How to Become a Firefighter in Utah

Checked against Utah Fire Service Certification Council, administered by the Utah Fire & Rescue Academy (UFRA) at Utah Valley University · Verified 2026-10-16

Exam: Not required
Training: Not required
Term: 3 years
State fee: UFRA fee schedule (September 2026): Firefighter I and II tests $10 first attempt, $50 second, $75 third; recertification $10 every three years; reciprocity $20 per level (maximum $200). Departments in fifth- and sixth-class counties get a free first attempt at Firefighter I and II and Hazmat Awareness and Operations.
Certified by: Utah Fire Service Certification Council, administered by the Utah Fire & Rescue Academy (UFRA) at Utah Valley University

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Who can apply

Utah has no law requiring firefighter certification; the Council says participation is voluntary, though most Utah fire departments have certified personnel.
Council Policy 11.3 requires you to be at least 18 to test and be certified.
You must hold current CPR certification and have first aid training before Firefighter I is issued.
Certification goes through a participating department: your department must file an Intent to Participate form, and its chief or administrator requests your exams and certification.
Volunteer, part-time and career firefighters must all meet the same standard to certify.

Step by step

Join a Utah fire department (or other participating agency); departments handle hiring, physical fitness and medical requirements locally.
Train on the Utah Firefighter I written and skill objectives (based on NFPA 1010, 2024) with department training officers, and keep a complete Training Record.
Pass your department's in-house skills exam.
Pass the live burn evaluation, scored pass/fail by a Certification Tester who did not teach the class.
Earn Hazardous Materials Awareness and Operations.
Pass the Council's 145-question written exam (70% or higher) and the skills spot check exam.
Your chief submits a Certification/Recertification Request; renew every 3 years.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: No state law requires training or certification to work as a firefighter. For certification, training must meet NFPA 1010 (2024) and cover every skill in the Utah Firefighter I standard, normally using IFSTA Essentials of Fire Fighting, 8th edition. Department training officers must be certified at the level they teach. Hazmat Awareness and Operations can be completed any time during Firefighter I training, but Firefighter I is not issued until they are done.

Exam: Not required to work, but certification requires a randomly generated 145-question written exam (70% to pass) and a skills spot check covering one live fire evolution, two exam evolutions and one skill, with no advance notice of which skills. You get three written attempts, at least 30 days apart, and the whole process must finish within one year of the first written exam. Skills are pass/fail with two tries each; after a second failure you wait 30 days for a third and final attempt. Failing a third attempt means waiting one year to re-enter testing (or petitioning after 120 days to join a new course). Exam requests must reach the Certification Office at least 30 days before the exam date.

State certification is voluntary here, but most departments give a written entrance exam. Practice for it free →

What it costs in Utah

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

UFRA Firefighter I test fee (first attempt; $50 second, $75 third)(optional)$10
UFRA recertification fee (every 3 years)(optional)$10
CPR and first aid training(optional)$

Estimated total in Utah$0

Cost details from the state

Optional extras: additional patch $10, printed original certificate with seal $20, hard-copy ID card $20 (ID cards and certificates are also available online).
Reciprocity for out-of-state IFSAC/Pro Board certifications: the Firefighter I/II standard says $200 per application; the September 2026 fee schedule says $20 per level, maximum $200.

How long it takes

The certification exam process must be completed within one year of the first written exam. Written retests are at least 30 days apart.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Certifications are valid for 3 years. Your chief or administrator renews them by submitting a Certification/Recertification Request. Certified firefighters should complete at least 36 hours of structured class and skills training per year (all levels combined), for a total of 108 hours over the 3-year period. Passed test results are void if certification is not requested within 3 years of the last test. If your certification has been expired six months or longer without a Certification/Recertification Request on file, you are no longer eligible to recertify (Policy 19.10).

Good to know in Utah

Coming from another state: The Council may recognize current IFSAC or Pro Board certification from another state, territory or country after verifying it. The Utah reciprocity certificate does not carry a Pro Board or IFSAC seal, but it can let you move into the next Utah level. Certifications without IFSAC or Pro Board recognition are treated as training records, and holders must pass written and skills spot check tests.

Fitness and medical are local: The Council does not test physical fitness; that is a local department matter. Medical requirements follow NFPA 1582 as determined by the department's medical authority.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Utah Fire Service Certification Council, administered by the Utah Fire & Rescue Academy (UFRA) at Utah Valley University before you apply.