Police Officer

2026 Municipal and MBTA Transit Police Officer Examination

This exam is being administered by the Human Resources Division (HRD) to establish eligible lists from which to fill Police Officer vacancies in Civil Service Municipal Police Departments and the MBTA Transit Police in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Written Examination Period:
October 2, 2026 through October 10, 2026. Application Period Begins:
June 22, 2026. Final date to receive applications:
August 31, 2026. Examination Processing Fee: $75. There is no late fee for applications. Applications will not be accepted after August 31, 2026. There will be no refund of the examination processing fee unless the examination is cancelled by HRD. Written examination locations:
Various sites across the Commonwealth.

Examination Requirements:

• Age Requirement:
  Candidates must be 19 years of age on or before October 2, 2026, to take the exam for Municipal and Transit Police Officer. Candidates are also required to be at least 21 years of age by the date of appointment as a Municipal or Transit Police Officer.
• Education Requirement:
  As of the date of appointment, candidates must have either a high school diploma or equivalency certificate approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or three years of experience in the armed forces of the United States with last release or discharge under honorable conditions.

Application:
An exam processing fee must be received by the Final date to receive applications. You will receive two confirmation emails when you have completed the process: one email confirming your application has been received, and one email confirming your payment has been received. Your application is not complete until you have received both confirmation emails. If you have not submitted payment of the exam processing fee on or before the Final date to receive applications, your application will not be accepted.

Fee Waiver:
The exam processing fee may be waived for candidates receiving, or who have received, certain state or federal public assistance, or unemployment insurance during any portion of the one year immediately preceding the exam date, October 2, 2026. Fee Waiver Forms are available on our website (Fee Waiver Form). This form should be completed and supporting documentation must be scanned and attached to the application.

All fee waiver forms must be submitted on or before the Final date to receive applications.

Current Military Personnel:
Any current military personnel requesting a makeup opportunity, visit Civil Service Military Makeup Examinations for more information.

Makeup Examination:
With the exception of current military personnel as described above, no candidate has a right to a makeup examination due to personal or professional conflicts on the testing date. Candidates are advised to consider this before applying for the examination. If you file an examination application by the Final date to receive applications but are unable to appear for the examination on the examination date due to an emergency or unanticipated hardship, you may request a makeup examination by filing a written request with verifiable documentation to HRD no later than seven calendar days from the original written examination date.

HRD reserves the right to approve or deny your request. HRD may require an additional examination processing fee upon approval of your request. Reasonable Accommodations:
If you need reasonable accommodations due to a documented impairment, or medical condition, you must fill out the Testing Accommodations Request Form and submit supporting documentation as outlined on the form from a qualified professional detailing what type of accommodation you require at the examination site. The form and supporting documentation must be scanned and attached to the application or emailed to CS-Reasonable Accommodations no later than four (4) weeks prior to the examination date.

Without such a letter, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to grant your accommodation. This information is requested only to provide reasonable accommodation for examinations and will not be used for any other…