How to Become a Firefighter in California

Checked against Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), State Fire Training (SFT), CAL FIRE · Verified 2026-10-16

Exam: Required
Training: Required
Term: See state office
State fee: See state office
Certified by: Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), State Fire Training (SFT), CAL FIRE

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Who can apply

State Fire Training lists no prerequisites for Fire Fighter 1 (2024) certification. You qualify by completing the required training and passing the certification exams.
Required education: Fire Fighter 1A: Structure (with FEMA IS-100, IS-200, IS-700 and IS-800 as co-requisites), Fire Fighter 1B: Hazardous Materials, Fire Fighter 1C: Wildland, and Confined Space Rescue Awareness (SFT or IAFF).

Step by step

Enroll in an Accredited Regional Training Program (ARTP) or Accredited Local Academy (ALA) that teaches the SFT Fire Fighter 1 curriculum.
Complete Fire Fighter 1A (Structure), 1B (Hazardous Materials) and 1C (Wildland), plus FEMA IS-100, 200, 700 and 800 and Confined Space Rescue Awareness.
Take the SFT certification exams. Academy students are signed up automatically. If you trained elsewhere or under an old curriculum, register yourself with an accredited testing site as an Alternate Delivery candidate.
Pass the cognitive exams (70% or higher) and all assigned skills (100%).
SFT reviews your eligibility and issues the digital certification in your SFT User Portal. No separate application is needed.
Apply to fire departments, which run their own hiring tests.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: California Fire Fighter 1 certification covers three NFPA levels: NFPA 1010 Fire Fighter I, NFPA 470 Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations, and NFPA 1140 Wildland Fire Fighter I. You must complete the SFT Fire Fighter 1A, 1B and 1C courses, FEMA IS-100/200/700/800 and Confined Space Rescue Awareness. The 2024 edition of the standard took effect July 1, 2025.

Exam: SFT certification exams have cognitive and skills parts. Fire Fighter 1A: 100 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes, plus 7 required and 3 random skills. Hazmat (1B) and Wildland (1C) have their own shorter written and skills exams. You need at least 70% on each cognitive exam and must complete 100% of assigned skills and steps. An unsafe act is grounds for failing. You may retake each part up to two times within the academy or within 30 days of the first attempt; after that you need remedial education before testing again.

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What it costs in California

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

Accredited academy tuition$
Reciprocity review and California Fire Fighter 1 certification (out-of-state applicants)(optional)$275

Estimated total in California$0Plus 1 item with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Academy tuition is set by the accredited academy or college.
Reciprocity review: $275 (non-refundable) if you qualify for full reciprocity and California Fire Fighter 1 certification; $125 (non-refundable) if you instead need SFT exam authorization to test.

Good to know in California

Already California-certified: If you hold an OSFM Fire Fighter 1 certificate without national seals, you can apply for the Upgrade option to receive IFSAC/Pro Board Fire Fighter 1, Wildland Fire Fighter 1 and Hazmat certifications.

Three certifications in one: California's Fire Fighter 1 is broader than most states: it includes wildland firefighting (NFPA 1140) along with structural and hazmat levels.

Coming from another state: If you hold IFSAC and/or Pro Board Fire Fighter 1 and Hazmat Awareness/Operations certifications issued within the last 10 years, you can apply for reciprocity by mail. Full reciprocity ($275) also requires Wildland Fire Fighter 1, Confined Space Rescue Awareness and IS-100/200/700/800. If you lack Wildland Fire Fighter 1, you pay a $125 review fee and SFT authorizes you to take that exam. If your certifications are more than 10 years old, you pay $125 for authorization to take the Fire Fighter 1 exam. Certificates without the seals are rejected. Department of Defense certificates are exempt from the 10-year limit.

2019 edition being retired: SFT retired the Fire Fighter 1 & 2 (2019) exam and curriculum on July 1, 2026; eligible candidates keep up to one year from their original attempt to retake. Starting July 1, 2027, SFT stops issuing 2019-edition certifications (Fire Fighter 2 (2019) applications must be postmarked by June 30, 2027). Everyone else uses the 2024 edition.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), State Fire Training (SFT), CAL FIRE before you apply.