How You Can Apply for a Civil Service Exam

If you meet the basic requirements of the job, you can apply for your exam online or at one of our testing centers. Our testing centers are located in every borough and are open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., except major holidays and scheduled closures.

Which Exam is Right for You?

• Open-competitive exams are available to anyone who meets the minimum qualifications.
• Promotion exams are available only to permanent or 55-a City employees who are seeking a promotion within their career track.
• Qualified-incumbent exams are available to current City employees that serve provisionally in certain job titles, after two or more years of service.

What’s an Application Period?

The application period is the amount of time in which you can register to take a civil service exam. The exam application period is typically open several months before the exam. The exact dates for when you can apply to take an exam are listed on the exam schedule, which is updated every month, as well as the notice of examination.

What is a Notice of Examination (NOE)?

For every civil service exam there is an NOE that describes the detailed information about the exam and the position. You will find information on the duties of the job, how to qualify, and what areas will be covered on the test, and the exam fee.

This notice is the best source of information about each exam and includes the job description, required qualifications, and test formats, so it is very important to read the NOE completely before applying. To qualify for some jobs, you will need to meet an education requirement. If you were educated outside the United States, you must have your foreign education evaluated to determine its equivalence to education obtained in the United States. Refer to the Foreign Education Evaluation Guide for more information.