Prep options compared
F-80 prep options compared on what you can check
F-80 prep has one required piece: F-80 classes at a school on the FDNY list, finished before the test. The FDNY Study Material is free. Practice questions, on this site or in an app, are extras you choose (as of October 2026).
Plan ref 8.1Updated October 25, 2026
Start with what the FDNY requires
The F-80 Certificate of Fitness test needs a diploma from an F-80 course at a school on the FDNY list (Source: Study Material p. 4). As of October 2026 the list, marked “Rev. 2026”, names 18 schools (Source: FDNY F-80 school list). No practice site or app replaces that diploma, ours included. The course requirement page has the attendance and graduation test rules.
Then the Study Material. The FDNY states that it provides the study material to the public for free. It is revised from time to time; the current copy is marked January 2026. Check the FDNY page before your test.
Prep options at a glance
F-80 prep options, as of October 2026
| Option | Cost | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-80 course at a school on the FDNY list | Set by each school | Yes | The diploma you upload with your application |
| FDNY F-80 Study Material, rev. January 2026 | Free | No | Reading the rules in the FDNY’s own words |
| Practice questions on this site | Free | No | Our own questions written for study, with a note on every option |
| Timed practice test on this site | Free | No | A full-length run against the clock |
| F-80, our iPhone and iPad app | See the App Store | No | Our own study app; its App Store listing describes it |
Three schools that publish course details
F-80 course facts as each school published them, read October 25, 2026
| Point | Guardian Group Services | Tribune Training Academy | KTI Knight Training Institute |
|---|---|---|---|
| On the FDNY 2026 list | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Price shown (differs) | $175.00 | $195.00 | Not shown |
| Length shown (differs) | 8 hours | 8 hours | 9 am to 5 pm |
| Format shown (differs) | Online via Zoom | In person in Elmhurst, Queens; live online; hybrid | Online |
| School page (differs) | Guardian F-80 course | Tribune F-80 course | KTI F-80 course |
Shaded rows marked ≠ are the points where at least one column differs from the others.
Schools set and change their own prices and schedules, and the FDNY sets neither. Other schools on the 2026 list include Croker Fire & Life Safety Institute, Fedcap Career Design School, Global Security Group, Hostos Community College and Radiant Training & Consulting; we name them only. New York Fire Safety Institute, also on the list, posts a free F-80 quiz on its site.
A course off the list
A course from a school that is not on the FDNY list does not give you the diploma the Study Material asks for. Before you pay, check that the school’s name is on the FDNY list. Source: FDNY F-80 school list
Choosing prep
Are there free F-80 classes?
The two schools above that publish prices charge for the course. The 2026 FDNY list also includes Local 32BJ’s Thomas Shortman Training, for members only; ask the school or your union about cost. The Study Material is free from the FDNY (as of October 2026).
How do the free options fit around the course?
Read one Study Material section, then work the matching zone in the study guide. Leave the timed practice test for the last week.
Are the questions on this site from the FDNY test?
No. They are our own questions, written for study from the Study Material. None is taken from the FDNY test.
- FDNY F-80 Notice of Exam and Study Material, rev. January 2026Checked October 25, 2026
- FDNY list of F-80 schools, Rev. 2026Checked October 25, 2026
- Guardian Group Services, F-80 course pageprice and length as published · Checked October 25, 2026
- Tribune Training Academy, F-80 course pageprice, length and format as published · Checked October 25, 2026
- KTI Knight Training Institute, F-80 course pageno price shown · Checked October 25, 2026
- New York Fire Safety Institute, F-80 quiz pageChecked October 25, 2026
On an iPhone or iPad?
Then F-80 is the one to install. On an Android phone or a computer, keep practicing here; it costs nothing.