How to Become a Police Officer in Ohio

Who can apply

• Hold a high school diploma or certificate of high school equivalency to attend the basic course.
• No felony conviction or guilty plea, and not under felony indictment.
• Not under a weapons disability and not currently registering as a sex, child-victim or arson offender.
• No drug-of-abuse offense or misdemeanor offense of violence, and no theft or fraud offense (ORC Chapter 2913), within three years before applying to the academy. You also cannot attend while under indictment or currently charged with a drug-of-abuse offense or a misdemeanor offense of violence.
• Pass a criminal background check, physical fitness test and drug screening to enter an academy.
• For civil service police departments, be at least 21 at original appointment (ORC 124.41). The default maximum age for original appointment is under 35, but cities and townships may set a different limit. Within 120 days before appointment you must also pass a physical exam certifying you are free of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease and meet the department's physical requirements.

Step by step

1. Choose a route: a closed academy (you are hired by an agency first) or an open-enrollment academy (you pay and attend before being hired).
2. Pass the academy entry background check, drug screen and entrance physical fitness benchmarks.
3. Complete an OPOTC-approved Peace Officer Basic Training course (at least 740 hours).
4. Pass the end-of-academy physical fitness skill assessment.
5. Pass the OPOTC state certification written exam (one retest allowed).
6. Receive your certificate of completion from the OPOTC executive director, then get appointed by an Ohio agency.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Peace Officer Basic Training at an OPOTC-approved academy, with a curriculum of at least 740 hours (local academies may add more). Units cover administration, legal, human relations, firearms, driving, investigation, traffic, patrol, civil disorders, subject control, first aid, physical conditioning and homeland security. Some academies run weekdays, some evenings and weekends, and some on a college semester calendar. No one may be permanently appointed or carry a weapon as a peace officer before receiving the certificate.

Exam: OPOTC gives a final state certification written exam after basic training, with a minimum score set by the commission. If you fail, you get one retest within your testing window; failing the retest means completing another full basic course. You also must pass physical fitness benchmarks at the start and end of the academy, scored by age and sex. Example for men 29 and under: start 32 sit-ups, 19 push-ups and a 14:34 1.5-mile run; end 40 sit-ups, 33 push-ups and 11:58. For women 29 and under: start 23, 9 and 17:49; end 35, 18 and 14:07.

What it costs in Ohio

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

Keeping your certification

Renewal: OPOTC sets annual continuing professional training (CPT) hours. For 2026 the minimum is 24 hours: 8 hours of OPOTC-mandated topics (legal updates including missing persons, communications/mental-health response, compliance and control tactics, firearms) and 16 hours of pre-approved agency-selected topics. Officers who finish basic training in 2026 are exempt for 2026.

Good to know in Ohio

Out-of-state, federal and military officers: You can apply for a reciprocal certificate if you have held a substantially similar out-of-state license for at least one year and worked as an officer at least one of the last five years, or if you worked as a full-time officer for three of the last five years in the military, a federal agency, or a state without a license. You must be in good standing, have no disqualifying offenses, and pass the state certification exam.

Breaks in service: If you have not been appointed as a peace officer for more than one year but less than four years, you need up to 40 hours of refresher training. After more than four years, you need 80 hours. You may not carry a firearm or act as an officer until it is verified.

Open vs. closed academies: Closed academies require you to be appointed by an agency first. Open-enrollment academies accept anyone who meets the requirements before they are hired.

Sources

• Ohio Attorney General - How To Become a Peace Officer in Ohio (with physical fitness benchmarks)
• OPOTC Memorandum - CPT Hours for 2026
• Ohio Adm.Code 109:2-1-03 - Ohio peace officer basic training program course
• Ohio Adm.Code 109:2-1-11 - Examination
• Ohio Adm.Code 109:2-1-12 - Certification before service and re-entry requirements
• Ohio Adm.Code 109:2-1-16 - Explanation of the basic training course
• Ohio Revised Code 124.41 - Qualifications for original appointment to police department