Overview
This page describes one official call as a worked example: the Comunidad de Madrid's 2026 call for Bombero Especialista (Bombero Especialista Conductor posts, group C1), published in the BOCM on 8 April 2026 under Order 877/2026. The call is by open access and covers 131 places. Other fire services publish their own calls, so always read the bases of the specific call you want.
Who can apply
In the Madrid 2026 call:
Spanish nationality.
Bachiller or Técnico title, or an equivalent, held or obtainable by the end of the application period.
Functional capacity for the work: candidates must not have any of the conditions listed in the medical table in Annex III of the call.
Driving licence class C with E associated, or equivalent, held or obtainable by the end of the application period.
Exam pattern
The system is an opposition followed by a selective course. All four exercises are eliminatory.
| Exercise | Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | Written test of 180 questions (plus 10 reserve), in two multiple-choice questionnaires: 40 psychotechnical questions (abstract and concrete reasoning, spatial reasoning, attention; 44 minutes) and 140 questions on the syllabus (146 minutes). Four options per question; a wrong answer costs one third of a correct one |
| 2 | Physical tests: 100 m swim, climbing a 6 m smooth rope by arm, lifting 40 kg, and runs of 60 m, 300 m and 2,000 m; includes a doping control |
| 3 | Tolerance tests: confined-space circuit in the dark (5 to 10 minutes) and a work-at-height test on a surface more than 20 m above the ground (up to 5 minutes) |
| 4 | Medical examination by a medical board |
The second exercise needs a statement that a doctor has assessed you as fit for the tests.
Syllabus
Annex I of the call sets the programme. It starts with legislation, including public-service law, equality, risk-prevention law and the Madrid fire and rescue services law. The full topic list is in the BOCM text.
Marking and results
Exercise 1 is scored 0 to 20 and needs at least 10 points. The written test is only marked if you answer the equivalent of at least 70 questions correctly in the 140-question questionnaire, counting right and wrong answers.
Exercise 2 is scored out of 30, each test scored by an Annex II scale, and you must reach the minimum mark in every test. The scale used depends on the sex on your DNI or NIE at the end of the application period.
Exercises 3 and 4 are apto or no apto.
The final mark is the sum of the exercises passed. The medical examination is held for the 131 best candidates who pass the third exercise.
Important dates
Applications ran for 20 working days from the day after publication (8 April 2026). The first exercise could take place from the second quarter of 2026, with date and place announced in the BOCM with at least 10 working days' notice.
Fees
In this 2026 call the exam fee was 28.14 euros, or 14.07 euros for members of large families in the general category, unless a full exemption applied.
How to apply
Apply electronically through the Comunidad de Madrid's electronic registry. This needs a recognised electronic certificate and registration for electronic notifications. Attach the proof of fee payment and a copy of your driving licence.
After the exam
Those who pass the opposition are appointed trainee civil servants and take a compulsory, eliminatory selective course of at least six months, scored 0 to 50 with a minimum of 25. The final mark is the opposition score plus the course score. Those who pass and show they meet the requirements are appointed career firefighters.
Preparation tips
Read the bases of the call you target, including Annex II (physical scales) and Annex III (medical conditions).
Start physical training early, because every test has a minimum mark.
Practise timed multiple-choice sets that include psychotechnical questions.
Does my sex affect the physical tests?
In this call, the scoring scale for the physical tests depends on the sex shown on your DNI or NIE when the application period ends. Later changes are not counted.