How to Become a Firefighter in New Jersey

Who can apply

• You must be at least 18 for New Jersey Firefighter I or Firefighter II certification.
• Firefighter I requires completing the New Jersey-adopted Firefighter I, Hazardous Materials Awareness and Hazardous Materials Operations programs and passing the matching state exams.
• Firefighter II requires New Jersey Firefighter I, HazMat Awareness and HazMat Operations certifications from the Division of Fire Safety, plus the state Firefighter II program and exams.
• The Division lists Firefighter I (N.J.A.C. 5:73-4.2(a)1) and HazMat Awareness and Operations as minimum recommended qualifications for all active fire service members.
• All emergency responders must complete IS-100, IS-200, IS-700 and IS-800 under Executive Order 248 / NJOEM-1 (2021).

Step by step

1. Join a volunteer fire company or apply for a paid department. In civil service jurisdictions, apply for the Civil Service Commission's entry-level Firefighter exam when it is announced.
2. Complete the New Jersey-adopted Firefighter I program plus Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations.
3. Pass the state Firefighter I, HazMat Awareness and HazMat Operations exams (based on NFPA 1001 and NFPA 1072 or 472).
4. Send the Firefighter I & II Certification Application to the Division of Fire Safety with ID, course completion certificates, prerequisite certifications and proof you passed the state final exams.
5. For Firefighter II, complete the state Firefighter II program and pass its state exams.
6. Civil service candidates: if your rank is reached and you confirm interest, pass the pass/fail Physical Performance Test (PPT), bringing the doctor-signed Medical Clearance Form.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: No statewide law found that requires Firefighter I certification to be hired; the Division lists it as a minimum recommended qualification. But state rules tie duties to training: after completing the adopted Firefighter I program you may perform interior structural firefighting under direct supervision. Before that, a Firefighter Candidate Grade I (after modules such as SCBA, hose, ladders, safety and fire behavior) may respond to alarms and, under direct supervision, help with exterior hose laying and ladder raising, and a Candidate Grade II (after added modules such as forcible entry, ropes, salvage, sprinklers and extinguishers) may assist in all exterior operations (N.J.A.C. 5:73-4.2). State certification requires the New Jersey-adopted Firefighter I and HazMat Awareness and Operations programs (Firefighter II adds the state Firefighter II program). Separately, PEOSH rules (N.J.A.C. 12:100-10.3) require public fire service employers to train members before they perform emergency activities, at least once a year for all members and at least quarterly for firefighters expected to do interior structural firefighting. Federal OSHA rules set initial HazMat Awareness training at 8 hours and Operations at 12 hours.

Exam: Required for state certification, not by statewide law for hiring. Division of Fire Safety state exams test the job performance requirements of NFPA 1001 (Firefighter I and II) and NFPA 1072 or 472 (HazMat). Certification is not issued until the Division validates your documents, including proof you passed the state final exams. In civil service towns, the CSC's entry-level Firefighter exam is a written test; candidates who pass go on eligible lists ranked by score, veteran status, volunteer points and residency, and take the pass/fail Physical Performance Test when certified to a town.

What it costs in New Jersey

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

Keeping your certification

Renewal: No Firefighter I/II renewal rule was found. Ongoing state and federal rules apply to all responders: annual bloodborne pathogens training (N.J.A.C. 12:100-4.2), Right-to-Know refresher training every two years, HazMat refresher training, and an annual SCBA mask fit test for structural firefighters.

Good to know in New Jersey

Coming from another state: You can request an equivalency determination for out-of-state programs accredited by the Pro Board or IFSAC, or for a program deemed equivalent to New Jersey's adopted program and current NFPA standards. The program should match New Jersey's instructional objectives and hours.

Civil service eligible lists: Eligible lists last two to four years. When new lists are released, old lists expire, and scores do not carry over; you must apply for and pass the new exam. The CSC is not the hiring authority: each town does its own hiring.

Missing the physical test: If you are scheduled for the PPT and do not appear, or come without your signed medical clearance form, you will not be tested and will be removed from all firefighter eligible lists. Make-ups are only given in limited cases under N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.9(a).

Veterans preference: Veterans preference is set by the NJ Department of Veterans Affairs (NJDVA) and must be established at least eight days before the list is issued.

2026 civil service exam: The CSC's latest entry-level Firefighter announcement ran July 1 to August 31, 2026, and is now closed. The written exam is projected for Fall/Winter 2026/2027 and the PPT from summer 2027. If you missed the deadline, you must wait for the next announcement; old scores do not carry over.

Volunteer service points: Volunteers with at least two years of continuous service (counted from age 18) get 3 to 10 points added to a passing score (N.J.S.A. 40A:14-45), but only on the list for the civil service department or district where they volunteer, and only if it has both paid and volunteer firefighters.

Sources

• NJ Division of Fire Safety - Firefighter I & II Certification Application Form (rev. April 2021)
• NJ DCA - Minimum Mandatory Qualifications and PEOSH Fire Station Standards
• NJ Division of Fire Safety - Certification/Recertification Requirements memo (10/19/2020)
• NJ Civil Service Commission - Entry-Level Firefighter FAQ