How to Become a Police Officer in Florida

Who can apply

• You must be at least 19 years old (Florida Statutes 943.13).
• You must be a U.S. citizen.
• You need a high school diploma or its equivalent (GED).
• You cannot have any felony conviction or a misdemeanor involving perjury or a false statement. A guilty or no-contest plea counts even if adjudication was withheld.
• You cannot have a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces.
• You must have good moral character, shown by a background investigation with drug testing and FDLE/FBI fingerprint processing.
• You must pass a physical exam by a licensed physician, physician assistant or APRN, and sign the Affidavit of Applicant (CJSTC-68).

Step by step

1. Pass the Law Enforcement Basic Abilities Test (BAT) through Pearson VUE, unless you are an honorably discharged veteran or hold an associate degree or higher.
2. Complete the Florida Basic Recruit Training Program: Law Enforcement (770 hours) at a Commission-certified training school. It is in person only. You may enroll on your own or be hired first on a Temporary Employment Authorization.
3. Pass the State Officer Certification Examination (SOCE) through Pearson VUE ($100).
4. Get hired in a sworn position by a Florida criminal justice agency. The agency runs a full background investigation, including a drug test.
5. Your agency submits the Officer Certification Application (CJSTC-59) on your behalf.
6. Commission staff review your employment file. If it complies with the law, you are certified. If not, the agency has 90 days to fix the deficiency.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: You must complete the Commission-approved Florida Basic Recruit Training Program: Law Enforcement at a Commission-certified training school. FDLE's course list shows the current version (2025.07) as 770 hours. The program is in person and not available online. Before entering the academy you must pass the Law Enforcement Basic Abilities Test, unless you are a veteran (honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge) or hold an associate degree or higher.

Exam: Two state tests. The Basic Abilities Test (BAT or CJBAT) is required to enter a law enforcement academy (with the veteran and degree exemptions); it is given only in Florida through Pearson VUE, can be taken at most three times per discipline in any 12 months, and the score is valid for four years. The State Officer Certification Examination (SOCE) is given on demand by Pearson VUE across Florida for a $100 fee (test sites may add fees). You get three attempts, and you must pass within four years of your basic recruit class start date. After three failures you must complete the full basic recruit program again.

What it costs in Florida

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

How long it takes

Pass the SOCE within four years of your academy start date (or within 180 days of graduation if you are employed on a Temporary Employment Authorization).

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Every full-time, part-time and auxiliary officer must complete at least 40 hours of in-service, advanced, specialized or career development training every four years. Law enforcement officers must also cover required topics, including human diversity, use of force (with scenario-based firearms training), domestic violence, discriminatory profiling and traffic stops, misuse of electronic databases and the Commission-approved officer health and wellness course. Firearms qualification is required every two years. If you miss mandatory retraining, your certification becomes inactive and you cannot perform officer duties. A certificate expires after a four-year break in service; to return you must go through Equivalency of Training, show proficiency in high-liability areas and pass the SOCE.

Good to know in Florida

Temporary Employment Authorization: An agency may hire you before you finish the academy. You then have 180 days from your start date to enroll in basic recruit training and 18 months to finish it. After graduating, you have 180 days to pass the SOCE. Temporary employment can never last more than 30 months in total, and you cannot transfer to another employer while working under it.

Officers from other states, federal and military: Through the Equivalency of Training (EOT) process, you can skip the full academy if you worked at least one year full-time as a sworn officer in another state or for the federal government, had comparable training, and have no more than an eight-year break in service. Special operations forces members with at least five years of service and no more than a four-year break may also qualify. You must then show proficiency in high-liability areas and pass the SOCE within one year of your EOT approval.

EOT online courses: Law enforcement EOT applicants must also complete online courses on elder abuse, human trafficking, head injuries in infants and children, and sexual assault investigations.

Affidavit disclosures: The sworn Affidavit of Applicant must disclose any pending criminal, civil or administrative investigation against you and whether you separated or resigned from criminal justice employment while under investigation. Knowingly false statements on it are a crime.

Sources

• FDLE - How to Become a Certified Officer in Florida
• FDLE - State Officer Certification Exam
• FDLE - SOCE Frequently Asked Questions
• FDLE - Basic Abilities Test
• FDLE - Equivalency of Training
• FDLE - Mandatory Retraining Requirements
• FDLE - Active Courses list (Basic Recruit Training Program: Law Enforcement, Version 2025.07, 770 hours)
• Florida Statutes 943.13 - Officers' minimum qualifications
• Fla. Stat. 943.131 - Temporary employment or appointment