You must be 15 years or older to attend a lifeguard screening at one of our indoor training facilities. However, you must be 16 years or older to work as a lifeguard for the City of Philadelphia.

To become a City lifeguard, you must:

• Be 16 years old.
• Pass the lifeguard screening test (see below).
• Complete a Red Cross Lifeguard Certification Course (free for those 24 and under).

Lifeguard screening test

To pass the Parks & Rec lifeguard screening, you must:

• Swim 300 yards non-stop.
  • 12 laps of freestyle or breaststroke in a 25-yard pool.
  • This is not a timed swim.
  • If you stop, you will need to start over.
• Tread water for two minutes without using your arms.
• Retrieve a 10-pound brick from a 12-foot-deep well. Return to the surface and swim 20 yards back to the starting point with the brick, using only your legs.
  • The brick must be held out of the water with both hands.
  • You must complete this task within one minute and 40 seconds.

Free training is available to help you pass the screening test.

Wear a bathing suit and bring a towel to your screening test. You may also wear swim goggles.

Candidates who pass the screening test will be enrolled in lifeguard certification or recertification courses through Parks & Rec.

Certification and recertification are free for lifeguards ages 16–24 who work at a Parks & Rec pool.

Costs for candidates aged 25 and over are:

• Certification: $110.
• Recertification: $65.