Facts checked against DCAS Notice of Examination No. 7302 and the NYC Department of Correction's own recruiting pages.
This guide covers the rules for the current exam, Correction Officer Exam No. 7302, in plain English. Filing runs September 2 to October 27, 2026, the fee is $0, and multiple-choice testing is expected to begin on Tuesday, December 15, 2026. Where another official page disagrees, we say so; the notice governs.
How old do you have to be? The NYC correction officer age limit
There are two age rules, and they apply at different times. Per Notice 7302, you must be at least 17 years old by the date of the multiple-choice test, and you must be 21 to be appointed. The notice adds a warning: if you are still too young for appointment on the date the eligible list ends, you will have no further chance of appointment from that list.
The notice states no maximum age. The Department of Correction's eligibility FAQ puts it directly: "There is no other age requirement." That same FAQ says you must be "17 1/2" to take the test, which conflicts with the current notice. Notice 7302 says 17, and the notice governs.
Education and experience: the four routes
NYC correction officer qualifications are met by the date of appointment, not the test date. Per Notice 7302 and the Department of Correction's "How to qualify" page, you need one of the following:
- College credits: at least 39 semester credits from an accredited college. Academy training adds 21 credits, for 60 in total.
- High school diploma plus 6 months of experience: a four-year high school diploma or its equivalent, plus 6 months of one of these: honorable full-time US military service; full-time satisfactory experience in social services, casework, mental health counseling or services to the homeless; or service in listed law enforcement positions (New York State police officer or peace officer, NYC special patrolman or equivalent federal or out-of-state positions).
- High school diploma plus 1 year of work: a four-year high school diploma or its equivalent, plus at least 1 year of satisfactory full-time paid general work experience.
- Reserve or National Guard service: two years of active service in a US military reserve component or the National Guard, with an honorable discharge. Time in the Individual Ready Reserve does not count.
Education from outside the US must be evaluated for US equivalence. The Department of Correction's FAQ says there is no GPA requirement.
Residency, citizenship and English
At appointment, you must live in New York City or in Nassau, Westchester, Suffolk, Orange, Rockland or Putnam County. You must also be a US citizen at appointment, and you must be able to understand and be understood in English. All three rules come from Notice 7302.
Driver license or learner's permit, and when you need it
Per Notice 7302, you need a New York State learner's permit at appointment and a valid New York State driver license before you graduate from the Academy. Moving violations, license suspensions or an accident record may disqualify you.
Background investigation and federal PREA hiring bars
Notice 7302 lists factors that can disqualify a candidate, including certain arrest or conviction records, repeated offenses, discharge from a job for poor behavior, a dishonorable military discharge and petit larceny. People convicted of a felony or a domestic violence misdemeanor are not eligible.
The notice also says the Department of Correction will not hire anyone covered by the hiring bars in the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). Under the City's Fair Chance Act, City agencies may not ask about arrests and convictions until after a conditional offer, according to DCAS's "Things to Know Before You Apply" page.
The background check carries a cost: a $75.00 fee for fingerprint screening, paid at the time of investigation.
Medical, psychological, physical and drug tests
- Medical and psychological: candidates are examined to see whether they can perform the essential functions of the job, and they may be retested during their career (Notice 7302). The Department of Correction's processing steps say the psychological evaluation is both written and oral.
- Physical test: you must pass a qualifying physical test, and periodic physical testing may continue throughout your career. The Department's FAQ describes the Physical Agility test as "a test of your endurance consisting of a series of tasks, such as running and heavy lifting." No official source publishes the exact events or standards.
- Drug testing: pre-employment drug screening, random testing during Academy training, and possible random testing after that. The notice calls it a "strict zero tolerance policy."
How to become a correction officer in NYC: from application to Academy
This sequence combines DCAS's process with the Department of Correction's "Candidate to Correction Officer in 6 Months" sheet and its processing steps. The two Department documents order the middle steps a little differently, and the Department notes that "The process can vary depending on your individual circumstances."
- File during the filing period. Apply on OASys at nyc.gov/examsforjobs between September 2 and October 27, 2026, or apply in person at a DCAS testing center. Select "No Fee."
- Take the multiple-choice test. Testing is expected to begin December 15, 2026, at a computer terminal. Your Admission Notice appears on your OASys Dashboard 14 days before testing is expected to begin. See how the exam works and the 11 abilities the notice lists.
- Score 70% or higher. Passers are placed on the eligible list in score order and get a list number. See your list number explained.
- Wait for the list. The Department of Correction says DCAS releases the list "4-6 months after the exam date." DCAS's general guidance for all titles says six to nine months, though times vary.
- Get the call. The Department's Applicant Investigation Unit calls candidates to start screening. Before orientation, you email copies of documents such as your driver license or learner's permit, birth certificate or naturalization papers, Social Security card, high school diploma or GED, and a pre-screening form (Pre-Screening page).
- Orientation and medical. You must submit all required documents.
- Agility test and psychological evaluation (written and oral).
- Fingerprints, background check and investigations, including the $75 fingerprint fee.
- Drug test.
- Pre-employment and onboarding.
- The Academy. The Department's sheet describes four months at the Academy, with pay starting on the first day, then graduation and on-the-job training.
The Academy, probation, peace officer status and firearms
Per Notice 7302, probation lasts 24 months and includes a required training course. Academy training also adds 21 college credits. Correction Officers must meet and keep the requirements for Peace Officer status, and they must qualify with firearms and stay qualified. The firearms qualification test is given every year.
Pay, per the notice and subject to change: a minimum of $56,838, reaching $109,352 after five and one half years, plus a $1,100 annual uniform allowance (Notice 7302, filing period September 2 to October 27, 2026).
Military service and veterans
Military service counts in two of the four education routes above (6 months of honorable full-time service with a diploma, or 2 years of reserve or National Guard service). A dishonorable discharge is a listed disqualifying factor.
Under New York State Civil Service Law section 85, non-disabled veterans get 5 additional points and disabled veterans get 10 points on an exam for original appointment. Per DCAS's guidance for veterans and Special Circumstances Guide, the credit is added only to passing scores, is used once, and must be claimed before the list is established.
Myths vs facts
FAQ
Is there a maximum age to become an NYC correction officer?
No maximum is stated in Notice 7302. You must be 17 by the test date and 21 to be appointed.
Can I take the test at 17 if I am not yet 21?
Yes. You can test at 17, but you cannot be appointed until you are 21. If you are still under 21 when the list ends, you lose the chance of appointment from that list.
Do I need a college degree?
No. A degree is not required. Routes include 39 college credits, a high school diploma plus 6 months of qualifying experience or 1 year of general work, or 2 years of reserve or National Guard service.
Do I need a driver license to apply?
Not to apply. You need a New York State learner's permit at appointment and a valid New York State driver license before you graduate from the Academy.
Can I live in New Jersey or Long Island?
Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties are on the allowed list, along with New York City and Westchester, Orange, Rockland and Putnam counties. New Jersey is not on the list.
Does a felony conviction disqualify me?
Yes. Notice 7302 says people convicted of a felony or a domestic violence misdemeanor are not eligible, and the Department will not hire anyone covered by the federal PREA hiring bars.
What does it cost?
Exam 7302 is free. The notice lists a $75.00 fingerprint screening fee at the time of investigation.
Official sources
- DCAS Notice of Examination, Correction Officer, Exam No. 7302 (PDF)
- NYC Department of Correction: How to qualify
- NYC Department of Correction: Eligibility FAQ
- Candidate to Correction Officer in 6 Months (PDF)
- Candidate processing steps (PDF)
- DCAS Civil Service Guidance for Veterans (PDF)
- New York State Civil Service Law section 85
PrepRaven is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of New York, DCAS, the NYC Department of Correction or any City agency. Requirements can change with each new exam notice; always check the current notice before you apply.
Last updated October 2026