Fact check
What happens if you fail the F-80?
If you fail the F-80, you can apply again, pay the $25 fee again (as of October 2026) and book a new test, but not on the same calendar day. You have two FDNY attempts. After a second fail, you must retake the approved course and send proof before a third attempt. The F-80 passing score stays the same each time: at least 70%.
Plan ref 5.7Updated October 25, 2026
Attempts before the course
2attempts
Applicants have two opportunities to pass the F-80 test. After failing twice, you must retake the approved course and submit proof of completion before you can book a third test. Each attempt needs a new application and payment, and retesting on the same calendar day is not permitted.
Source: FDNY F-80 Notice of Exam and Study Material, pp. 5–6 · checked October 25, 2026
The day of the failure report
A failure report after 75 minutes at MetroTech is hard to carry back to the shelter, especially when your employer is waiting for the card. It is a result from one test day. It does not measure whether you can do this job.
You do not start from zero after one fail. Your school diploma still counts while it is inside its one-year window Source: Study Material p. 5, and the next attempt follows the fixed rules below.
Your second attempt
Wait for a new day
Retesting on the same calendar day is not permitted Source: Study Material p. 6.
Submit a new application
Each testing opportunity needs its own application through FDNY Business.
Pay $25 again
The fee is per attempt and non-refundable, as of October 2026. Details are on the F-80 exam fee page.
Check your diploma date
It is valid for one year for the FDNY test. Book inside that window.
Book the appointment
Then go back to FDNY Headquarters with your documents and photo ID.
First, second and third attempt
What each F-80 attempt needs
| Requirement | First attempt | Second attempt | Third attempt |
|---|---|---|---|
| New application | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fee, as of October 2026 | $25 | $25 | $25 |
| Course (differs) | Diploma from your approved course | The same diploma, if still valid | Retake the approved course and submit proof of completion |
| Earliest date (differs) | After you apply and book | Not the same calendar day as the fail | After the FDNY has proof of the new course |
Shaded rows marked ≠ are the points where at least one column differs from the others.
From the FDNY Study Material, pp. 5–6, as of October 2026 Source: Study Material p. 5.
Making the next attempt count
Use the time between attempts on the topics where your choices split. The F-80 study plan lays out the weeks by Study Material section and ends with the timed test.
When you review a miss, find the two options you were choosing between. Then write down the word that decides between them: a time period, a person, or a condition such as FDNY authorization. That habit goes with you into the next test.
The school course has its own retake rule. You get two tries at the school graduation test, and a second fail means attending the whole course again Source: Study Material p. 5. Those school tries are separate from your two FDNY attempts. The course requirement page covers the school side.
Waiting and expiry
Is there a waiting period between attempts?
The Study Material only rules out a retest on the same calendar day Source: Study Material p. 6. As of October 2026, it names no longer waiting period. Your next date depends on open appointments.
What if my diploma expires before my second attempt?
An expired diploma does not meet the requirement. The diploma is valid for only one year for taking the FDNY test Source: Study Material p. 5, so you would need to complete the approved course again.
Study on your iPhone
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