Entry-Level Firefighter Hiring Timeline

The following information is for candidates who submitted an application for Firefighter in 2025. The 2025 application period closed on Nov. 7, 2025, and the 2026 Firefighter Register will be published in March 2026. The first class hired from this register, Recruit Class #125, will start in August 2026, and the second class, Recruit Class #126, will start in February 2027.

More information on the individual stages of the hiring process can be found here.

Tentative Schedule

March-April 2026: Employment packets, CPATs and suitability assessments for Recruit Class #125

May 2026: Fire Chief interviews and conditional offers for Recruit Class #125

June-July 2026: Background checks, medical assessments and psychological evaluations for Recruit Class #125

July-August 2026: Employment packets, CPATs and suitability assessments for Recruit Class #126

August 2026: Recruit Class #125 begins

September 2026: Fire Chief interviews and conditional offers for Recruit Class #126

November-December 2026: Background checks, medical assessments and psychological evaluations for Recruit Class #126

December 2026: In-house EMT course for conditionally-offered candidates

February 2027: Recruit Class #126 begins

Contact

Questions regarding pre-employment screening or the job of a Seattle firefighter should be directed to the Seattle Fire Department Recruitment Office via email to SFD.Recruitment@seattle.gov.