Independent study notes for the FDNY F-80 Certificate of Fitness
F-80 study notes for shelter fire safety coordinators
The F-80 is the FDNY Certificate of Fitness for the Coordinator of Fire Safety and Alarm Systems in Homeless Shelters. Every homeless shelter in New York City needs a holder of it (Source: FDNY F-80 page). These free notes follow the FDNY Study Material one zone at a time. Each zone page has its own practice round where you rule out wrong options before you choose.
F-80 is our app for iPhone and iPad. On an Android phone or a computer, use the free practice on this site instead.
- Test
- 50 multiple-choice questions
- Time
- 75 minutes
- Pass mark
- 70%
- Where
- FDNY HQ, 9 MetroTech, Brooklyn
- Fee
- $25 per attempt
- Study Material
- Revised January 2026
Who needs the F-80
A shelter needs an F-80 holder on site at all times. When the coordinator is away, a deputy who also holds the F-80 takes over the duties (Source: Study Material §4). The rule also covers other buildings that must have a one-way voice system. It applies when they house more than 15 people for more than 30 days, such as an armory used as an emergency shelter.
The count comes from the Certificate of Occupancy. If it allows more than 15 people, the building needs the F-80 even on a night when fewer are inside (Source: Study Material §1.1).
The certificate belongs to one person at one location. One holder can cover at most two shelters without a variance from the FDNY (Source: Study Material p. 5). For how this differs from fire guard work, see the F-80 and fire guard comparison. If the coordinator job itself is new to you, start with how to become a shelter fire safety coordinator.
From course to card
Finish the school course
A course from a school on the FDNY list comes first. Its diploma is good for one year (the course requirement).
Get two notarized papers
Your employer, shelter director or DHS signs a verification letter and the F-80 application. Both must be notarized.
Apply and pay
You upload the papers and pay $25 through FDNY Business (Source: NYC Business F-80 page). The fee is per attempt and not refunded (the exam fee).
Sit the test at FDNY Headquarters
By appointment, at 9 MetroTech Center in Brooklyn: 50 questions, 75 minutes, 70% to pass (where to take the test).
Leave with the card
Your score appears on the screen at the end. If you pass and all requirements are met, the certificate is issued the same day (Source: FDNY General Notice of Exam). It is valid for up to three years (Source: Study Material p. 15). Facts checked October 25, 2026.
The Study Material in twelve zones
We split the Study Material into twelve zones, in the order it teaches them. Each zone page holds the rules, the usual traps and its own practice round.
The coordinator’s role and the certificate
Who must hold the F-80, the deputy, the nine duties and the fire guards the coordinator directs.
Zone A · 12 checkpoints
Definitions and key terms
The Study Material glossary: alarm or detector, fire stages, Phase I and II, off-line, shall or should.
Zone B · 12 checkpoints · 1 concept page
Emergency preparedness plan and staff training
What the plan holds, the yearly review, FEP staff training and residents who need help.
Zone C · 15 checkpoints
Fire and non-fire emergency drills
The drill procedure step by step, monthly on each shift, and what the drill record must show.
Zone D · 15 checkpoints
The fire alarm control panel
The three signals, the panel controls, the daily lamp test and the two power supplies.
Zone E · 13 checkpoints · 3 concept pages
Detectors, pull stations and notification
Smoke, heat and CO detection, pull stations, horns and voice, the central station and what an alarm shuts down.
Zone F · 12 checkpoints · 4 concept pages
Sprinkler and standpipe systems
How sprinkler heads open, what the coordinator checks, and who tests the systems.
Zone G · 12 checkpoints
Out-of-service systems and fire watch
Planned and unplanned impairments, notifying the FDNY, tags, the fire watch and putting a system back.
Zone H · 16 checkpoints · 2 concept pages
Portable fire extinguishers
Classes of fire, PASS, mounting heights, the monthly quick check and the annual service tag.
Zone I · 12 checkpoints · 3 concept pages
Emergency procedures and log books
Reporting a fire, briefing the FDNY, elevators, medical calls, packages, spills and the log book.
Zone J · 15 checkpoints · 1 concept page
Fire hazards in shelters
Three shelter fires and their lessons, the usual fire starters, common problems and lithium-ion batteries.
Zone K · 12 checkpoints · 1 concept page
Emergency shelter rules and the checklist
Buildings used as temporary shelters: notice, space, aisles, exits, patrols, and the coordinator checklist.
Zone L · 12 checkpoints
Where to start
Zone F (alarm devices) and Zone K (shelter hazards) take up the most of the Study Material. Zone B holds the definitions that the other zones use. A good first evening: the three panel signals, then acknowledge, silence and reset.
Why the pages look like an evacuation plan
Every room in the building
The practice rounds, the timed test, the exam facts (fee, retakes, renewal) and how the F-80 compares with other certificates.
Practice
Study
Exam facts
Getting certified
Comparisons
Our app for iPhone and iPad
F-80 is on the App Store. Android and desktop readers can use the free practice on this site instead.