How to get hired at Cincinnati Fire Department
Cincinnati hires Fire Recruits through a civil service process. The application window usually opens about every two years. Candidates take a written exam, a physical ability test, and a structured oral interview to be placed on the Civil Service Eligibility List, followed by a background check and a physical exam. Recruits attend a paid 20-24 week Recruit School, and those without an Ohio EMT certification earn it in training.
Apply / get notifiedOfficial recruitment page
Minimum requirements
- At least 17 to apply and at least 18 by the appointment date src
- Must not have reached your 41st birthday by the appointment date src
- High school diploma or GED by the appointment date src
- Valid driver's license from your state of residence at appointment src
- U.S. citizen or valid Permanent Resident Card holder at appointment src
- No residency rule to apply. At appointment you must live in Hamilton County, an adjacent county, or within 35 miles of CFD headquarters src
- Applicants with felony convictions must follow Ohio's process for applicants with criminal convictions and submit results within 30 days after the written exam src
- Ohio EMT certification is a condition of employment and can be earned in recruit school src
Certifications
- EMT: required by end of probation
- Firefighter I/II: not required (academy provided)
Source: official page
Tests
- City civil service written exam (written) src
- Physical ability test (physical): Not named as CPAT on official pages src
- Structured oral interview (oral) src
- Background investigation (other): Covers criminal and driving history and may include fingerprinting and a polygraph. No credit check. src
Hiring process
- Apply online during the application window
- Written exam
- Physical ability test
- Structured oral interview
- Civil Service Eligibility List
- Background investigation
- Physical exam and drug screen
- Conditional offer
- Recruit School (20-24 weeks)
Source: official page
Academy
Paid Recruit School of 20-24 weeks of fire training, Monday to Friday 8:00-5:00. Recruits earn Firefighter I/II, Fire Safety Inspector, and EMT certifications (EMT class follows recruit school for those not already certified). src
Checked 2026-11-05 against the department's official pages (linked). Hiring windows open and close quickly; always confirm on the official site before you apply. See every academy, EMT program and test site in Ohio.