How to Become a Firefighter: Steps, Tests, and Timeline

What do firefighters actually do?

Knowing the work helps you judge whether the training fits you. O*NET OnLine, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database, lists tasks such as rescuing survivors from burning buildings, accident sites and water hazards; giving first aid and CPR or delivering basic or advanced emergency medical care; driving and operating firefighting vehicles and equipment; operating pumps connected to high-pressure hoses; positioning and climbing ladders; creating openings in buildings for ventilation or entrance; responding to automobile and industrial accidents; and cleaning and maintaining stations and equipment ^[1]. The same list includes inspecting buildings for fire risks, educating the public about fire prevention, preparing written reports on fire incidents and taking part in physical training to maintain a high level of fitness.

That mix is why departments screen for physical ability, for medical skills and for teamwork. O*NET also projects average growth of 3% to 4% for firefighters from 2025 to 2035, but openings depend on each department's budget and retirements, so local postings matter more than the national outlook.

What do you need before you apply?

Start with the basics that nearly every department checks. Confirm each one in a specific job posting, because the details differ between departments:

• Minimum age. Each department sets its own minimum, so read the posting.
• Education. For new hires, O*NET OnLine reports that 70% of respondents say a high school diploma or equivalent is required and 12% say a postsecondary certificate is required ^[1]. A college degree is not the usual requirement, though some departments give credit for fire science or EMS coursework.
• Driver's license. Fire apparatus and department vehicles mean a valid license is common, and some departments ask for a clean driving record.
• Background and character. Expect a criminal history check and questions about your record. Rules differ, so ask the department before you assume a past issue is disqualifying.
• Residency and work authorization. Some city departments prefer or require residents. This is local policy, not a national rule.

Requirements vary by department and state, so treat any list online, including this one, as a starting checklist, not the rulebook. The posting and the department's recruitment office are the authority. If you are still weighing careers, the careers hub compares other paths, and our resources page collects official starting points.

Do you need an EMT certification?

Some fire departments ask applicants to hold an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification, either to apply or by the end of the academy, because many fire calls are medical. Others certify recruits during training. O*NET lists emergency medical care among a firefighter's tasks, so even a department that does not require it up front will teach medical skills. Read the posting to see which applies.

If you decide to certify first, here is how the national process works. The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) describes the EMT exam as a computer adaptive test with 70 to 120 items, including 10 pilot (unscored) items, and a 2-hour time limit, given at Pearson VUE test centers or by remote proctoring ^[3]. The skills exam is separate: NREMT states that the psychomotor examination process is established and approved by each state. Recertification is a separate process after initial certification, so keep track of your renewal dates.

Because states set the skills exam and licensing rules, contact your state's emergency medical services office for the exact steps. Our EMT career guide explains the role, and training and certification options lists other ways to prepare. An EMT certificate does not guarantee an interview, but it removes a barrier at departments that ask for it.

What tests will you take?

Career departments commonly use a sequence of screening steps. Names and order differ, but the pattern is similar:

1. Application and minimum-qualification review. Incomplete applications are often screened out at this stage.
2. Written test. This usually checks reading, math, mechanical reasoning and following instructions. Some departments use a commercial or civil service exam.
3. Physical ability test. Many departments use the Candidate Physical Ability Test (CPAT), though some use their own test.
4. Interview. Panels ask about teamwork, judgment under pressure and why you want the job.
5. Background check, medical exam and often further screening. Offers are typically conditional until these are cleared.

The City of Phoenix describes the CPAT on its fire careers page as consisting of eight separate events: stair climb, hose drag, equipment carry, ladder raise and extension, forcible entry, search, rescue, and ceiling breach and pull. It is a pass/fail test based on a validated maximum total time of 10 minutes and 20 seconds, and candidates wear a 50-pound vest to simulate the weight of a breathing apparatus ^[2]. Phoenix notes that it does not run the CPAT itself, so candidates bring proof of completion from a licensed testing agency, and the certification cannot be more than 6 months old at the final selection interview. That shows how local the rules are: another department may accept an older result, run its own test, or require a different one. Ask each department which physical test it uses and how long a passing result stays valid.

Preparation matters for any of these tests. Train for the kind of effort they measure, which is sustained, heavy work with equipment, and ask the department or a local testing agency about practice sessions.

What happens at the fire academy and probation?

A conditional offer usually leads to a fire academy, run by the hiring department or a regional or state training center. Recruits train in fire suppression, rescue, hazardous materials awareness, emergency medical care, equipment and apparatus operation, and safety. Academy length and whether recruits are paid vary by department, so check the posting for both.

Many academies include certification to national standards published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), such as the firefighter professional qualification standards. Departments and states choose which standards and certifying bodies they use, so look at your state fire training agency's site for the one that applies to you. After the academy, new firefighters generally serve a probationary period, during which they can be dismissed if they do not meet standards. The length is set by the department or its civil service rules.

How long does it take?

There is no standard timeline, and any single number would mislead you. Three things drive it:

• Your starting point. If your target departments want an EMT certificate, a course and exam come before most other steps, and the time depends on your local program and testing availability.
• The department's hiring calendar. Many departments test only when they open a recruitment, which can be once a year or less. Lists of qualified candidates stay active for a period set by the department.
• Competition. Popular departments can receive far more applicants than openings, and candidates often apply to several departments.

For planning, think in stages: prepare and certify, test and screen, then academy and probation. Add time for waiting between stages, and apply to more than one department.

What should you do first?

Pick two or three departments you could realistically join and save their latest postings or recruitment pages. Write down the age, license, EMT and test requirements side by side, and note when each opens hiring. Then look up your state's EMS office to learn how EMT certification works locally, and start a regular training routine for strength and endurance. None of this guarantees an offer, but it makes the later stages less of a surprise.

Volunteer or career: which route fits you?

Many people get their first fire service experience as a volunteer. The U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Department Registry summary for January 2024 counted 27,166 registered departments, about 92% of the departments estimated to exist, with 1,058,800 active career, volunteer and paid-per-call firefighters. Of those, 34.8% were career, 52.6% were volunteer and 12.6% were paid-per-call. By department type, 70.0% were volunteer, 15.5% mostly volunteer, 5.0% mostly career and 9.5% career ^[4]. USFA's volunteer fire service page states that almost 70% of U.S. firefighters are volunteers, so the exact share depends on how and when the count is made, but volunteers are clearly a large part of the U.S. fire service ^[5].

	Career department	Volunteer department
Pay	Salaried, with benefits set by the employer	Usually unpaid, details vary
Hiring	Formal tests, screening, academy	Application, interview, training; varies
Time commitment	Scheduled shifts	On call and training time
Common use	Full-time career	Community service, experience, a first step

Volunteer experience can help you learn the work and confirm that you want it, though it does not replace a career department's hiring process. USFA's page also points volunteers to National Fire Academy courses, available off campus and online, and to safety resources, which gives you a sense of the training on offer.

Pay for career firefighters is covered on a separate page. In short, the national median was $59,280 a year in May 2025 ^[6], and the full range and state figures are on our firefighter salary page.