How to Become a Firefighter in Washington

Who can apply

• The State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) is the only entity in Washington that issues IFSAC and Pro Board firefighter certifications. All members of the Washington fire service may take part in its testing program.
• You must be 18 or older to enter the certification testing process, even if you are in a department Cadet or Explorer program.
• Firefighter I has no prerequisite certification; Hazardous Materials Operations is a co-requisite, and co-requisites must be met within one year of starting testing.
• Under WAC 296-305-05502, fire departments must give members training and education before they perform emergency activities.

Step by step

1. Join a fire department (career or volunteer); departments do their own hiring and testing.
2. Get trained to the Firefighter I standard (the SFMO lists NFPA 1010, 2024 edition, as recommended training) through your department, a recruit academy or the Washington State Fire Training Academy.
3. Complete and sign the SFMO Candidate Application before any testing.
4. Pass the SFMO written exam (70% raw score) and the pass/fail practical skills exam at an SFMO-registered test.
5. Complete Hazmat Operations within one year of starting the testing process.
6. Go on to Firefighter II, which requires Firefighter I and Hazmat Awareness and Operations.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: WAC 296-305-05502 requires the employer to train members before they perform emergency activities, give training on critical positions at least once a year, and give members who do interior structural firefighting an education or training session at least every quarter. Certification candidates must be trained to the standard they test for.

Exam: State certification is earned by passing written and practical exams developed by the SFMO and given by SFMO-approved proctors and Test Control Officers around the state. You need a raw score of 70% on the written exam; practical exams are pass/fail. Written retests are unlimited but must be on a different day with a different test version. If you fail up to three skill sheets you can retest the same day; failing a fourth sheet or the same sheet twice means retesting on another day. Scores expire one year from the date of the score notice.

What it costs in Washington

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

Exam scores expire one year from the date of notice, and co-requisites such as Hazmat Operations must be met within one year of starting testing.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: The SFMO lists no recurring renewal for Firefighter I. Under WAC 296-305-05502, firefighters who do interior structural firefighting in IDLH conditions must get live fire training at least every three years, or they cannot return to interior firefighting until they do.

Good to know in Washington

Coming from another state: The SFMO recognizes IFSAC or Pro Board certifications from other accredited entities for levels it is also accredited for. You must be affiliated with a Washington fire agency, the certification must be verifiable, and expired out-of-state certifications are not accepted. You receive an SFMO letter of reciprocity or recognition.

Pre-1995 firefighters: People who entered the fire service and trained to NFPA 1001 before April 1995, when Washington first became accredited, may qualify for an SFMO certificate of equivalency.

Accreditation: The SFMO was first accredited by IFSAC in 1995 and by Pro Board in 2024.

Sources

• Washington State Patrol - Fire Service Certification
• WSP SFMO - Firefighter Certification Program Policy (2024)
• WAC 296-305-05502 - Training and member development