Renewals FAQs

Paid Renewal

If you are employed by a commission regulated entity, your employer is responsible for your renewal. Your department will keep your continuing education records and pay your renewal fees.

Individual Renewal

If you are not employed by a regulated entity, you are responsible for documenting your CE and paying your renewal fees. Do NOT send us your CE records. Keep your CE documentation on file and be prepared to submit it to TCFP when you are audited via e-mail during the year (up to three years following renewal).

When you get a job with a regulated department, the department will notify us. We will let them know what they need to do to keep your certification current.

All certificates expire on October 31 each year. We will send you an e-mail reminder 60 days before the renewal deadline. It is important that we have your current mailing address. It is your responsibility to keep your contact information current. You can update your personal contact information on FIDO.

If your certification is current, the annual renewal fee is $60.

We charge a $30 late payment fee (for a total of $90) for renewals received between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.

We charge an $60 late payment fee (for a total of $120) for renewals received more than 30 days but less than one year after the expiration date.

If your certificate has been expired for more than a year, you are not eligible to renew. You will have to re-test. Please contact the testing section at (512) 936-3811 for information about retesting.

CE Audits

As of September 1, 2013, individual certificate holders are not required to submit CE documentation when they renew. However, CE will be subject to an audit request for up to three years following renewal. Keep your documentation.

How many hours of continuing education do I have to complete?

You must complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education to renew your certificates.
Additionally:

• If you have a Wildland certificate, you must complete four hours of wildland-specific CE. The four hours can be counted toward your minimum 20-hour requirement.
• If you have a Hazmat Technician certificate, you must complete an additional eight hours, for a total of 28 hours.
  
  

What kind of continuing education do I have to complete?

There are two types of continuing education. Individual certificate holders can document either "Level 1," "Level 2" or a combination of the two.

• "Level 1" is training that repeats course material from the basic curriculum in which you hold your certification. The commission only allow four hours of "Level 1" training in any one subject, so you would have to document a minimum of five subjects. (Fire departments that provide this kind of training can issue you a Form TCFP-010, Continuing Education Documentation Form or a "certificate of completion" to help you document your hours.) Copies of "certificates of completion" from websites or certified training facilities are also acceptable. The "certificate of completion" must have the name and signature of the commission-certified instructor who taught the class. Keep your documentation! You will NOT submit your documentation when you renew, but the commission may ask you to provide the documentation at any time.
  Please refer to the appropriate chapter of the Certification Curriculum Manual to find the list of Level 1 subjects for the certification(s) you hold.
• "Level 2" is training to develop new skills. Examples of "Level 2" training are National Fire Academy (NFA) courses, fire service-related seminars, or college courses in fire science. Keep copies of any "certificates of completion" you receive from these courses to document your "Level 2" training. (Copies of official college transcripts are acceptable documentation of college courses in fire science.)
  
  

Where and how can I get continuing education as an individual certificate holder?

Please refer to our Continuing education page.

What happens if I let my certificate expire?

If your certificate has been expired for less than one year, you can renew it by logging into FIDO and paying any applicable fees. Remember to keep your CE documentation, as it may be subject to a commission audit.

How long do I have until I cannot renew my certification?

If your certificate remains expired for one year or longer, you will have to re-test before you can re-apply for certification. Please contact the commission's testing section at (512) 936-3811 for more information on retesting.

If you were "called up" or "activated to military service" during the renewal period, you can renew your certificate even if it has been expired for more than one year. We will require you to submit a copy of your activation orders along with one renewal fee. Please contact the certification section at (512) 936-3828 for assistance.