How to Become a Firefighter in Kansas

Who can apply

• Any active member of a Kansas fire department can take the national certification exams, and may challenge them without documenting training (except Fire Instructor I/II and Rope Rescue I/II).
• Kansas community college and high school fire science students and other Kansas emergency responders must first complete a course designed to meet the national standard.
• You must be at least 18 for the skills exam and at least 17 for the written exam.
• Out-of-state residents can access certification only through KFRTI, Kansas community college or high school fire programs, or by special approval of the KFRTI director.

Step by step

1. Join a Kansas fire department, or enroll in a Kansas college or high school fire science program.
2. Earn Hazardous Materials Operations certification (NFPA 470, Chapter 5), the prerequisite for Fire Fighter I.
3. Register and pay the certification fee online before the exam (no on-site registration), and submit the National Certification Application form.
4. Have your chief, training chief or program director sign the Fire Fighter I Local Verification & Mask Fit form and the Live Fire Verification form, and turn them in at the exam site.
5. Bring government photo ID and pass the written exam (70%) and the skills exam (100% on all stations).
6. KFRTI awards a national certification accredited by IFSAC and Pro Board.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Active Kansas fire department members may challenge the exam without documenting training. Students and allied responders must complete a course of instruction designed to meet the national standard. The current Fire Fighter I certification guide is based on NFPA 1010 (2024 edition).

Exam: Fire Fighter I written exam: 100 multiple-choice and true/false questions, two hours, 70% to pass. Skills exam: 100% on all stations, with two tries per station. You get two attempts at each component per application, with no same-day retests. All testing must be finished within one year of your first testing activity, or you must reapply, pay again and retake everything.

What it costs in Kansas

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

All testing for a level must be completed within one year of your first testing activity.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: KFRTI certifications do not expire, and KFRTI does not require continuing education to keep them.

Good to know in Kansas

Accreditation: KFRTI is accredited by Pro Board and IFSAC to issue national certifications.

Coming from another state: KFRTI cannot issue true reciprocity. If you serve on a Kansas fire department and hold a valid certification from another accredited entity, KFRTI can issue a letter recognizing it, so you do not repeat that level. To get a Kansas-issued certificate you must challenge the exam. People outside the Kansas fire service are not granted reciprocity except for a justified written request.

ADA accommodations: Send diagnosis documentation and a written request to the KFRTI Certification Manager at least two weeks before the exam.

Certification is voluntary: KFRTI says national certification is voluntary in Kansas and does not replace employer, state or federal requirements. Your department may set its own training or certification rules.

Sources

• KFRTI - Certification
• KFRTI Certification Criteria & Procedures (March 2020)
• KFRTI Fire Fighter I Certification Guide
• KFRTI National Certification Program Fee Schedule (July 1, 2026)
• KFRTI Fire Fighter I National Certification Preparation Guide (NFPA 1010, 2024)