New Jersey firefighter jobs and the Fire Fighter exam

By NJ Civil Service Navigator Editorial Team · Updated July 23, 2026

How to get a firefighter job in New Jersey: the open competitive Fire Fighter exam (spec 01839), who can apply, the age and residency rules, and the physical test.

Applications are open. The current firefighter exam (M9999H) closes on August 31, 2026. The announcement runs on a cycle, so filing early is the safe move.

If you want to be a paid firefighter in a New Jersey Civil Service town, one exam decides where you land. It is the open competitive Fire Fighter examination, and local jurisdictions hire from it using job specification 01839. You file a single application, and it can place you on the eligible list for more than one department, depending on where you live.

The exam itself is only part of the picture. Where you rank once you pass depends on residency, veteran status, volunteer service, and a few other factors that most candidates do not think about until it is too late to change them. This page walks through the whole thing.

Read the official documents before you apply. The firefighter exam is announced on a cycle, not open all year. The current open competitive announcement carries the symbol M9999H and closes on August 31, 2026. Every requirement, deadline, and residency rule is set by the Civil Service Commission, not by this site.

Start with the Fire Fighter job announcement and Fact Sheet. They are the authoritative source, and they control if anything here reads differently.

Which title this is

The title is Fire Fighter, and every Civil Service jurisdiction that runs a paid department fills its entry-level positions from the same statewide exam. Some departments also carry a combined Fire Fighter and Emergency Medical Technician title, which is appointed from this same list and adds an EMT certification requirement. There is a bilingual Spanish and English variant of the title as well, tested for language proficiency at the time of certification.

Who can apply

The core requirements come straight from the Fire Fighter Fact Sheet, and they all have to be met as of the closing date:

You must be a United States citizen as of the closing date.
You must be a New Jersey resident as of the closing date and again as of your appointment date.
You must be a high school or vocational high school graduate, or hold an approved high school equivalency certificate.
You must be at least 18 and not yet 35. You are treated as over 35 on your 35th birthday. Volunteer firefighters get an exception up to age 40, and military service can be deducted from your age under the veterans preference rules.

The age limit is the requirement that catches people out most often, so the residency and preference page covers the exceptions in detail.

The application window and fee

The current announcement opened July 1, 2026 and closes at 4:00 pm on August 31, 2026. The application fee is $35. Miss the window and you wait for the next announcement, which is not published on a fixed schedule. Everything has to be complete and submitted online by the deadline, so filing early is the safe move rather than the cautious one.

What the exam involves

Passing the written portion puts you on the eligible list. Before appointment, candidates also face a physical test. New Jersey uses a firefighter Physical Performance Test, and the department may require a medical and psychiatric examination as well. The written and physical parts measure different things, and you have to clear both to be hired.

After you pass

A passing score gets you onto an eligible list, not into a firehouse. Appointments come from the list under Civil Service rules, and lists expire. Once appointed, you have to complete a firefighting training program approved by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Division of Fire Safety, within the timeframe your department sets, and you cannot fight fires until that training is done. For how lists are certified and how long they last, see the eligibility lists guide and the broader Civil Service hiring process.

Other fire service jobs in New Jersey

Line firefighter is not the only fire service job New Jersey fills through Civil Service. If your interest is fire inspection, prevention, or the wildfire service rather than a firehouse role, these are separate titles with their own exams:

Fire Protection Inspector and Fire Official, the local code-enforcement side of fire safety.
Fire Prevention Specialist and Senior Fire Prevention Specialist.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service, including Forest Fire Control Technician and the Forest Firewarden ladder.

How to apply, step by step

Read the Fire Fighter Fact Sheet (30 min)

Before anything else, read the official Fact Sheet and job announcement. They set every requirement, deadline, and residency rule, and they control if anything elsewhere reads differently.

Confirm you meet the requirements (30 min)

Check United States citizenship, age (at least 18 and not yet 35, or up to 40 for volunteers), New Jersey residency, and a high school or vocational high school diploma or approved equivalent, all as of the closing date.

Apply online and pay the fee (1 to 2 hrs)

Submit your application through the Civil Service Commission Online Application System before 4:00 pm on the closing date, and pay the $35 fee. Filing early is the safe move.

Record residency and volunteer service (15 min)

Your residency on the closing date sets your tier, and two or more years of continuous volunteer firefighting adds credit points. Enter both correctly, because residency cannot be changed after the closing date.

Take the written examination (Varies)

Sit the written exam when your test date is announced in the Fire Service Status Report. Keep your contact email current so you do not miss the notice.

Pass the Physical Performance Test (Varies)

Clear the Physical Performance Test, built to the standards in the official manual, along with any medical and psychiatric examination the hiring department requires.

Get placed on the eligible list (Varies)

A passing score places you on your jurisdictions’ eligible lists, ranked by residency, veteran status, and any volunteer service credit. Appointments are made from the list.

Titles this exam leads to

FIRE FIGHTER 01839
FIRE FIGHTER 05959

Study guides for this exam

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New Jersey Firefighter Exam Prep 2026-2027: In-Depth Material Review with Practice Question Set, Complete Answer Keys, and Solutions Independently published
Civil Service Arithmetic National Learning Corporation · $39.94 · general prep, not specific to this title

The Civil Service Commission does not publish official study guides or release past tests. These are independent equivalency guides.

Browse all NJ civil service study guides →

Frequently asked questions

When is the New Jersey firefighter exam and how much does it cost?

The current open competitive Fire Fighter announcement, symbol M9999H, opened July 1, 2026 and closes at 4:00 pm on August 31, 2026. The application fee is $35. The exam is announced on a cycle rather than open all year, so filing early is the safe move.

What are the age limits to become a firefighter in New Jersey?

You must be at least 18 and not yet 35 as of the closing date, and you are treated as over 35 on your 35th birthday. Volunteer firefighters can be appointed up to age 40, and qualifying military service can be deducted from your age under the veterans preference rules.

Do you need a college degree to be a New Jersey firefighter?

No. You need to be a high school or vocational high school graduate, or hold an approved high school equivalency certificate. A college degree is not required for the entry-level Fire Fighter title.

Which job specification do local jurisdictions use for firefighter?

Local Civil Service jurisdictions hire entry-level firefighters using job specification 01839, Fire Fighter. A single application can place you on the eligible list for more than one department, depending on where you live.