Volunteer Firefighter (VPD)

Verified 18 August 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

Do you want to become a volunteer firefighter (VPD)? It is about participating in the missions entrusted to the fire and rescue services, the same as for professional firefighters. Your physical fitness is checked. Your commitment is 5 years. It is renewable. Your assignments are compensated. You can suspend your engagement for personal reasons. We present you the information to know.

The SPV's activity is based on volunteerism.

You participate throughout the country in civil security missions of all kinds entrusted mainly to fire and rescue services.

These are the same missions as professional firefighters.

These tasks are:

  • Emergency relief and care for people
  • Fire Fighting
  • Road Relief
  • Protection of people, property and the environment.

Please note

You can commit to carry out all or part of these missions (we talk aboutdifferentiated commitment).

You carry out your missions by the following means:

  • Guards, i.e. physical presence at the emergency center
  • Periodic penalty payments, i.e. availability in a location close to the barracks so that it can be reached quickly in the event of an alert.

On-call duty is the most common regime for volunteer firefighters (night, weekend, free time, etc.).

Your personal and professional constraints are taken into account.

The organization varies according to the SDIS: titleContent.

You can become a volunteer firefighter (VPD), whether you are working or not.

You must meet several conditions.

Age

You must have at minimum 16 years.

If you are a minor, you must obtain the written consent of one of your parents or guardian.

Physical fitness

The performance of volunteer firefighter duties (including driving vehicles) requires special health conditions.

Your physical fitness is checked during your recruitment.

It is based on a medical assessment of your physical, sensory and psychological abilities.

Your physical fitness is determined by a doctor from the fire and rescue service approved to the aptitude of firefighters.

You should also be vaccinated against the following diseases:

  • Hepatitis B
  • Diphtheria
  • Tetanus
  • Poliomyelitis
  • Flu.

Civic Conditions

They depend on your nationality:

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French nationality

If you are under 25 years old, you must have day of mobilization (formerly known as Defense and Citizenship Day, JDC).

You must, in this case, be in possession of your attestation of services performed if you have performed national or military service.

You must respect the 2 conditions following:

Foreign nationality

You must reside legally in France.

You must also respect the conditions following:

  • Enjoy your civil rights with regard to your country of origin
  • Not having been the subject of a conviction set out in criminal record bulletin no. 2
  • Not having been convicted in relation to your country of origin.

You must present a certificate or a criminal record extract (depending on the country concerned) in French.

You have to address yourself at the consulate or embassy from your country of origin to obtain it.

The situation depends on where you live:

General scenario

The application procedures shall be laid down by each SDIS: titleContent.

You can find them on the website of each Sdis.

Who shall I contact

You can also go directly to the emergency center closest to you.

The Sdis selects candidates according to criteria it sets itself.

Who shall I contact
In Paris and in the small crown

There are no volunteer firefighters.

The Paris firefighters are military.

The Paris fire brigade operates in the 124 communes of the departments of Paris, Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis and Val-de-Marne.

If you are between the ages of 18 and 25, you can wear candidate for civic service.

Ec civic service lasts 10 months.

In Marseille

There are no volunteer firefighters.

Marseille's firefighters are soldiers.

If you are between the ages of 18 and 25, you can wear candidate for civic service.

Ec civic service lasts 8 months.

You commit for a period of 5 years.

This period is renewable if you continue to comply with the initial conditions of engagement (including physical fitness).

You can suspend your engagement at any time.

Volunteer firefighter (VPD) activity is carried out with obedience, discretion and responsibility.

You also undertake to respect the SPV National Charter.

In the event of non-compliance with these obligations, sanctions may be imposed.

You benefit from a initial training suitable for SPV missions.

It lasts from 10 to 30 days (spread over 1 to 3 years)

You then benefit from continuous training and development to maintain your skills and develop your specialties.

You can also benefit from training following a change of grade, to carry out a new activity or responsibilities.

The training is provided by the following structures:

  • Fire and rescue services
  • National School of Fire Officers.

As soon as you commit, individual booklet training is provided to you by your managing authority.

This booklet identifies the following:

  • Qualifications obtained as part of your SPV activity
  • Activities carried out during your engagement
  • Copy of the qualifications obtained attached.

You complete your booklet throughout your commitment.

Your physical fitness, health condition and immunity (vaccines) are checked throughout your volunteer firefighting activity.

The check shall be carried out by a doctor of the fire and rescue service approved for the suitability of firefighters, when maintenance medical visits.

During the engagement, these visits are organized as follows:

  • A visit every 4 years until 45 years
  • A reinforced visit at 45 years old
  • A visit every 2 years from 45 years
  • A visit every year from 62 years old.

Between 2 medical maintenance visits, at mid-period, you are received for an intermediate visit.

FYI  

Additional medical examinations requested by the rescue services are covered.

At the end of the engagement, you are received for a medical examination at the end of the engagement.

Volunteer firefighter activity is primarily exercised on the free time you can devote to it, while maintaining a balance between work, family and social life.

Some devices can facilitate your engagement during working time.

If you are in a professional activity, you can leave your position to carry out your mission.

You must request leave of absence to your employer.

This must authorize any absence justified by a mission or training.

He can refuse only if your presence at work is required (absolute necessity of service). Reasons must be given for the refusal, it shall be forwarded to the SDIS: titleContent.

Your absence is not paid by your employer.

But your absence as an SPV (operational mission or training) is equivalent to actual working time for your paid leave and social benefits rights, and for those related to seniority.

Please note

The SDIS: titleContent is your employer's contact for questions concerning absences related to your volunteer firefighter activity.

Several schemes encourage employers, both private and public, to encourage their employees or agents to volunteer.

These include:

If you are an employee or a public official, you can benefit, with the agreement of your employer, from a donation of days of rest as a volunteer firefighter.

The approach depends on your situation:

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You are an employee

The employee who assigns his days of rest and the one who receives them must have the same employer.

The donation may cover all days of rest not taken, except for the first 4 weeks of paid leave (i.e. 24 working days).

The donation is anonymous and without compensation.

THEagreement of the employer is necessary.

To benefit from the donation of days of rest, you must contact your employer, justifying your situation.

If your request is accepted, your remuneration is maintained during the days of absence covered by the rest days donation.

You are a public official

The officer who assigns his days of rest and the officer who receives them shall report to same employer.

Thus, the donation can be made between agents under one of the following administrations:

  • Ministerial Department in the State Civil Service
  • Public institution
  • Independent administrative authority
  • Territorial authority or public health institution
  • Legal person private law (in the case of public officials attached to such a legal person).

Any officer may give RTT days and/or annual leave (beyond 20 days). The donation is anonymous and without compensation.

If you wish to receive a donation of rest days, you must inform in writing your administration.

Your application must be accompanied by a certificate of SDIS: titleContent to which you are attached, specifying the mission concerned and the number of days requested.

The administration has 15 working days to inform you of the donation.

The length of leave that you can take using specific days of rest is limited to 10 days per calendar year.

Leave can be taken for 1 year from receipt of the donation. It can be split.

The advancement of SPVs takes place within a hierarchy comprising the following grades:

  • Non-commissioned: Sapper and Corporal
  • NCO (Sergeant and Warrant Officer)
  • Officer (Lieutenant, Captain, Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel and Colonel).

Advancement is subject to seniority and training conditions.

Please note

You must be at least 21 years old to be an officer.

You are not paid, but only compensated, unlike professional firefighters.

The amount of the basic allowance shall be, according to your rank, one of the following:

Tableau - Hourly allowance by grade

Grade

Amount

Sapper

€8.71

Corporal

€9.35

Non-Commissioned Officer

€10.55

Officer

€13.11

Your benefits vary depending on the custody or on-call regime.

For example, guards at a fire and rescue center are entitled to allowances calculated within the limits of 35 to 75 per cent of the basic allowance (depending on the number of hours of service and the SDIS: titleContent).

Training is also compensated.

Your allowances are exempt from income tax.

You can suspend your engagement for one or more periods, up to a maximum of 5 years, for the following reasons:

  • Family
  • Professional
  • School or university
  • Parental leave.

The suspension is pronounced for a minimum duration of 6 months.

Suspension periods are not taken into account for your promotion and seniority, but you retain your rank and seniority.

At the end of your suspension, you resume your activity, after a medical examination.

Who shall I contact

After you stop being an SPV, you will receive an allowance or benefit.

The amount varies according to the number of years of service.

The rights are only financed by public contributions, SDIS: titleContent and the State (since 2016).

The benefit depends on the year in which you have ceased your engagement:

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Before 2004

You are entitled to a stewardship allowance if you meet the following conditions:

  • Be at least 55 years
  • Have performed at least 20 years of service (15 years if your operational incapacity has been medically recognized).

Payment terms and amounts vary from department to department.

The veterinarian allowance is exempt income tax.

It is also exempt from social security contributions (CSG: titleContent, CRDS: titleContentetc.).

It is non-transferable (it is attributed to you personally and cannot therefore be transferred to another person).

It can be combined with any other income or social benefit.

Please note

In the event of death, the caregiver's allowance continues to be paid to your spouse or Civil partnership partner if the Civil partnership was made at least 2 years before the death or if you had a child with your partner.

In 2004

You are entitled to a loyalty allowance if you meet the following conditions:

  • Be at least 55 years
  • Have performed at least 20 years of service (15 years if your operational incapacity has been medically recognized).

The loyalty allowance is paid only once a year.

The amount of the allowance differs according to the number of years of service performed.

Tableau - Amount based on number of years of service

Number of years of service

Annual amount

Between 20 and 24 years of service

Approximately €450

Between 25 and 29 years of service

Approximately €600

Between 30 and 34 years of service

Approximately €700

Between 35 years and more of services

Approximately €800

The loyalty allowance is exempt income tax (but you have to report it with all your income).

It is also exempt from social security contributions (CSG: titleContent, CRDS: titleContentetc.).

It is non-transferable (it is attributed to you personally and cannot therefore be transferred to another person).

It can be combined with any other income or social benefit.

Please note

In the event of death, the loyalty allowance continues to be paid to your spouse or Civil partnership partner if the Civil partnership was made at least 2 years before the death or if you had a child with your partner.

Between 2005 and 2015

You are entitled to a loyalty and recognition service (LIP) if you meet the following conditions:

  • Be at least 55 years
  • Have performed at least 20 years of service (15 years if your operational incapacity has been medically recognized).

To find out your RFP entitlements, you can use the following online service:

Know your rights to loyalty and recognition benefits for volunteer firefighters (PFR)

The RFP is exempt income tax (but you have to report it with all your income).

It is also exempt from social security contributions (CSG: titleContent, CRDS: titleContentetc.).

It is non-transferable (it is attributed to you personally and cannot therefore be transferred to another person).

It can be combined with any other income or social benefit.

FYI  

In the event of death, the LIP can, under certain conditions, be paid to your spouse or Civil partnership partner or, if not, to your minor children.

Between 2016 and 2021

You are entitled to the called benefit new loyalty and recognition service (NPFR) if you meet the following conditions:

  • Be at least 55 years
  • Have performed at least 20 years of service (15 years if your operational incapacity has been medically recognized).

The new LIP is paid only once a year.

The amount of the new LIP differs depending on the number of years of service performed.

Tableau - Amount based on number of years of service

Number of years of service

Annual amount

From 20 years to 24 years of service

€1,024.95

From 25 to 29 years of service

€2,049.90

From 30 years to 34 years of service

€2,690.50

35 years of service and more

€3,074.85

The new LIP is exempt from income tax (but you must report it with all of your income).

It is also exempt from social security contributions (CSG: titleContent, CRDS: titleContentetc.).

It is non-transferable (it is attributed to you personally and cannot therefore be transferred to another person).

It can be combined with any income or social benefit.

Please note

In the event of death, the new LIP continues to be paid to your spouse or Civil partnership partner or, if not, to your minor children.

Since November 27, 2021

You are entitled to the called benefit new loyalty and recognition service (new LIP) if you meet the following conditions:

  • You are at least 55 years
  • You've done at least 15 years of service (10 years if your operational incapacity has been medically recognized).

The new LIP is paid only once a year.

The amount of the new LIP differs depending on the number of years of service performed.

Tableau - Amount based on number of years of service

Number of years of service

Annual amount

From 15 to 19 years

€512.50

From 20 years to 24 years of service

€1,024.95

From 25 to 29 years of service

€2,049.90

From 30 years to 34 years of service

€2,690.50

35 years of service and more

€3,074.85

The new LIP is exempt income tax (but you have to report it with all your income).

It is also exempt from social security contributions (CSG: titleContent, CRDS: titleContentetc.).

It is non-transferable (it is attributed to you personally and cannot therefore be transferred to another person).

It can be combined with any income or social benefit.

Please note

In the event of death, the new LIP continues to be paid to your spouse or Civil partnership partner or, if not, to your minor children.

You must contact your Sdis to inform you of the calculation of the benefit you can receive and to request it after the end of your commitment as a SPV.

Who shall I contact

Depending on your professional situation, you can benefit from additional quarters under certain conditions.

We are also talking about markup of your duration of insurance.

Your entitlements depend on the date of your retirement:

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You are retired before July 1, 2026

You don't benefit no additional retirement quarters for your period of commitment as a volunteer firefighter.

You are retired from 1 July 2026

You can benefit from additional retirement quarters for your period of commitment as a volunteer firefighter.

The number of quarters depends on the duration of your engagement:

  • 1 quarter for a commitment period of at least 10 years
  • 2 quarters for a commitment period of at least 20 years
  • 3 quarters for a commitment period of at least 25 years.

Your commitment period is calculated for the total duration of your services, from date to date, continuous or not.

Example :

You have 26 years of SPV. You benefit from 3 additional quarters.

These additional quarters count towards achieving a full retirement with full rate.

On the other hand, they are not retained for obtaining a early retirement for a long career, or where all required quarters have already been contributed.

To benefit from your additional quarters, you must provide a status of services established by the last SDIS: titleContent in which you were engaged.

It must indicate the length and period of your commitment as a volunteer firefighter.

Please note

You can continue your SPV activities after you retire from work.

In the event of death in service, your loved ones may be entitled, under certain conditions, to a reversion allocation.

The survivor's allowance is paid every month to any of the following:

  • Person you lived with as a couple
  • Ex-husband (s) not remarried, not entered into a civil partnership and who does not live in cohabitation
  • Child who is under 21 years of age or of any age if disabled.

Your commitment as a volunteer firefighter can end in many situations.

This is the case in the following situations:

  • Your contract is not renewed
  • You no longer meet the physical fitness requirements
  • You're reaching the age limit
  • You have been disciplined (terminated)
  • At your request.

Personal Reason

You can request to terminate your SPV engagement at any time, without notice.

Non-renewal of contract

If your contract is not renewed, your commitment ends.

Physical fitness

As a volunteer firefighter, you must present special health conditions.

They are subject to periodic review.

In order for your contract to be maintained or renewed, you must meet the required health conditions.

Please note

The physical fitness of any volunteer firefighter aged 62 years or older is assessed annually.

Age

Your commitment as a volunteer firefighter ends from an age set according to your activity:

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General scenario

Your engagement automatically ends at 67 years.

Nurse, psychotherapist, expert psychologist

Your engagement automatically ends at 70 years.

Doctor, pharmacist and veterinarian

Your engagement automatically ends at 72 years.

Termination by a Disciplinary Board

Your commitment as a volunteer firefighter can be terminated at a disciplinary board.

In particular, it may result from one of the following cases:

  • Criminal conviction incompatible with the performance of your duties
  • Loss of your civil rights.

FYI  

The termination of the SPV commitment by a disciplinary board results in a loss of rights to the NPFR (new loyalty and recognition service).

In short, what you need to know before becoming a volunteer firefighter

In summary, here's what you need to know:

  1. You must have at least 16 years.
  2. You commit to 5 years (renewable), but you may discontinue your engagement at any time.
  3. You exercise the same missions than professional firefighters, by guards and on-call duty.
  4. You are compensated according to your rank. The compensation is tax-free.
  5. If you cease your SPV activity after at least 15 years of service, you can benefit from the new loyalty and recognition service (NPFR) from 55 years old.
  6. You can exercise your missions until 67 years (70 or 72 years, in some cases), subject to physical fitness.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • For Marseille and surroundings

    jmpmarseille2019@gmail.com

  • For other departments

    (SDIS)

FAQ