Getting certified
How to get the F-80, step by step
To get the FDNY Certificate of Fitness F-80, for Coordinator of Fire Safety and Alarm Systems in Homeless Shelters, you go in a fixed order. First a school course, then two notarized papers from your employer, then an application and a $25 fee on FDNY Business. Last comes a 50-question test at FDNY Headquarters in Brooklyn. The steps below follow the Study Material, as of October 2026.
Plan ref 6.1Updated October 25, 2026
Seven steps, in the order the FDNY sets
Your shelter names you
The shelter owner designates a competent person to hold the certificate (Source: Study Material §4). You must be at least 18 and have a reasonable understanding of English (Source: FDNY General Notice of Exam). What the coordinator does is on its own page.
Finish the school course
Attend every class at a school on the FDNY list and pass its graduation test with 70%. The diploma is good for one year. The course requirement page has the details.
Get the letter and the form notarized
Your employer, shelter director or DHS writes a verification letter and fills in the F-80 application form. The signer must have watched you do the panel tasks the form lists. Both papers are notarized (Source: Study Material p. 5).
Apply and pay on FDNY Business
Log in with an NYC.ID account, upload the diploma, the letter and the form, and pay $25 by card, debit card or e-check. A card convenience fee applies, and the fee is not refundable. The fee page has the rest.
Book an appointment
As of October 2026, the FDNY lists the F-80 among the certificates that need an appointment before the test at FDNY Headquarters (Source: FDNY Certificates of Fitness page).
Take the test at 9 MetroTech
Fifty multiple-choice questions on a touch-screen computer, 75 minutes, 70% to pass (Source: Study Material p. 6). Bring two IDs, one a government photo ID; what to bring lists the rest.
Leave with the card
Your score shows on screen when you finish (Source: Study Material p. 13). If you pass and all requirements are met, you get the certificate the same day (Source: FDNY General Notice of Exam). It lasts up to three years, and renewal costs $15.
Who prepares each paper
Documents you upload with the F-80 application, as of October 2026
| Document | Who prepares it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| School graduation diploma | The school, after you pass its graduation test | It is unexpired: the diploma is valid for one year |
| F-80 verification letter | Your employer, shelter director or DHS | Notarized |
| F-80 application form | The same signer, who watched you do the listed panel tasks | Notarized |
| Two forms of ID | You | One is a government-issued photo ID |
The FDNY may check the letter and the form with an unannounced audit at your shelter (Source: Study Material p. 5). Bring the originals of what you upload.
Paying before the papers are ready
The Study Material says you will not be allowed to take the test without the diploma, the letter and the form. It also says it is your job to check this before you pay and book (Source: Study Material p. 4). The $25 is not refundable, so collect all three first.
Before you start
Do I need a job at a shelter to apply?
For the F-80, yes. The letter and the form come from your employer, the shelter director or DHS, and the certificate is tied to the shelter where you work (Study Material p. 5, as of October 2026).
The diploma is a year old. Is it still good?
The Study Material says the graduation diploma is valid for only one year for the F-80 test (rev. January 2026, as of October 2026). After that it no longer meets the requirement.
If I fail, can I try again that afternoon?
No. Retesting on the same calendar day is not permitted, and each try is a new application and a new fee. The retake rules cover the third attempt.
What do I study for the FDNY test?
The FDNY Study Material, revised January 2026. Our study guide splits it into twelve zones you can practice one at a time, and the prep options page compares the rest.
Sources for each step
- FDNY F-80 Notice of Exam and Study Material, rev. January 2026Checked October 25, 2026
- FDNY General Notice of Exam for Certificates of FitnessChecked October 25, 2026
- FDNY Certificates of Fitness page (appointments, hours, ID)Checked October 25, 2026
- NYC Business: Certificate of Fitness F-80Checked October 25, 2026
- FDNY F-80 Verification Letter (sample)Checked October 25, 2026
- FDNY F-80 Application FormChecked October 25, 2026
Study on your iPhone
F-80 is our app for iPhone and iPad. On Android or a computer, the practice on this site is free in any browser.