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A. 1) At least 18 years of age at the time of application, and 2) Graduation from a U.S. high school or equivalent, G.E.D. or equivalent from aU.S. institution, or a California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE) certificate is required, and 3) Achievement of a passing score on the FIREFIGHTER CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT (FCA) in order to be considered in the next phase of the selection process.
A. Yes, but you must attach an evaluation from an evaluation agency to your City application stating that the educational standards are equivalent to a U.S. high school diploma. We recognize the following evaluation service agencies: https://www.naces.org/members
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
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A. The FCA or Firefighter Candidate Assessment is a computer-based test battery consisting of two parts; a multimedia assessment and a self-description component. In the multimedia portion, candidates respond to audio and video cues on the computer. In the self-description component, candidates define themselves by responding to biographical, situational, and work attitude items. Under the 2026 application process, you must achieve a passing score on the FCA in order to be considered in the next phase in the selection process for the position of Firefighter with the City of Los Angeles. Even though a passing score on the FCA is required, you do not have to wait until you receive your score to complete an application.
A. The FCA Preparation Guide which includes information about the Firefighter Candidate Assessment (FCA) is available at https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/657aaee4482d6a65d67e5561/6593f1bc2644532ec6c9403f_FCAPreparationGuide2023.pdf
A. No. Candidates may use their passing FCA score from 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, or 2023 to satisfy the 2026 FCA requirement. This means that candidates with a passing FCA score taken from 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, or 2023 satisfies the FCA requirement for the 2026 selection process. Candidates who tested and passed in 2016, 2018 or 2020, but did not pass in 2022, DO NOT need to retake the FCA as their previous pass score in 2016, 2018, or 2020 will satisfy the 2026 FCA. requirement.
A. Yes. If you previously achieved a passing score on the FCA from 2016, 2018, 2020, or 2022, or 2023 you MUST submit a City application from March 3, 2026 through April 30, 2026, but you DO NOT need to retake the FCA. The City Personnel Department will identify your 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, or 2023 passing FCA score after you have submitted an application. If you DID NOT achieve a passing score on the FCA in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023, you MUST submit a City application AND retake the FCA.
A. The fee for the FCA is $76, and is payable to the vendor, Talogy. See their website: https://tara.vitapowered.com/LAFD/FCA for registration information. Payment of fees may be made by credit card (e.g., VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover).
CASH, MONEY ORDERS, CASHIER’S CHECKS AND PERSONAL CHECKS ARE NOT ACCEPTED.
WALK-IN TESTING IS NOT AVAILABLE
A. Test fee waivers are available to those of limited means who qualify. Please visit https://www.joinlafd.org/fca-test-locations) for information on how to apply for the fee waiver. You must fill out a fee waiver application and submit it to the City Personnel Department as instructed.
A. Yes, if you pay for the FCA and are later approved for a fee waiver, Talogy will refund the account used to pay for your registration. Further information will be provided to you if you are determined to be eligible for a fee waiver.
A. No. If you pay for the exam and later decide not to take it, you will not receive a refund. Also, if you do not cancel your appointment at least 24 hours before the scheduled FCA date and time you will forfeit your FCA fee. Information on how to reschedule your exam within Talogy required timeframe will be posted in the scheduling confirmation emails.
A. No. You will forfeit your FCA fee if:
A. You may email Talogy at COLAOPS@Talogyonline.com to notify them of your issue.
A. You will register to test and select ‘Request a Seat’ when you get to the scheduling part of the process.
A. You MUST have a valid State or Federal issued photo identification card with a signature, with you in order to be tested. If you do not have a valid State or Federal issued photo identification card with a signature with you, you WILL NOT be allowed to take the test and you will forfeit the registration fee.
A. Applicants scheduled for the FCA must contact Talogy more than 24 hours before their scheduled appointment at https://tara.vitapowered.com/LAFD/FCA to request to be rescheduled.
A. When you have completed the examination, you will be checked out by the proctor. The proctor will provide you with a printed report which will contain your results. Please keep these results.
A. You may only take the FCA one time during the 2026 testing window. If you fail the FCA during the testing window, you will not be able to move forward in the 2026 selection process. You may submit a request for e-mail notification when the Firefighter position with the City of LA is offered again. Go to the website and follow the instructions at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacity/classspecs
A. You also need to submit an application at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacity by April 30, 2026. The next step is waiting to be selected in a Stratified Random Sample to participate in the interview. Please see Question #28 the “Interview” section on page 5 for a description of the Stratified Random Sampling strategy we use to move candidates forward in the selection process.
A. No, you do not need to update your application with your FCA score. This will be completed by the City of Los Angeles Personnel Department.
A. The LAFD hiring needs and City funding of positions dictate when tests are scheduled. The application filing period and FCA registration are both open March 3, 2026 through April 30. Interviews are anticipated to begin during the application filing period.
A. While there is a new test window in 2026, the administration of the 2023 Firefighter exam is still ongoing. There are many candidates who have been and are participating in the various stages of this selection process that was initiated in 2023. Candidates should continue participating in this process.
All candidates in the 2023 exam may also compete in the upcoming 2026 selection process, if they so choose. As indicated on the 2026 Firefighter job bulletin, if you received a passing score on the FCA in 2016, 2018, 2020, or 2022, or 2023, you DO NOT need to retake the FCA, but you must reapply to be in the 2026 process as well.
Being a Firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department is a highly desirable and rewarding career, so the selection process is extremely competitive. Each candidate/applicant must decide how s/he/they can be most competitive, and that may include competing in both the 2023 and 2026 Firefighter exam administrations.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
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A. If you are unable to appear at your scheduled interview time, please call (213) 473-9060. Under Personnel Department Policy 19, candidates in OPEN exams may request a late test only if they are unable to take it as scheduled because of religious beliefs, an error by Personnel Department staff, or military commitment.
A. No, only a passing score is required. We cannot advise on when you will be invited to the interview. However, candidates who apply early may be invited for an interview during the filing period.
A. No, only a passing score is required. We cannot advise on when you will be invited to the interview. However, candidates who apply early may be invited for an interview during the filing period.
A. Being a Firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department is a highly desirable and rewarding career, and there are often thousands of applicants competing for only a few hundred Firefighter jobs. Because the LAFD’s hiring needs do not require thousands of applicants to be processed, applicants are selected to move forward in the selection process using stratified random sampling.
The stratified random sampling method involves randomly sampling from the applicant pool to produce a smaller group of applicants that is demographically proportionate to the original pool of applicants. For example, if 10% of the total number of applicants are Female Hispanic, 10% of the smaller group of applicants invited to interview will be from the Female Hispanic group. Regarding the number of applicants that will be drawn from the applicant pool, consideration will be given to the number of candidates necessary to be examined that would result in a sufficient number of eligibles on the list to satisfy the hiring needs of the Fire Department.
Applicants who are not invited to interview will be considered in the next rounds of sampling under this job bulletin. As for the 2023 administration, all eligible applicants were sampled.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
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A. Each candidate is rated separately and evaluated on their individual choices, judgments and behaviors. A candidate may think they have the same background as a friend but in fact everyone is an individual.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
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A. A valid EMT certification is required by the background investigation to be considered further in the selection process. Paramedic certification, which requires more training and is beneficial, but not required. However, it may be considered in identifying those applicants in the 2026 process using a Selective Certification.
A. A valid EMT certification is required during the background investigation to be considered further in the selection process. A valid EMT certificate is required prior to hire. Local candidates are required to submit a current, valid California State EMT license. Candidates from out of state must submit a current National Registry EMT / or higher certification. If you have an out-of-state certification, you qualify for California certification. For more information go to http://www.emsa.ca.gov/EMT.
A. A valid BIDDLE Physical Agility Test (BPAT) is required at the Pre-Background/CAP baseline fitness phase of the selection process, to move forward in the selection process. A valid BPAT is required prior to hire. The City of Los Angeles will only accept the Candidate Physical Ability Test. Local candidates can find agencies and test centers at https://www.caljac.org/recruitment/for-apprentices/testing. Candidates from out of state must submit a current CPAT from the CPAT National Testing Network/International Association of Firefighters. For more information go to http://nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs/cpat_info.cfm
A. Based on a candidate's ranking on the eligible list after the interview, candidates with the highest scores will move forward to the pre-background and CAP baseline fitness assessment. Candidates who possess a valid EMT certification and BPAT will then be considered for the Field Investigation phase of the selection process.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
A. Drill Towers are scheduled based on LAFD hiring needs and City funding. In recent years, there have been about two Drill Towers per year.
A. The LAFD determines how many firefighter trainees are scheduled for each Drill Tower, based on LAFD hiring needs and City funding.
A. A valid BIDDLE Physical Agility Test (BPAT) is required at the Pre-Background/CAP baseline fitness phase of the selection process, to move forward in the selection process. A valid BPAT is required prior to hire. The City of Los Angeles will only accept the Candidate Physical Ability Test. Local candidates can find agencies and test centers at https://www.caljac.org/recruitment/for-apprentices/testing. Candidates from out of state must submit a current CPAT from the CPAT National Testing Network/International Association of Firefighters. For more information go to http://nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs/cpat_info.cfm
A. Based on a candidate's ranking on the eligible list after the interview, candidates with the highest scores will move forward to the pre-background and CAP baseline fitness assessment. Candidates who possess a valid EMT certification and BPAT will then be considered for the Field Investigation phase of the selection process.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit id venenatis pretium risus euismod dictum egestas orci netus feugiat ut egestas ut sagittis tincidunt phasellus elit etiam cursus orci in. Id sed montes.
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