How to Become a Police Officer: Requirements by State
Checked against official state sources ·
Police officers are hired by individual agencies — city police, sheriff's offices and state police — and most agencies run their own written entrance exam, fitness test and background investigation. Every state also sets minimum standards through a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) commission or similar board: who may become an officer, how long the basic academy is, and what you must pass to be certified.
Of the 49 states covered here, 42 require a state certification exam and 49 require a state-approved basic academy. The guides below cover the state minimums; your hiring agency may add its own requirements.
The steps most states share
- Check your state's minimums: age, citizenship or work authorization, education and the convictions that disqualify you.
- Apply to a police agency and pass its hiring process — usually a written entrance exam, fitness test, background check, and psychological and medical exams.
- Complete the state-approved basic academy; depending on the state, it comes before or after you are hired.
- Pass the state certification exam where your state has one, then get certified by the POST commission.
- Keep your certification active with the in-service training your state requires; the cycle varies (annual, every 2, 3 or 4 years, or set by your agency).
Requirements by state
| State | Exam | Training | Term | State fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| California | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs | $150 POST certification exam fee per attempt. |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs | — |
| Delaware | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Florida | Yes | Yes | — | $100 State Officer Certification Examination fee. |
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | — | $30 basic certification application processing fee. |
| Idaho | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Indiana | Yes | Yes | — | ILEA charges $50 per student for the pre-basic course and a $50 waiver application fee for out-of-state or reserve-academy waivers. |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Kansas | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Kentucky | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Maine | Yes | Yes | — | Pre-employment (tuition student) applicants pay a non-refundable $150 application fee. MCJA also charges a fee for the physical fitness test. |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs | — |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Minnesota | Yes | Yes | Licenses run until June 30 of the third calendar year after the year of issue. | $90 peace officer license fee. |
| Mississippi | No | Yes | — | — |
| Missouri | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Montana | No | Yes | — | — |
| Nebraska | Yes | Yes | — | $75 NLETC certification fee (fee schedule effective July 1, 2025). |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| New Jersey | No | Yes | 3 yrs | The PTC may set fees for initial licenses of applicants who were not full-time sworn officers when the law took effect. Renewals for full-time officers are free by law. |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| New York | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| North Dakota | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs | $45 initial license fee plus $25 licensing exam fee. |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | 2 yrs | — |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| South Carolina | Yes | Yes | 3 yrs | — |
| South Dakota | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Tennessee | No | Yes | — | — |
| Texas | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Utah | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Vermont | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Washington | No | Yes | — | — |
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes | — | — |
| Wisconsin | No | Yes | — | — |
| Wyoming | No | Yes | 2 yrs | — |
More states are added only once their rules are checked against the state's own commissioning office.
General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with your state's commissioning office before you apply.