Requirements to Apply
In order to apply for a Fire Recruit position with the Cincinnati Fire Department, applicants must meet certain basic requirements. Once those basic requirements are met, applicants must be able to fulfill all conditions of the hiring process. Failure to comply with any portion of the hiring process or misrepresentation will disqualify the applicant from further consideration during the application process.
Requirements:
- Applicants must be at least 17 years old at the time of application and at least 18 years old by the date of appointment.
- Applicants may not have reached their 41st birthday by the date of appointment.
- Applicants must possess a high school diploma or GED by the date of appointment.
- Applicants must possess a valid driver's license in the state they reside in on the date of appointment.
- There is no residency requirement to apply with the CFD. Residency requirements at the time of appointment include:
- All members shall reside within Hamilton County, Ohio, or within any county that is adjacent to Hamilton County, Ohio, or within a 35-mile radius of CFD Headquarters, located at 430 Central Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45202.
- There are several stages of assessments an applicant must complete. The first group of assessments that must be passed to advance in the process, and to be placed on the Civil Service Eligibility list, include:
- Written exam: The written exam for the 2025 applicant pool will be held May 8 - 10, 2025. The exam covers basic math, reading comprehension, memorization, and problem-solving, among other areas.
- Physical ability test: The physical ability test for the 2025 applicant pool is projected to take place over several weeks in June of 2025.
- Structured oral interview: The structured oral interview assessment for the 2025 applicant pool is projected to take place in the fall of 2025.
- Once an applicant has passed initial assessments and has advanced onto the Civil Service Eligibility List, further assessments are required, including:
- Background investigation: Candidates who have reached this phase of the hiring process must satisfactorily complete a background investigation, which may require fingerprinting and a polygraph examination. This investigation will cover your criminal and driving history. The Cincinnati Fire Department does not do credit history checks.
- Physical examination, including drug screening: The physical examination allows a physician to review each applicant's medical history and current health. The City of Cincinnati remains a drug-free workplace. Employees shall not report to work or remain on duty under the influence of drugs or alcohol that would result in a positive drug or alcohol screen, including marijuana.
A conditional Offer of Employment may occur once a candidate has successfully completed all phases of the hiring process.
A note on U.S. citizenship:
- All positions with the City of Cincinnati require that each applicant be a citizen of the United States, or have a valid Permanent Resident Card at the time of appointment.
A note on FELONY criminal convictions:
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If you have a FELONY criminal conviction, you must follow the State of Ohio applicants with Criminal Convictions process and notify/send the investigation results no later than 30 days after the written exam. If this information is not received, you will be eliminated from the process under section 2A/2B. Go to the following link for additional details: https://www.ems.ohio.gov/enforcement-conviction.aspx#gsc.tab=0
Senate Bill 337 became effective September 29, 2012, and created a “Certificate of Qualification for Employment” (CQE) in Ohio Revised Code 2953.25. The CQE will allow persons living in the community who have a previous FELONY or misdemeanor conviction to apply to the court to lift the collateral sanction that bars them from being considered for employment in a particular field.
Go to the following link for additional information regarding the Certification of Qualification for Employment: https://www.drc.ohio.gov/cqe.