Checked against the official Notice of Examination for Exam No. 6305, the earlier notices for Exam No. 6304 and Exam No. 5304 and the DCAS annual exam schedule through June 30, 2027.
The NYC Environmental Police Officer exam is the civil service test New York City uses to hire officers who protect its water supply. The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) gives the exam, and the officers work for the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which is why many people search for it as the DEP police exam. The 2026 exam is Exam No. 7305, with filing planned to begin on December 2, 2026. This guide explains the dates, the fee, the test and the scoring from the official notices, and it says plainly what the City does not publish.
When is the next Environmental Police Officer exam? Exam 7305 in 2026
The DCAS annual exam schedule plans two exams for the year ending June 30, 2027:
- Exam 7305: filing planned to begin on December 2, 2026.
- Exam 7306: filing planned to begin on April 7, 2027.
These are planning dates, not notice dates. As of October 18, 2026, no notice has been posted for either exam, so the last day of filing, the fee and the test dates are not known yet. When a notice posts, it governs over the schedule. Filing windows have not always been the same length: Exam 5304 took applications for three months, while Exams 6304 and 6305 took them for three weeks each. Plan to apply in the first days of the window.
Recent Environmental Police Officer exams
Each exam has its own number and its own notice. An old exam number is not the next exam.
- Exam 5304: filing from December 10, 2024, to March 10, 2025, with testing expected to begin on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 (Notice 5304).
- Exam 6304: filing from December 3 to December 23, 2025, with testing expected to begin on Thursday, February 26, 2026 (Notice 6304).
- Exam 6305: filing from April 1 to April 21, 2026. This is the newest posted notice, and it is the source for the facts in this guide unless another source is named (Notice 6305).
The pattern for the past year and the year ahead is two exams a year: one with filing in December and one in the spring.
What an NYC Environmental Police Officer does
Notice 6305 says Environmental Police Officers protect the watershed areas, water supply systems and installations of DEP, and they enforce the City's Watershed Rules and Regulations and other laws. At Assignment Level I, where new officers start, the work includes:
- patrolling and securing water supply facilities and lands, reservoir areas and installations
- preventing breaches of the peace, damage and theft, and arresting offenders
- investigating suspicious people and events, collecting evidence and testifying at trials
- investigating and reporting contamination of streams and violations of the Watershed Rules
- reporting unusual incidents and accidents, directing traffic and possibly giving first aid
Officers drive motor vehicles and may take part in aerial reconnaissance. The notice says the jobs are "currently outside New York City and in the Bronx," in the Bronx or in Westchester, Dutchess, Greene, Sullivan, Putnam, Delaware, Ulster, Orange or Schoharie County. Working conditions include outdoor work in all weather and patrol on foot and by car. The full list of duties, posts and conditions is in what an Environmental Police Officer does, and the pay steps and City payroll data are in the Environmental Police Officer salary guide.
What is on the Environmental Police Officer exam
The test is multiple choice and is given at a computer terminal. Your score sets your place on the eligible list. The notice says the test may include questions on nine abilities:
- Deductive Reasoning: applying general rules to specific problems.
- Inductive Reasoning: combining separate pieces of information to reach a general rule or conclusion.
- Information Ordering: following a given rule or set of rules in the right order.
- Memorization: remembering words, numbers, pictures and procedures.
- Problem Sensitivity: telling when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
- Spatial Orientation: knowing where you are in relation to an object, or where it is in relation to you.
- Visualization: imagining how something looks after it is moved, turned or unfolded.
- Written Comprehension: understanding written sentences and paragraphs.
- Written Expression: writing in English so that others understand.
Two more facts from the notice matter for practice. Calculators are not allowed, and no ability on the list is a math ability. Some questions may be answered from documents or other information handed out on the test date. Each ability, with its job example and an original practice question, is in the nine abilities explained.
The fee and the fee waivers
Exam 6305 cost $68.00, and paying by card added a nonrefundable 2.00% service fee. That notice listed fee waivers for veterans, unemployed people and people receiving public assistance or Supplemental Security Income. Since that notice was written, DCAS has added more waivers: "Beginning July 1, 2026, more New Yorkers can apply for DCAS civil service examinations at no cost. Under Local Law 57 of 2025, fee waiver eligibility is expanded to include first-time applicants and New York City high school students" (DCAS: How Can You Find Upcoming Exams?). The fee for Exam 7305 is not posted yet. Fees can change from one notice to the next, so check the new notice before you pay.
How to apply
- When filing opens, go to the Online Application System (OASys) at www.nyc.gov/examsforjobs and create an account. You need a valid email address, and new accounts are verified by email.
- Apply for the exam number in the current notice during its filing period, and pay the fee or claim a fee waiver. Applications are not accepted before or after the filing period.
- Look for the emailed receipt. Your status also shows on the OASys Dashboard under "Notifications."
You can also apply online in person at a DCAS testing center, Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (DCAS: Applying for an Exam). The education, age and residency rules are in the Environmental Police Officer requirements guide; read it before you file.
Test day
Your Admission Notice appears on your OASys Dashboard 14 days before testing is expected to begin. The test is given at a DCAS Computer-based Testing & Application Center; there are five, in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. Key rules:
- Bring one valid ID with your photo and signature. The name must match your application.
- Phones, smartwatches and other devices are sealed in a Yondr pouch. Headphones and earbuds are not allowed.
- Calculators are not allowed.
Requests for testing accommodations are due no later than 30 days before the first testing date (DCAS Special Circumstances Guide).
Scoring: 70% to pass, then rank decides
You need at least 70% to pass. DCAS gives "immediate, tentative results at the end of your test" (DCAS: How Do You Get Your Results?). Passing candidates go on an eligible list in final score order with a list number, and the notice says the list is "usually active for four years." An agency fills a job by choosing one of the three highest-ranked candidates who are qualified and willing to accept (Personnel Rules, Rule IV), so a higher score gets you reached sooner. No official source says what score is high enough to be hired. The steps from results to the Police Academy are in what happens after the exam.
What the notice does not publish
As of October 18, 2026, Notice 6305 does not state the number of questions, the time limit or how many questions test each ability. It does not describe what the qualifying physical test consists of, and it does not show how Spatial Orientation and Visualization questions look. We found no official sample questions or practice test. A page that gives a question count or a time limit for this exam is not quoting the notice.
Common mix-ups, checked against the notices
How to prepare
- Check the requirements first. The age rule (under 35 on the first day of filing) and the credits or military route decide whether you can be appointed.
- Learn the nine definitions and job examples. Each ability is tied to a task on watershed patrol.
- Practice by ability. Weights are not published, so do not skip any ability, and give more time to the ones that cost you points.
- Practice memory without notes. Study a description of a person or vehicle, cover it and answer from memory.
- Practice reading rules and reports closely. Deductive Reasoning, Information Ordering and Written Comprehension turn on details stated in the question.
- Plan for filing day. Put December 2, 2026, on your calendar, and check for the 7305 notice before then.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next NYC Environmental Police Officer exam?
Filing for Exam 7305 is planned to begin on December 2, 2026, and filing for Exam 7306 on April 7, 2027. These are DCAS planning dates. Neither notice was posted as of October 18, 2026.
How much does the exam cost?
Exam 6305 cost $68.00, plus a 2.00% service fee if you paid by card. The 7305 fee is not posted yet. Since July 1, 2026, DCAS also waives the fee for first-time applicants and New York City high school students, in addition to veterans, unemployed people and people receiving public assistance or Supplemental Security Income.
How many questions are there, and how long is it?
The notice does not say. It publishes no question count, time limit or ability weights.
Can I bring a calculator?
No. The notice says calculators are not allowed.
What score do I need?
At least 70% to pass. Passing candidates are ranked by final score, and a higher score means a lower list number.
Is the DEP police exam the same as the Environmental Police Officer exam?
Yes. Environmental Police Officer is the official title, and the officers work for the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), so many people call it the DEP police exam.
Is there a physical test?
Yes, a qualifying physical test is required, but the notice does not describe it. See the requirements guide.
Official sources
- DCAS Notice of Examination, Environmental Police Officer, Exam No. 6305 (PDF)
- DCAS Notice of Examination, Environmental Police Officer, Exam No. 6304 (PDF)
- DCAS Notice of Examination, Environmental Police Officer, Exam No. 5304 (PDF)
- DCAS Annual Examination Schedule through June 30, 2027, application period order (PDF)
- DCAS: How Can You Find Upcoming Exams? (fee waivers)
- Personnel Rules and Regulations, Rule IV
PrepRaven is an independent exam-prep site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of New York, DCAS, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) or any City agency. Always confirm dates and rules in the current Notice of Examination.
Last updated October 2026