR code, and valid nationwide.
What is the difference between the initial and follow-up instruction?
You complete the initial instruction once, before working with food for the first time. The follow-up instruction refreshes this knowledge every two years.
How long is the initial instruction valid?
The initial instruction is unlimited in time; for the activity, however, regular follow-up instructions pursuant to §§ 42, 43 IfSG are required (usually every two years through the employer).
How long does the course take?
You can complete the course in under 15 minutes after successful online identification.
How do I get access to the course?
You can complete the course in under 15 minutes after successful online identification.
How does online identification work?
You just need to upload a picture of the front side and, if necessary, the back side of your ID and take a selfie. Make sure you have good lighting for the photo and that your image is clearly visible.
Can I take the course from anywhere?
The instruction is overseen by a physician commissioned by public health offices. The issued certificate is valid throughout Germany.
Will I receive a written certificate?
After successfully completing the instruction, you can directly download the certificate, which confirms participation and completion of the infection protection instruction, and you will also have access to the download link at any time later. This health certificate is digitally signed by a physician commissioned by the public health offices of Munich and Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen and, after proper instruction pursuant to §§ 42, 43 IfSG, is valid nationwide and accepted by employers and authorities as proof. To provide proof, you must print the certificate, sign it yourself, and present it in paper form to your employer & the public health office during an inspection.
Who issues the certificate?
The instruction is supervised by Dr. med. Milena Robinzonov, specialist in occupational medicine.
On which devices can the test be performed?
You can take the test on any PC, laptop, or mobile phone. Just make sure you have access to your email account.
What does the Infection Protection Act state?
Before working in the food sector for the first time, you need an instruction and certificate under § 43 Abs. 1 of the Infection Protection Act (Infektionsschutzgesetz) from the responsible public health office or from a physician commissioned by the public health office.
Which languages are available?
German, English, Polish, Albanian, Hungarian, Romanian, Turkish, Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic, Russian, Vietnamese
Don't see the question? Find more questions and answers here!

Do you have further questions? Write to us here.

Initial instruction, health certificate, hygiene instruction - all the same thing

There are many names for the initial instruction under § 43 IfSG. It always means the same course.

  • Health certificate the most common name for the certificate under § 43 IfSG.
  • Infection protection instruction the legal term under §§ 42, 43 IfSG.
  • Hygiene instruction common in the food service industry, same course.
  • Red card the former name from the days of the health offices.
  • Hygiene certificate or health pass other common names for the same certificate.
  • Food instruction a term frequently used in everyday work life.

Anyone working with food professionally for the first time needs an instruction under § 43 IfSG beforehand. It informs about prohibited activities and hygiene obligations and is proven with a certificate, commonly called a health certificate.

The initial instruction applies to anyone starting a job in food service, kitchens, catering, bakeries, food retail, care, childcare, or communal catering. Work may not begin without the certificate.

It works online, location-independent and without an appointment: you complete the course whenever it suits you, confirm your identity, and download your digitally signed certificate immediately as a PDF.

The initial instruction is valid without a time limit. However, under § 43 para. 4 IfSG your employer must repeat the instruction at least every two years and document your participation. You can also complete this follow-up instruction online.

Go to the follow-up instruction
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