Overview
Sapeur-pompier professionnel (SPP) is the career firefighter grade in France. There is no single national SPP exam. Each concours is organised by a Service départemental d'incendie et de secours (SDIS) for its defence and security zone, and the SDIS 17 page shows that a concours is not held every year in every zone: in 2025 and 2026 the SDIS 17 was not organising one, and the 2025 external caporal concours for the South-West zone was run by the SDIS 33. Officer concours are run by the centres de gestion or the CNFPT.
This page uses one clearly labelled worked example: the 2025 external concours for caporal de sapeurs-pompiers professionnels run by the SDIS 76 (Seine-Maritime) for the West defence and security zone. Other SDIS and other years may differ, so check the notice of the SDIS concerned.
Who can apply
The SDIS 76 external concours had two routes, each with its own written test on the same day:
Titre 1: the general external route.
Titre 2: reserved for sapeurs-pompiers volontaires who, on the date of the first test, are volunteers, can show 3 years of activity as a volunteer, and have validated initial training in SUAP, PPABE and INC or a recognised equivalent.
The pages read do not set out the diploma, nationality and age conditions for titre 1, so they are not given here. Check the SDIS notice.
Exam pattern
Written admissibility tests (each a 1-hour QCM, coefficient 1):
| Route | Test 1 | Test 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Titre 1 | French, based on a text or document of general interest | Mathematical problems |
| Titre 2 (volunteers) | French, based on a text or document of general interest | Activities and skills of a volunteer firefighter team member |
Physical pre-admission tests (together coefficient 4): swimming, the adapted professional course (parcours professionnel adapté, PPA) and the cardio-respiratory endurance test (Luc Léger). The SDIS gives the detail of each on a separate page that could not be opened with a valid certificate, so standards are not stated here.
Oral admission (coefficient 4): an individual interview with the jury, based on an individual form completed by the candidate, lasting 15 minutes with at most 5 minutes of presentation.
Important dates
For the SDIS 76 concours: written tests on 27 November 2025 in Le Havre (morning for titre 1, afternoon for titre 2), physical tests from 5 to 9 January and 12 to 16 January 2026 (swimming at Grand-Couronne, the PPA and Luc Léger in Rouen), and the oral test in Saint-Valery-en-Caux, with dates to be confirmed. These are the dates for that 2025 concours, not for later sessions.
How to apply
Registration is with the SDIS that runs the concours, during its published window. Each SDIS publishes its own notice and candidate area.
Preparation tips
Train for the three physical tests before the pre-admission dates, prepare the individual form and a presentation of at most 5 minutes for the interview, and revise French comprehension and, for titre 1, basic mathematics.
Who organises SPP concours?
A SDIS organises each concours for its defence and security zone, and not every SDIS runs one every year.
Is there a route for volunteer firefighters?
In the SDIS 76 example, yes: titre 2 is reserved for volunteers with 3 years of activity and validated initial training, with a written test on volunteer firefighter activities and skills.