How to Become a Firefighter in Arizona

Who can apply

• Arizona has no state law requiring firefighters to be certified. AzCFSE says departments may choose to make certification mandatory for their firefighters.
• To test for Arizona certification you must be at least 18 years old.
• You must complete an AzCFSE-approved certification program (academy) and appear on the final roster signed by the lead instructor.

Step by step

1. Check what the department you want to join requires. Departments run their own hiring tests and set their own certification rules.
2. Complete an AzCFSE-approved Firefighter I & II program, usually through a community college or fire department academy. Hazardous Materials Awareness & Operations is tested with it.
3. Pay the AzCFSE certification testing fee before testing.
4. Schedule your written and practical exams with AzCFSE at least two weeks ahead. No walk-ins.
5. Pass the 100-question Firefighter I & II written exam (70% minimum) and the practical skills exams within one year of finishing the program.
6. AzCFSE issues your Arizona certification.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Arizona certification requires completing an AzCFSE-approved program taught by approved adjunct instructors. Programs follow NFPA 1001 (Firefighter, 2019 edition) and NFPA 1072 (Hazmat). State law does not require this training; individual departments may.

Exam: AzCFSE gives a 100-question multiple-choice or true/false Firefighter I & II written exam (1.5 hours) and a 50-question Hazmat Awareness & Operations exam (1 hour), plus practical skills exams. You need at least 70% on written exams. Your fee covers three attempts within one year of finishing your program. You must wait at least 30 days between attempts. After three failures you must complete another program.

What it costs in Arizona

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

How long it takes

You must finish certification testing within one year after completing an approved program.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: AzCFSE certification is valid from the time it is issued. AzCFSE currently has no recertification or continuing education requirement.

Good to know in Arizona

Certification is voluntary: AzCFSE states that fire service certification in Arizona is voluntary and there are no state regulations requiring fire service personnel to become certified.

Challenge with a chief's signature: Instead of an out-of-state certificate, a challenge applicant can have the signature of a current Arizona fire chief of their own department, with at least five years of current active fire service.

Missing only the Hazmat prerequisite: If you have met every Firefighter requirement except Hazardous Materials Awareness & Operations, AzCFSE keeps your passed Firefighter exam scores on file for five years from program completion. If you do not pass Hazmat testing within five years, you must complete a new Firefighter program and retest.

Coming from another state: If you hold Firefighter I & II from another state, IFSAC or Pro Board (NFPA 1001, 2008 edition or later), you can apply for reciprocity/challenge testing. You also need Hazmat Awareness & Operations to NFPA 1072 (2017) with an IFSAC or Pro Board seal, or you must challenge that exam too. The non-refundable testing fee is $150 per level. Allow at least 45 days for processing and scheduling, and finish within one year of applying. You get two attempts; after that you must wait 90 days and reapply.

Sources

• AzCFSE - Arizona Center for Fire Service Excellence
• AzCFSE - Reciprocity and Challenge Testing
• AzCFSE - Testing Schedule and eligibility
• AzCFSE Fee Schedule (effective July 1, 2025)
• AzCFSE Policies and Procedures (revised 10/16/23)
• AzCFSE - Preparing for Certification Testing
• AzCFSE - Challenge Testing Application, Firefighter & Hazmat (rev. 8/11/25)