To become an NYPD police officer you apply for the Police Officer civil service exam through the city's Online Application System (OASys), pass a multiple-choice test at a computer terminal with a score of at least 70%, and wait to be called from the eligible list. The NYPD then puts you through a medical exam, a character investigation, written and oral psychological exams and the Job Standards Test (JST). If you're appointed, you train at the Police Academy and serve a 24-month probation.
The facts below come from the city's 2026 Notice of Examination for Police Officer, published by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), and from the NYPD's Candidate Resource Booklet. The booklet is an older edition, so where its requirements differ from the 2026 notice, we follow the notice. Where neither says something, we say so rather than guess.
The NYPD hiring process at a glance
| Step | What happens | What the city publishes about it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Apply for the exam | Apply for the Police Officer exam through OASys at nyc.gov/examsforjobs. | Monthly windows from July 2026 to June 2027; no fee on the current notice |
| 2. Multiple-choice test | Taken at a computer terminal at a DCAS testing centre. | 70% to pass; your score sets your place on the eligible list |
| 3. Eligible list | You're emailed your result and a list number. | The list is usually active for four years |
| 4. Character pre-screening and medical exam | Fingerprints, documents and a medical exam by a Police Department doctor. | Sometimes held on the same day, per the NYPD booklet |
| 5. Character investigation | An assigned investigator reviews your history and documents. | $75 fingerprint screening fee at investigation |
| 6. Psychological exams | A written test and an oral interview with a psychologist. | The written test can take a full day |
| 7. Job Standards Test | Six physical stations in one continuous run. | Must be completed within 4 minutes 28 seconds |
| 8. Appointment and academy | Drug screening before appointment, then the Police Academy. | 24-month probation; the academy is about six months, as reported |
The NYPD booklet says the steps "may not necessarily be completed in the order given", and that all screening takes place at the Candidate Assessment Center, 235 East 20th Street, Manhattan.
What are the requirements to join the NYPD?
You need a high school diploma plus 24 college credits with a 2.0 index, or two years of honourable full-time US military service, by the day you're appointed. The 2026 notice also sets these rules:
- Age: at least 17 on the day of the multiple-choice test, and at least 20 years and 6 months to be appointed. You must be under 43 on the date you file your application. Qualifying military service can be deducted from your age, up to six years, when checking the under-43 limit.
- Citizenship: US citizenship at the time of appointment.
- Driving licence: a valid, unrestricted New York State driver licence on the day you're appointed, kept for your whole career.
- Residency: New York State law requires NYPD officers to live in New York City or in Nassau, Westchester, Suffolk, Orange, Rockland or Putnam county.
- English: you must be able to understand and be understood in English.
- Character: a felony conviction or a domestic violence misdemeanour conviction bars appointment. The notice lists other factors that would ordinarily disqualify you, including arrests or convictions that suggest a lack of good moral character or a disposition towards violence, repeated offences showing disrespect for the law, being fired for poor behaviour, a dishonourable military discharge and a petit larceny conviction.
If you were educated outside the US, the NYPD tells you during screening which services can evaluate your foreign education.
Cohesyve
Hiring for roles like the ones at the NYPD?
Cohesyve takes a job description, finds candidates, reaches out to them and runs an AI job simulation of the real work, then returns a ranked shortlist. Ten candidates free, no card.
What is the NYPD application process?
You apply online for the Police Officer exam through OASys, DCAS's online application system. You need a valid email address, and you'll get an emailed receipt straight after applying. If you don't have a computer, you can apply at one of the five DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Centers, one in each borough.
The current notice covers exams 7311 to 7322. Each has a two-week application and scheduling window, followed by a testing period about a month later. The windows run monthly from July 2026 to June 2027. The application fee on this notice is $0.00; when applying you select "No Fee" as the payment method.
DCAS gives you the test before checking your qualifications, so check the requirements yourself before applying. If you're later found not qualified, you won't receive a score.
What is on the NYPD police exam?
The NYPD police exam is a multiple-choice test taken at a computer terminal, and you need at least 70% to pass. The notice says it may test nine abilities:
| Ability | What it means, per the notice |
|---|---|
| Deductive reasoning | Applying general rules to specific problems |
| Inductive reasoning | Combining separate pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions |
| Information ordering | Following a given rule or set of actions in the right order |
| Memorisation | Remembering words, numbers, pictures and procedures |
| Problem sensitivity | Telling when something is wrong or likely to go wrong |
| Spatial orientation | Knowing where you are in relation to an object, or it to you |
| Visualisation | Imagining how something looks when it is moved or rearranged |
| Written comprehension | Understanding sentences and paragraphs written in English |
| Written expression | Writing in English so that others understand |
Some questions may be answered from documents or information handed out on the day. Calculators aren't allowed, and phones, smartwatches and other electronic devices are sealed in a pouch for the whole exam event. Bring one valid photo ID with a signature, in the same name you applied under.
DCAS doesn't publish the number of questions or the time limit. Your score decides your rank on the eligible list, and two kinds of credit can raise it:
- NYC residency credit: 10 points if you pass and have lived in New York City continuously from the test date until the list is established. You request it on the test day; giving a city address on your application isn't enough.
- Veterans' and legacy credits: extra points for eligible veterans, and for candidates whose parent or sibling died in the line of duty as a police officer, firefighter, EMT or paramedic.
The multiple-choice test is a cognitive ability test. Our guide to what a psychometric assessment is explains how tests like this work in general.
What happens after you pass the NYPD exam?
Your name goes on an eligible list in score order, and DCAS emails you your result and list number. The notice says the list is usually active for four years. When your number is reached, the NYPD's Candidate Assessment Division schedules you for screening.
If you speak another language, or have certain municipal or federal government, AmeriCorps or fellowship experience, the notice explains how to ask for "selective certification", which may give you preferred consideration for positions that need it.
What does the NYPD medical exam involve?
According to the NYPD's booklet, the medical exam includes a vision test, a hearing test, blood pressure, an electrocardiogram and a physical exam by a Police Department doctor or physician assistant, based on a medical questionnaire you complete. The booklet's vision standard is 20/30 or better corrected and at least 20/100 uncorrected in each eye, and colour vision is also checked.
Bring your glasses or contact lenses and copies of records for any past or present condition. The booklet says conditions such as diabetes, orthopaedic injuries, heart conditions and asthma can put you on medical review while more records or tests are gathered.
What is the NYPD character investigation?
It's a detailed check of your background by an investigator assigned to you. At the first pre-screening appointment you're fingerprinted and start the character assessment, and the booklet says "any character issues and any criminal history must be reported truthfully and in totality."
The booklet lists 21 types of document to bring to the investigation, including your birth certificate, diplomas and college transcripts, tax returns and W-2s for the past five years, your employment history for the last ten years (or since 18), court dispositions for any arrest, records of outstanding debts, and a lifetime driving abstract for every state that has issued you a licence. The notice adds a $75 fingerprint screening fee at investigation.
Missing appointments or arriving unprepared delays your processing, so keep in close contact with your investigator.
What are the NYPD psychological exams?
There are two: a standardised written psychological test, and an oral interview with a psychologist. The NYPD booklet says the written test "is quite extensive", so be ready to spend a full day at the Candidate Assessment Center. For the interview, it says "it is important to be open and clear in your responses."
The NYPD doesn't publish which written test it uses or the questions in either part. Answer honestly and consistently; the notice warns that intentional misrepresentation can lead to disqualification, even after appointment.
What is the NYPD Job Standards Test (JST)?
The JST is a physical test of six stations, done as one continuous run that every candidate must finish within 4 minutes 28 seconds. The booklet describes the stations in order:
| Station | What you do |
|---|---|
| 1. Barrier surmount | Sprint 50 feet from a kneeling start and get over a 6-foot barrier |
| 2. Stair climb | Three over-and-back traverses of a six-stair system |
| 3. Physical restraint simulation | Control force on a tactics-and-training device |
| 4. Pursuit run | A 600-foot run around a pattern of cones |
| 5. Victim rescue | Drag a 176-pound mannequin 35 feet |
| 6. Trigger pull | Hold an inoperative firearm inside a 9-inch ring and pull the trigger 16 times with your dominant hand and 15 with the other |
The test is the same for all candidates. You must wear long pants; shorts aren't allowed. The booklet recommends rest in the days before, no eating for at least an hour and a half beforehand, and athletic shoes, with snug batting-style gloves optional.
What happens at the NYPD Police Academy?
Appointed recruits go through the Police Academy, which the New York Daily News reported in August 2025 lasts about six months. The notice says you must pass the academy's firearms, academic, physical performance and driving tests during your 24-month probation, and that the academy's physical test may include a 1.5-mile run within a set time. You also have to pass drug screening before appointment, and the NYPD has a zero-tolerance policy on illegal drugs.
How long does the NYPD hiring process take?
Neither DCAS nor the NYPD publishes an overall timeline. What is published: test periods follow each application window by about a month, eligible lists are usually active for four years, and the NYPD booklet describes screening as taking place "in the weeks and months to follow" the written exam. When you're called depends on your list number and the department's hiring needs.
What questions are asked in the NYPD interviews?
The NYPD doesn't publish its questions. The screening includes an oral interview with a psychologist, meetings with your character investigator and a pre-hire interview where you update your information. The questions below are ones to prepare for, built from the character factors in the exam notice, the job duties it lists and the words "Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect" printed on every page of the NYPD's candidate booklet. For "tell me about a time" questions, the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) keeps your answer clear.
1. Why do you want to be a New York City police officer?
The notice describes the job as general police duties "including connecting and building relationships with the community." Give a specific reason linked to that work, and to New York, rather than a general wish to help people.
2. Tell me about yourself.
Keep it short and factual: education, work, military service if any, and what led you to apply. Make sure it matches what you wrote in your application paperwork.
3. Have you ever been arrested, received a summons or been fired from a job?
The notice names arrests, convictions and being fired for poor behaviour as factors the NYPD weighs. Answer fully and give the facts plainly, including what you learned. The booklet says character issues and criminal history "must be reported truthfully and in totality."
4. Explain any gaps in your employment history.
The booklet asks for every job in the last ten years, or since you turned 18, including periods when someone else supported you. Have dates ready and explain gaps simply.
5. Tell me about your finances and any debts.
The booklet asks you to bring records of outstanding debts, judgments or garnishments. Be ready to explain any you have and what you're doing about them.
6. Tell me about a time you had to stay calm under pressure.
Police officers deal with crimes in progress, emotionally disturbed people and crowds, according to the notice. Pick an example where you kept control of yourself, made a sensible decision and followed through.
7. Describe a time you handled a conflict with another person.
Choose an example where you listened, kept your temper and reached a fair outcome. The notice lists "disposition towards violence or disorder" among disqualifying factors, so show how you lower tension.
8. How do you respond to being given an order you disagree with?
The notice flags an "inability to adjust to discipline" as a concern. Show that you would follow lawful orders, raise concerns through the right channels and accept the decision.
9. Tell me about a time you made a mistake and owned up to it.
Honesty runs through every stage of NYPD screening. Choose a real mistake, say what you did about it and what you changed afterwards.
10. How would you treat people in a community you're not familiar with?
The NYPD's candidate booklet carries the words "Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect" on every page. Talk about listening first, treating people the same whoever they are, and learning about the area you serve.
11. How do you feel about working nights, weekends, holidays and overtime?
The notice says officers work various shifts, including nights, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and overtime when ordered. Show you understand this and have thought through how it fits your life.
12. How have you prepared for the physical side of the job?
The notice lists running after suspects, climbing stairs and working outdoors in all weather. Describe your actual training routine, and how you're preparing for the JST and the academy.
Our list of behavioural interview questions gives you a wider bank to practise on.
How to prepare for the NYPD hiring process
- Check your eligibility first. Count your college credits or military service, your age and your licence status before you apply, because DCAS tests first and checks later.
- Apply in the right window on OASys and add OASys@dcas.nyc.gov to your known senders so you don't miss emails.
- Practise the nine abilities on the notice, especially memorisation and written comprehension, without a calculator.
- Start gathering documents early: birth certificate, transcripts, five years of tax returns, court dispositions and driving abstracts take time to obtain.
- Train for the JST with sprints, stair work and drag or carry exercises, and build up gradually. The booklet advises seeing a doctor before starting a new fitness programme.
- Be completely honest on every form and in every interview. The notice says you may be disqualified if your statements are found to be false, exaggerated or misleading.
- Practise speaking about yourself out loud, ideally in a mock interview, so you're calm and clear with the psychologist and your investigator.
Practising realistic judgement
The written exam rewards careful reading and reasoning, and the job itself rewards sound judgement under pressure. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs practice job simulations with a scored report on where you lost marks. Cohesyve isn't affiliated with the NYPD or NYC DCAS and doesn't use their exams or questions.
FAQs
How old do you have to be to join the NYPD?
You can take the exam at 17, must be at least 20 years and 6 months old to be appointed, and must be under 43 when you file. Qualifying military service can be deducted from your age, up to six years, when checking the under-43 limit.
Do you need a college degree to join the NYPD?
No. You need 24 college credits with a 2.0 cumulative index, or two years of honourable full-time US military service, plus a high school diploma or equivalent, by the date of appointment.
Do you have to live in New York City to be an NYPD officer?
No. You must live in New York City or in Nassau, Westchester, Suffolk, Orange, Rockland or Putnam county. Living in the city can add 10 points to your exam score through the residency credit.
How much does it cost to apply to the NYPD?
The current Police Officer exam notice has a $0.00 application fee. At the investigation stage you pay a $75 fingerprint screening fee.
Can you join the NYPD with a criminal record?
A felony or domestic violence misdemeanour conviction bars appointment. Other arrests or convictions are weighed as part of the character investigation, according to the exam notice.
Is the NYPD exam hard?
You need 70% to pass, and your score sets your rank on the list, so a higher score means you may be called sooner. DCAS doesn't publish pass rates.
How long is the NYPD academy?
About six months, as reported by the New York Daily News in August 2025. New officers then complete the rest of a 24-month probation.
Sources
Checked 27 October 2026:
- NYC DCAS: Notice of Examination, Police Officer, Exam Nos. 7311 to 7322 (PDF)
- NYPD: Police Officer Candidate Resource Booklet (PDF, older edition)
- NYPD: Police officer hiring page (archived)
- New York Daily News via Yahoo News: NYPD welcomes 1,093 new recruits to academy (20 August 2025)