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Florida lifeguard careers: the path for people who save lives
Florida beach patrols and public pools hire people who can watch the water and save a life. This page is that career path: who can start, the certification state law requires, the swim and run standards, posted pay, teen work rules, and a checker for those times.
A career that saves lives
Florida hires lifeguards for public pools and for ocean beach patrols. The work is watching the water and rescuing people in distress. Pompano Beach lists those duties for an ocean lifeguard: patrol, watch for dangerous currents, teach the rules, rescue swimmers, and give on-scene medical care. At a public pool, state rule puts the lifeguard in full charge of the people in the water. The National Weather Service cites the U.S. Lifesaving Association: the chance of drowning at a beach with lifeguards is 1 in 18 million.
Posted starting pay on official county pages is $19.50 an hour in Volusia County, $18.11 an hour in St. Johns County, and $19.89 an hour for part-time ocean lifeguards in Palm Beach County. Pinellas County's March 2025 notice listed $19.25 an hour for a new seasonal lifeguard. Several agencies pay more for an EMT or paramedic certificate.
Who can start
- Ages 9 to 15. Volusia County's Junior Lifeguard Program, started in 1990, is training, not a paid job. The tryout is a 100-yard swim in no more than 2 minutes 15 seconds, treading water for 5 minutes, and a 10-foot underwater swim. Camp is $200 a week.
- Age 15, pool and water park. The American Red Cross accepts a candidate who is 15 on or before the last day of class. Florida law requires current lifeguarding, first aid, and CPR certificates to work as a lifeguard at a public pool.
- Beach patrol. Volusia County requires age 16 on or before June 1 and a 500-meter swim in under 10 minutes. Pinellas County's 2025 notice required age 18 on the first day of work and the same 500-meter swim.
Check the times, then open the agency's own page. Dates and pay change every season.
Check your swim and run times Find a Red Cross lifeguarding class Volusia County jobs St. Johns County Marine Rescue Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue Pinellas County 2025 notice Volusia junior lifeguards
Two kinds of lifeguard jobs
Pools and beaches are different jobs, with different training. Many lifeguards start at a pool and move to the beach.
| Pool or water park | Ocean beach patrol | |
|---|---|---|
| Who sets the rules | State law: s. 514.071 and the Department of Health's Rule 64E-9.008 for public pools | Each city or county beach patrol. Some, like Palm Beach County, are certified by the U.S. Lifesaving Association (USLA). |
| Certification | Lifeguarding, first aid, and CPR from an approved program | Usually lifeguarding plus Emergency Medical Responder training, often taught in the agency's own academy |
| Youngest age | Red Cross: 15 by the last day of class. Employers may set higher. | Volusia: 16 by June 1. Pinellas (2025): 18. |
| Fitness test | A swim-tread-swim skills test before the course | 500 meters in under 10 minutes, plus a timed run at most agencies |
| Training time | About 27 hours for the Red Cross course | St. Johns: 88 hours in its academy. Volusia: 48-hour recruit class plus a 44-hour EMR class. |
Your path, step by step
- Step 1
Build your swim
Beach patrols want 500 meters in under 10 minutes. Time yourself in a 25-yard or 25-meter pool, then use the readiness checker to see where you stand.
- Step 2
Pick an approved course
For pools, take a course on the Department of Health's approved list. Check the age and swim prerequisites before you sign up.
- Step 3
Pass the course and get certified
You need current lifeguarding, first aid, and adult, child, and infant CPR certificates (Rule 64E-9.008). The Red Cross certificate is valid for 2 years.
- Step 4
Apply
Pools: city and county parks departments, YMCAs, hotels, apartment complexes, and water parks. Beaches: watch for each county's tryout notice, often months before summer.
- Step 5
Beach only: tryout and academy
Pass the swim and run test, then finish the agency's academy. Background checks, physicals, and drug screens are common. Volusia requires all three.
- Step 6
Stay sharp and keep certificates current
Palm Beach County lifeguards must pass a timed swim and run test twice a year to keep their jobs. If your Red Cross certificate is current or expired by no more than 30 days, you can take a shorter review course.
What Florida law requires at public pools
- Three certificates. Anyone working as a lifeguard at a public pool must be currently certified in lifeguarding, first aid, and CPR, from the American Red Cross, the YMCA, or another nationally recognized aquatic training program.
- CPR for all ages. Florida's pool rule says the CPR certification must cover adults, children, and infants, from the Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the National Safety Council, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Medic First Aid International, or the American Safety and Health Institute (Rule 64E-9.008).
- Certificates stay at the pool. Copies must be kept at the pool and available for state inspection.
- You're in charge. The rule says lifeguards are in full charge of people using the pool and have authority to enforce all rules.
- Your equipment. Every public pool must have a shepherd's hook on a pole at least 16 feet long and an 18-inch lifesaving ring with enough rope to reach every part of the pool.
- Which pools? "Public pool" includes pools at apartments, hotels, motels, schools, camps, parks, health spas, subdivisions, and other shared properties of five or more units. The law also covers public bathing places such as lakes, rivers, and coastal beaches.
The Department of Health can sue to stop a public pool from operating if it uses an uncertified lifeguard (s. 514.071). The state rule sets requirements for lifeguards who work at public pools. It doesn't say every pool must have one.
Lifeguard courses Florida accepts
The Florida Department of Health says any lifeguard course taught in Florida must use a nationally recognized program or an equivalent. Its approved list, as of May 22, 2026, includes these lifeguard programs:
- American Red Cross
- YMCA
- American Aquatics and Safety Training
- International Lifeguard Training Program (Jeff Ellis and Associates)
- Lifeguard-Pro
- National Aquatic Safety Company
- StarGuard Elite
- U Can Swim, Inc.
- World Academy of Safety and Health (pool, waterfront, waterpark, and surf rescue)
Employers can prefer one program. Ask which certificate they accept before you pay for a class.
The Red Cross lifeguard course
| Course | Water depth | Total time |
|---|---|---|
| Lifeguarding | Includes deep water over 7 feet | 27 hours 25 minutes |
| Shallow Water Lifeguarding | 0 to 7 feet | 27.25 hours |
| Aquatic Attraction Lifeguarding | 3 feet or less | 26 hours 35 minutes |
| Waterfront Skills (add-on) | Lakes and other open water | 6 hours |
| Waterpark Skills (add-on) | Water parks | 4 hours 15 minutes |
- Age: at least 15 on or before the last day of class.
- Before training: pass the swimming prerequisite, a swim-tread-swim sequence. Ask your instructor for the exact distances.
- To pass: three final skills scenarios (rotating in and out of surveillance, timed single-rescuer CPR, and a multiple-rescuer response) and a 50-question written exam with at least 80 percent.
- Blended option: about 6 hours online plus 21.5 hours in person.
- Your certificate: valid for 2 years and available digitally to share with employers.
Florida beach patrols: tests, training, and pay
Each agency sets its own standards. These come from official county pages, and the "As of" column shows how current each one is.
| Agency | Swim | Run | Age | Training | Starting pay | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volusia County Beach Safety | 500 m freestyle under 10:00; 50 yd under 0:30 | Half-mile under 3:15 | 16 by June 1 | 48-hour recruit class plus 44-hour EMR class and CPR (or proof of equivalent) | $19.50/hr | 2026 page |
| St. Johns County Marine Rescue | 500 m under 10:00 | Half-mile under 3:30 | Paid academy: 8 hrs CPR, 40 hrs EMR, 40 hrs USLA Advanced Surf Rescue | $18.11/hr; more for EMTs and paramedics | 2026 dates | |
| Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue | 500 m pool swim under 10:00, then a beach run-swim-run of about 20 to 25 minutes | Part of the beach test | Bring Red Cross lifeguard (or equivalent) and CPR/AED certificates | $19.89/hr part-time | Current page | |
| Pinellas County (Fort De Soto, Sand Key) | 500 m (550 yd) under 10:00 | Half-mile under 4:00 | 18 on first day | 40 hours of county beach patrol training; Red Cross lifeguard or equivalent, plus CPR/AED and first aid | $19.25/hr new; up to $20.86 returning senior | March 2025 notice |
| City of Pompano Beach Ocean Rescue | Department swim and rescue test | Running in ankle-deep sand | Red Cross or USLA lifeguard training; CPR for the Professional Rescuer; Florida or national EMT | 2018 job description |
Other patrols. Fort Lauderdale posts an ocean rescue recruitment page. The U.S. Lifesaving Association publishes open-water standards that many Florida agencies follow. Those pages are linked here. This guide does not repeat their details. A city or county fire rescue or parks department posts local tryouts.
Tryouts fill up early. Volusia's 2026 tryouts ran in October, and St. Johns held its tryouts in April, with paperwork due before the tryout. St. Johns requires its own physical exam form, signed by a doctor, and a notarized training waiver. Check each agency's page for next season's dates.
Am I ready? Check your times
Enter your age and your best times. The checker compares them with the posted standards in the table above. It's a guide only; agencies test you in person.
500 yards is shorter than 500 meters. If you swam yards, your meter time will be slower.
How to get ready
- Swim the test distance often. 500 meters is 20 lengths of a 25-meter pool. Under 10 minutes means about 2 minutes per 100 meters, steady the whole way.
- Add speed work. Volusia also times a 50-yard sprint, under 30 seconds.
- Run in sand. Beach tests include timed runs, and Pompano Beach lists prolonged running in ankle-deep sand among the physical demands.
- Practice in the ocean, with a buddy and at a guarded beach. Pompano Beach's job description includes swimming through crashing surf and carrying victims over 150 pounds.
- Get CPR and first aid early. You'll need them for any lifeguard job, and some agencies want them before you test.
- Consider EMT training. Palm Beach County says a majority of its lifeguards are EMTs. St. Johns and Pinellas pay more for EMT certification.
Teen lifeguards: Florida work-hour rules
Many lifeguards start at 15, 16, or 17. Florida's child labor law (s. 450.081) limits their hours:
| Ages 15 and under | Ages 16 and 17 | |
|---|---|---|
| School weeks | Up to 15 hours a week; 3 hours on a school day | Up to 30 hours a week (a parent or the school superintendent can waive this on the state form); 8 hours on a day before school, except holidays and Sundays |
| Hours, school nights | Not before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. | Not before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. |
| Summer and holidays | Up to 8 hours a day and 40 a week, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. | School-week limits don't apply |
| Days in a row | No more than 6 days in a week | |
| Breaks | 30-minute meal break after 4 hours | 30-minute meal break after 4 hours on days of 8 hours or more |
The hour limits don't apply to 16- and 17-year-olds who have graduated or earned a high school equivalency diploma, or who are in home education, among other exceptions in s. 450.081. Florida law also bars workers under 18 from places that sell alcohol at retail, with exceptions listed in s. 562.13 (s. 450.021). Some hotel and club pools sell alcohol, so ask the employer.
Junior lifeguards: start young
Volusia County's Junior Lifeguard Program, started in 1990, teaches water safety, lifesaving, and beach ecology to ages 9 to 15.
- Tryout: swim 100 yards in no more than 2 minutes 15 seconds, tread water for 5 minutes, and swim 10 feet underwater.
- Camps: weekly beginning in June, $200 per camp week, at beaches from Ormond Beach to Ponce Inlet.
- Not a learn-to-swim program. Kids must already swim well. Returning junior lifeguards don't need to try out again.
Other Florida beach patrols may run their own junior programs. Ask your local agency.
What the job really is
The Pompano Beach ocean lifeguard job description lists the duties: patrolling the beach from a station or rescue vehicle; watching for marine life, dangerous currents, and lightning; teaching the public the rules; rescuing swimmers in distress; giving on-scene medical care; and maintaining vehicles, vessels, and rescue gear.
Palm Beach County lifeguards train daily in swimming, running, rowing, paddling, and rescue skills, with formal drills at least twice a month. Its towers carry first aid supplies, a backboard, oxygen, an AED, rescue tubes, and paddleboards.
Why it matters. The National Weather Service says to only swim at a beach with lifeguards. It cites the U.S. Lifesaving Association: the chance of drowning at a beach with lifeguards is 1 in 18 million. Learn the warning flags and rip current escape steps on the beach warning flags page.
Where standards differ
| Question | One source | Another source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | Red Cross: 15 by the last day of class | Volusia: 16 by June 1. Pinellas, 2025: 18 on the first day of work. The employer's rule is the one that counts for the job. |
| Half-mile run standard | Volusia: under 3:15. St. Johns: under 3:30 | Pinellas, 2025: under 4:00. Each agency's own standard applies. |
| Which season St. Johns is hiring for | St. Johns County page heading: tryouts for the 2025 beach season | Same page, schedule: 2026 tryout and academy dates. This page uses the 2026 dates. |
| Course standard named in state rule | Rule 64E-9.008 adopts the 2007 edition of the Red Cross lifeguarding instructor's manual | Red Cross today: teaches its Lifeguarding Program r.24 curriculum. Both are Red Cross; the rule hasn't been updated to name the newer edition. |
Questions people ask
What certification do you need to be a lifeguard in Florida?
To work at a public swimming pool, Florida law says a lifeguard must be currently certified in lifeguarding, first aid, and CPR. The lifeguarding certificate must come from the American Red Cross, the YMCA, or another nationally recognized aquatic training program. Florida's pool rule says the CPR must cover adults, children, and infants. Beach patrols set their own requirements, and many also want Emergency Medical Responder or EMT training.
How old do you have to be to become a lifeguard in Florida?
The American Red Cross lets you take its lifeguarding course if you're at least 15 years old on or before the last day of class. Employers can set a higher age. Volusia County Beach Safety requires applicants to be at least 16 on or before June 1. Pinellas County's 2025 beach lifeguard notice required applicants to be at least 18 on the first day of work.
Which lifeguard courses does Florida accept?
As of May 22, 2026, the Florida Department of Health's approved lifeguard training list includes the American Red Cross, the YMCA, American Aquatics and Safety Training, the International Lifeguard Training Program from Jeff Ellis and Associates, Lifeguard-Pro, the National Aquatic Safety Company, StarGuard Elite, U Can Swim, and the World Academy of Safety and Health. Check the department's current list before you pay for a course.
How fast do you have to swim to be a Florida beach lifeguard?
Volusia, St. Johns, Palm Beach, and Pinellas counties all post the same swim standard: 500 meters in under 10 minutes. Volusia also requires 50 yards freestyle in under 30 seconds. Most also have a timed run, from a half-mile in under 3 minutes 15 seconds in Volusia to under 4 minutes in Pinellas's 2025 notice.
How much do Florida lifeguards get paid?
Posted starting pay on official county pages includes $19.50 an hour in Volusia County, $19.89 an hour for part-time ocean lifeguards in Palm Beach County, $18.11 an hour in St. Johns County, and $19.25 an hour for new seasonal lifeguards in Pinellas County's 2025 notice. Several agencies pay more if you're a certified EMT or paramedic.
How long does Red Cross lifeguard training take?
The Red Cross lists about 27 hours and 25 minutes for its full Lifeguarding course, which includes deep water training. Shallow Water Lifeguarding is 27.25 hours. Blended learning splits that time between online lessons and in-person skills sessions.
How long is a lifeguard certification good for?
The Red Cross says its Lifeguarding certification with CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and First Aid is valid for 2 years. If your certification is current or expired by no more than 30 days, you can take a shorter review course instead of the full course.
What is on the Red Cross lifeguard test?
You must pass a swimming prerequisite, a swim-tread-swim sequence, before training. At the end, you complete three skills scenarios: rotating into and out of a surveillance position, a timed single-rescuer CPR scenario, and a multiple-rescuer response. You also take a 50-question written exam and need at least 80 percent.
Do I need to be certified before a Florida beach lifeguard tryout?
It depends on the agency. Palm Beach County asks for a Red Cross lifeguard certification or an equivalent, plus CPR/AED, before its stage-one swim. Volusia and St. Johns counties run their own academies after the tryout, which include CPR and Emergency Medical Responder training.
What is a beach lifeguard academy?
It's the training a beach patrol requires after you pass the tryout. St. Johns County's paid Marine Rescue Academy includes 8 hours of CPR for the Professional Rescuer, 40 hours of Emergency Medical Responder, and 40 hours of USLA Advanced Surf Rescue training. Volusia County's recruit class is a mandatory 48-hour ocean rescue course, along with a 44-hour Emergency Medical Responder class.
How many hours can a 16-year-old lifeguard work in Florida?
When school is in session, Florida law limits 16- and 17-year-olds to 30 hours a week, and to 8 hours on a day before a school day, except holidays and Sundays. They can't work before 6:30 a.m. or after 11 p.m. when school is the next day. A parent or the school superintendent can waive the 30-hour weekly limit on the state form. These limits don't apply during summer break, or to 16- and 17-year-olds who have graduated.
How many hours can a 15-year-old lifeguard work in Florida?
During the school year, Florida law limits workers 15 and under to 15 hours a week, 3 hours on a school day, and no work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. when school is the next day. During summer and holidays, the limits are 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. They also need a 30-minute meal break after 4 hours.
Is there a junior lifeguard program in Florida?
Yes, some beach patrols run one. Volusia County's Junior Lifeguard Program, started in 1990, is for ages 9 to 15. Tryouts require swimming 100 yards in no more than 2 minutes 15 seconds, treading water for 5 minutes, and swimming 10 feet underwater. Its camp costs $200 a week. It's not a learn-to-swim program.
Why does swimming near a lifeguard matter?
The National Weather Service says to only swim at a beach with lifeguards. It cites the U.S. Lifesaving Association: the chance of drowning at a beach with lifeguards is 1 in 18 million.
Sources
- Florida Statutes, 2026: 514.011, pool definitions, 514.071, lifeguard certification, 450.021, minimum ages, 450.081, minors' work hours
- Florida Department of Health: Rule 64E-9.008, supervision and safety, public swimming pools, approved lifeguard and swim instructor programs (May 22, 2026)
- American Red Cross: lifeguarding, lifeguard preparation, lifeguard test, lifeguard certification
- Florida beach patrols: Volusia County lifeguard qualifications, Volusia County Junior Lifeguard Program, Volusia County jobs, St. Johns County Marine Rescue employment, Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue, Pinellas County 2025 lifeguard notice, City of Pompano Beach ocean rescue lifeguard job description
- Linked only (refused automated checks): Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue recruitment, U.S. Lifesaving Association
- National Weather Service: rip current safety
Requirements, dates, and pay change every season. Confirm with the course provider or agency before you sign up.