Overview
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) hires entry-level police officers through an open-competitive civil service exam run by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). Unlike many city exams, the Police Officer test is offered as a series of short, numbered exams through the year, each with its own application window and testing week. Your score on the multiple-choice test sets your place on an eligible list, which usually stays active for four years.
Who can apply
Age. You must be at least 17 on the day you take the test. To be appointed you must be at least 20 years and 6 months old, and you must not have reached your 35th birthday by the first day of the application period for your exam. Time spent on military duty can be deducted from your age, up to seven years.
Education. By the date of appointment you need a four-year high school diploma or equivalent, plus either:
24 college semester credits from an accredited college or university with at least a 2.0 cumulative index, or
two years of honorable full-time US military service
Education from outside the US must be evaluated for equivalence.
Other requirements at appointment:
US citizenship
A valid, unrestricted New York State driver license
Residence in New York City or in Nassau, Westchester, Suffolk, Orange, Rockland or Putnam County
Ability to understand and be understood in English
Passing medical, psychological, physical and drug tests, and a character and background investigation
A felony or domestic violence misdemeanor conviction bars appointment. Other factors, such as a dishonorable discharge or a petit larceny conviction, ordinarily lead to disqualification.
DCAS gives the test before it checks your qualifications, so confirm you meet them before applying; the fee is not refunded if you are found not qualified.
Exam pattern
The test is a multiple-choice exam taken at a computer terminal. Some questions are based on documents or information handed out on the day. Calculators are not allowed. The test may draw on these abilities:
| Ability | What it means |
|---|---|
| Deductive reasoning | Applying general rules to a specific problem |
| Inductive reasoning | Combining separate facts to reach a general conclusion |
| Information ordering | Putting items or actions in the right order by a given rule |
| Memorization | Remembering words, numbers, pictures or procedures |
| Problem sensitivity | Spotting when something is wrong or likely to go wrong |
| Spatial orientation | Working out where you are relative to objects, or objects relative to you |
| Visualization | Picturing how something looks after it is moved or rearranged |
| Written comprehension | Understanding written English sentences and paragraphs |
| Written expression | Writing in English so others understand |
Marking and results
You need at least 70% to pass. Passing candidates are placed on the eligible list in final score order, given a list number and notified by email. If you think your test was rated wrongly, you can appeal through OASys to the DCAS Committee on Manifest Errors; an appeal can raise or lower your score.
Points can be added to a passing score:
New York City Residency Credit: 10 points, if you live in the city continuously from the test date until the list is established and request it on test day. Veterans whose military records list an NYC home of record may also qualify.
Veterans' credit and legacy credit: for honorably discharged or disabled veterans, and for candidates whose parent or sibling died in the line of duty as a police officer, firefighter, EMT or paramedic. These must be claimed before the list is established.
You can also ask on test day to be considered for selective certification if you speak a foreign language (subject to a qualifying test) or have certain municipal, federal, AmeriCorps or Civil Service Pathways Fellowship experience.
Important dates
For the 2025 to 2026 series (Exam Nos. 6314 to 6323), DCAS set nine monthly testing weeks from November 2025 to July 2026. For example, Exam No. 6316 took applications from 1 to 15 December 2025 and tested from 5 to 10 January 2026, and the last exam in the series tested from 6 to 11 July 2026. An earlier series in summer 2025 (Exam Nos. 6311 to 6313) was offered with no fee. Check the DCAS exam schedule for the windows that follow.
Fees
For the 2025 to 2026 series, the application fee is 75 fingerprint screening fee is charged during the background investigation.
How to apply
Apply online through the DCAS Online Application System (OASys) at nyc.gov/examsforjobs within your exam's application and scheduling period, which is also when you book your test slot. You need a verified email address. You can also apply in person at the DCAS Computer-based Testing and Application Centers in each borough. Bring one valid photo ID whose name matches your application.
After the exam
When your list number is reached, NYPD carries out an investigation and medical, psychological and physical screening. Recruits then attend the Police Academy, where they must pass firearms, academic, physical (which may include a timed 1.5-mile run) and driving tests. The probationary period is 24 months. The starting salary on the current notice is 109,352 after five and a half years.
Preparation tips
The test rewards careful reading and following rules exactly, so practise questions where you apply a written procedure to a scenario. Memorization items show you an image or description first, so train yourself to note details quickly. Since calculators are banned and some questions rely on handed-out material, work through timed practice under the same conditions.
How often is the NYPD police officer exam offered?
DCAS runs it as a series of numbered exams, usually with a new application window and testing week roughly every month during each series.
What score do I need to pass the NYPD exam?
At least 70%. Your final score, including any residency, veterans' or legacy credit, sets your place on the eligible list.
Can I take the test before I have 24 college credits?
Yes. The education requirement must be met by the date of appointment, not the test date.