Side by side
F-80 or S-95: which certificate a shelter needs
In a homeless shelter, the F-80 covers the S-95’s job. F-80 holders are exempt from a separate S-95 Certificate of Fitness, for coordinators who work in shelters only. The S-95 supervises fire alarm systems without voice communication, in buildings that need no F-80, F-53 or fire and life safety director (both Notices of Exam, as of October 2026).
Plan ref 7.2Updated October 25, 2026
One table decides who supervises the alarm
The F-80 Study Material and the S-95 Notice of Exam open with the same table. It matches a type of fire alarm system, or a type of building, to the certificate that supervises it. Each lower row says “not requiring” the certificates above it, so the table reads from the top down.
A shelter that needs no fire and life safety director lands on the F-80 row. The S-95 row is last: alarm systems without voice communication, in buildings that need none of the others.
Where questions blur the two
Scan the options before the question. When an S-95 option and an F-80 option sit side by side, both look right, since both certificates supervise alarm systems. Strike the S-95 when the building is a shelter. The table sends a shelter to the F-80, and the exemption means no second certificate.
The coordinator role zone practices the exemption. Shelter certificates compared puts the S-95 next to the F-53, the F-89 and the fire guards.
The Study Material §1 table, row by row
Fire alarm system or building, and the certificate that supervises it (Study Material §1, rev. January 2026)
| Fire alarm system or building | Certificate |
|---|---|
| Two-way voice communication with warden phones | FLSD |
| Commercial or mixed high-rise building | FLSD |
| Hotel with 50 or more sleeping rooms above the ground floor, with one- or two-way communication | FLSD |
| Homeless shelter that does not require an FLSD | F-80 |
| One-way voice (public address) system, no FLSD or F-80 required | F-53 |
| No voice communication, no FLSD, F-80 or F-53 required | S-95 |
FLSD means fire and life safety director, the F-89 or T-89 certificate. The S-95 Notice of Exam prints the same table.
F-80 and S-95 side by side
F-80 and S-95 from their own FDNY documents (as of October 2026)
| Point | F-80 | S-95 |
|---|---|---|
| Name (differs) | Coordinator of Fire Safety and Alarm Systems in Homeless Shelters | Supervision of Fire Alarm Systems |
| What it covers (differs) | Fire safety in the shelter: plan, panel, drills, staff training, fire guards | Personally supervising the visual inspection of a fire alarm system without voice communication |
| Valid where (differs) | One location; up to two shelters without a variance | One location |
| FDNY test (differs) | 50 questions, 75 minutes | 35 questions, 53 minutes |
| Pass mark | 70% | 70% |
| Before the test (differs) | School course diploma, notarized letter and notarized F-80 application | Employer recommendation letter |
| Other route (differs) | None: the computer test at FDNY Headquarters only | An alternative issuance procedure (AIP) for qualified applicants |
| Fees | $25 to apply, $15 to renew every 3 years | $25 to apply, $15 to renew every 3 years |
Shaded rows marked ≠ are the points where F-80 and S-95 differ.
Where the rule is written
- Source: Study Material p. 5Exempt from a separate S-95 or F-53, for coordinators who work in shelters only.
- Source: Study Material §1The table of alarm systems and certificates, and the shelter-only S-95 exemption.
Holding one, needing the other
I hold an F-80. Do I need an S-95 for a second building?
For another shelter, no S-95; the exemption covers shelter work. Your F-80 must still be registered for that shelter, with its own letter and application, and two shelters is the limit without a variance (Study Material p. 5). For a building that is not a shelter, the S-95 Notice of Exam lets F-80 holders get the S-95 for a different premises without the S-95 test. The employer recommendation letter and the $25 payment are still required (rev. March 2024, as of October 2026).
How much shorter is the S-95 test?
It has 35 questions in 53 minutes, against 50 in 75 for the F-80. Both need 70% (each Notice of Exam, as of October 2026).
- FDNY F-80 Notice of Exam and Study Material, rev. January 2026Checked October 25, 2026
- FDNY S-95 Notice of Exam and Study Material, rev. March 2024Checked October 25, 2026
- FDNY S-95 certificate pageChecked October 25, 2026
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