NYC Police Officer List Number, Residency Credit and Next Steps

Facts are from official sources, linked inline.

After the NYC Police Officer exam, the number that matters most is not your score by itself. It is your list number, your place on the eligible list that the Police Department hires from. This guide explains how that number is set for Exams 7311 to 7322, including the 10-point New York City residency credit, and what comes after the list.

How your final score is made

The notice sets the pass mark: "You must achieve a score of at least 70% to pass the test." That matches the City rule that candidates need "a final examination rating of not less than seventy percent" (Personnel Rules, Rule IV, 4.4.9). Some candidates then get extra points, and every one of these credits is added only to a passing score, so none can turn a fail into a pass.

The New York City residency credit (10 points)

The Police Officer notice has a credit that most DCAS exams do not: "Ten points will be added to the multiple-choice test score of those candidates who qualify for New York City Residency Credit." The rules, from the notice:

• You must pass the multiple-choice test.
• You must live in New York City continuously from the date of the test through the date the eligible list is established.
• You must apply by following the instructions given on the date of the test. A City address on your application is not a request for the credit.
• Requests are not accepted after the list is established, and eligibility is investigated. Candidates found to have misrepresented their residency are disqualified and removed from the list.
• Veterans or active service members whose DD-214 or other military records list a Home of Record in one of the five boroughs may now qualify, if that Home of Record was set before they applied.

Veterans' and legacy credits

• Veterans' credit. Under New York State Civil Service Law § 85, non-disabled veterans get 5 additional points and disabled veterans get 10 additional points on an exam for original appointment. The credit is used only once for an appointment or promotion from a civil service list in New York State, and it must be claimed before the eligible list is established (DCAS Civil Service Guidance for Veterans).
• Legacy credit. The notice describes credit for a candidate whose parent or sibling died in the line of duty as a Police Officer, Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician or Paramedic, including as a result of the September 11, 2001, World Trade Center attack. DCAS gives the details, including the point values, in its Special Circumstances Guide. Claims cannot be made once the list is established.

How the eligible list is built and ordered

The notice says that if you pass, "your name will be placed on an eligible list in final score order. You will receive a list number and be notified of your test results via email. This eligible list determines the order of candidates considered for appointment, usually active for four years." DCAS adds that once scores are official, "we post the list of all candidates who pass, ranked in order of score" (DCAS: How Do You Get Your Results?).

Your list number is your position in that order. List number 1 belongs to the highest final score, and a lower list number means you will be considered earlier. The official sources we checked do not explain how ties are ordered, or how results from the 12 monthly exams are combined into lists. If either affects you, ask DCAS directly.

How candidates are called from the list

When the Police Department needs to hire, it receives names from the top of the list. This is called certification. Under the City's rules, an appointment is made "by the selection of one of the three persons certified... as standing highest on such established list who are qualified and willing to accept" (Rule IV, 4.7.1(c)). This is the one-in-three rule.

When your turn comes, "the agency sends a call letter, which is your formal invitation to interview." If you do not respond, "your name may be taken off the list of candidates, even if you passed the exam" (DCAS: What Happens Next). The Police Officer notice also offers selective certification, which can give preferred consideration for positions that need certain experience or a foreign language: one year of municipal or federal government work in a similar position, ten months as a NYC Service AmeriCorps member, one year of the Civil Service Pathways Fellowship, or a foreign language shown by a qualifying test. You indicate interest on the test date, and you can add a selective certification later while the list is active.

A worked example (made-up candidates)

• Jordan Ellis scores 88 and has lived in the Bronx since long before the test. He requests the residency credit on test day. 88 + 10 = final score 98.
• Mariana Lopez scores 93 and lives in Nassau County. No credits. Final score 93.
• Kevin Osei scores 84, lives in Queens and is a non-disabled veteran. He claims his veterans' credit in time but forgets to request the residency credit on test day. 84 + 5 = final score 89.
• Hannah Weiss scores 86 and lives in Brooklyn, but she moves to Westchester County before the list is established. Westchester is allowed for appointment, but she no longer qualifies for the residency credit. Final score 86.
• Tyrell Grant scores 66 and lives in Manhattan. He did not reach 70, so no credit is added, and he is not on the list.

The list in final score order is: list number 1 Jordan (98), 2 Mariana (93), 3 Kevin (89), 4 Hannah (86). Jordan passed Mariana only because of the residency credit, which shows how much those 10 points can matter. Kevin's City address on his application did not count as a request, so he missed points he could have had.

How long a list lasts, and how long it takes

The notice says the list is "usually active for four years." The City rule sets a list's life at "not less than one nor more than four years from the date of establishment," and a list at least one year old ends when a new list for the same title is established, unless otherwise provided (Rule 4.6.6). DCAS says "An eligible list may be established within six to nine months from the date of the examination though times vary" (DCAS veterans guidance). Keep your contact details current in OASys while you wait: the notice warns that without them, you may miss important updates.

Protests and appeals

1. Tentative results. You get immediate, tentative results at the end of the test, and for computer-based tests a printout with your responses and the Proposed Key Answers (DCAS protest procedures (PDF)).
2. Protest Review Session. It is held on the first Friday after the week of your test date. You may review the test and the Proposed Key Answers in person.
3. File a protest. You can file at the session or by mail within 30 days.
4. Test Validation Board. A board of agency, union and DCAS representatives reviews protests. It may change key answers, allow more than one answer or delete items, and its decisions are binding.
5. Score appeals. Appeals of your score go to the DCAS Committee on Manifest Errors through OASys, per the notice.

What comes after your number is reached

The notice lists these steps before and after appointment. It does not give a fixed order or a timeline.

• Investigation: an $82.75 fingerprint screening fee, and original documents such as proof of birth, military records and proof of education.
• Medical and psychological exams, to see whether you can perform the essential functions of the job.
• A qualifying physical test.
• Drug screening before appointment, with more testing during the Academy and probation.
• The Police Academy and 24 months of probation, with firearms, academic, physical performance and driving tests.

Why a higher score matters

Passing gets you on the list. Your final score decides when you are reached. Because hiring goes in score order and the agency chooses among the three standing highest, a higher score means a lower list number and an earlier chance to be called. No official source says what score is "competitive" or how far down any list the Police Department will go, so nobody can promise that a given score gets you hired.

What you can control is preparation. Read how the exam works and the 9 abilities explained, then try the free practice questions. The requirements guide covers what you must meet by appointment.

Myths vs facts

Frequently asked questions

PrepRaven is an independent study site. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of New York, DCAS, the NYC Police Department or any City agency. Our practice questions are original and are not taken from any real test. Always confirm dates and rules in the current Notice of Examination.

Last updated October 2026