When is the next NYC sanitation exam? Many people call it the DSNY exam; officially it is the Sanitation Worker exam, which DCAS gives and the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) hires from. Here is where the next one stands, from official City sources.
Status checked on October 15, 2026, against the DCAS exam schedules and the last Sanitation Worker notice on nyc.gov. We update this page when a new notice posts.
Where things stand in October 2026
People search for the "DSNY exam" or the "NYC sanitation exam," but the test is run by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). DSNY, the Department of Sanitation, hires from the list DCAS makes. DCAS puts out a full-year exam schedule every July and a shorter monthly schedule (DCAS, How Can You Find Upcoming Exams). We checked both on October 15, 2026, and Sanitation Worker is on neither one.
The City is still hiring from the 2022 exam. NYC Open Data shows one active Sanitation Worker list, from Exam 2060, established on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, with 31,309 names on it (Civil Service List (Active)). The monthly schedule says its dates are tentative and subject to change, so a new exam can still be added. When that happens, it will have its own exam number, dates, fee and rules.
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How often the exam is given
Not on a fixed schedule. Here is the official record we could find:
- 1998, 2003 and 2007: 17,907, 26,708 and 32,647 people took the test (DCAS press release, June 7, 2022).
- 2014 to 2015, Exam No. 5001: filing from October 1, 2014, to October 31, 2014, a $47 fee and a test on February 7 and 8, 2015 (Notice 5001). DCAS says "more than 80,000 people" took it. Its list was established on March 16, 2016, and used until February 28, 2024 (Civil Service List (Terminated)).
- 2020, Exam No. 0186: a filing period from June 3 to June 23, 2020, was planned, then canceled (DCAS exam schedule data).
- 2022, Exam No. 2060: the most recent exam (details below).
That is a gap of four to eight years between exams. The pattern is a history lesson, not a forecast, and we will not guess a date. The 2015 list stayed in use for almost eight years, until the new list replaced it.
What happened in the last cycle (Exam 2060)
- Filing: Wednesday, June 8, 2022, to Thursday, June 30, 2022, on OASys. The announcement said June 28, but the amended notice gives June 30 (Notice 2060).
- Fee: $61, plus a 2% service fee for card payments. Some veterans and people on public assistance could have it waived.
- Test: multiple choice at a computer terminal, "expected to begin on Wednesday, September 7, 2022," and given "on a rolling basis" (DCAS press release). You needed 70% to pass.
- List: established on February 28, 2024, about 20 months after filing closed. It has an anniversary date of February 28, 2028, in the City's data. The notice says a list "will typically remain active for four years."
- Residency credit: 10 points for passing candidates who lived in New York City from June 8, 2021, through June 7, 2022, the year before filing opened.
No official count of 2022 applicants has been published. The 31,309 names on the list count only people who passed and are still listed, so the real number of test takers was higher.
How you will find out when filing opens
- The DCAS annual schedule. A new one comes out every July and covers the year to the next June 30. The next one is due in July 2027.
- The monthly schedule by email. DCAS sends it to subscribers of the NYC Jobs Newsletter.
- OASys. You apply at nyc.gov/examsforjobs, and only during the filing period. DCAS does not accept applications before or after it. Make your account now and check that your email address works, so that you can apply on day one.
- Our alert. Leave your email below, and we will write to you when a new Sanitation Worker notice posts.
The 2022 filing period lasted about three weeks. Missing it means waiting for the next exam, possibly years.
What the written test covered
The 2022 notice says the test checks abilities "important to the performance of the tasks of a Sanitation Worker." It names seven abilities:
- Written Comprehension (reading manuals and memos)
- Problem Sensitivity (spotting what is wrong or about to go wrong, such as a truck problem)
- Written Expression (writing clearly, such as an accident report)
- Information Ordering (following steps in order)
- Deductive Reasoning (applying a rule to a case)
- Spatial Orientation (knowing where you are compared with a place, such as planning a route)
- Inductive Reasoning (finding the rule or reason behind several facts)
The questions were set in the job's task areas, from roll call and waste collection to snow removal and logs. The notice gives no number of questions, no time limit and no weight for each ability. Calculators were not allowed. The list can change: the 2014 notice had Visualization and no Inductive Reasoning. See what's on the exam for each ability with a practice example.
The steps after the written test
- Physical test. The 2022 notice calls it a qualifying (pass or fail) physical test, given in score order "as vacancies occur," with a $20 fee on the day. It warns that not everyone who passes the written test may be called. The notice said a description would come later. We did not find one on nyc.gov, so we do not describe the events.
- Waiting. DSNY says candidates are not called for the physical test until it is authorized to hire, and that the wait "can vary greatly" (DSNY Hiring Process).
- Processing. DSNY calls people in list-number order, checks documents (date of birth, residency, military service and your CDL) and does a medical exam, a background check and a driver's license check (DSNY, Become a Sanitation Worker).
- Drug tests. A drug and alcohol screening, plus a federal DOT drug test within 30 days before appointment.
- Training. An 18-month probation that includes a training course.
Requirements in brief
Under the 2022 notice, you had to be at least 17 1/2 by the end of filing to take the test and at least 21 to be appointed. By appointment, you needed a high school diploma or equivalent and a New York State commercial driver license (CDL), Class A or B, with an "N" tank vehicle endorsement and no "K" or air brake restriction. You also had to live in New York City, Nassau or Westchester for the first two years. The full list, with the CDL details, is in our requirements guide.
How to prepare now
- Get the alerts set up. Make an OASys account, sign up for the DCAS newsletter and for our alert below.
- Learn the abilities. Practice reading short procedures and memos closely, applying rules exactly as written and choosing the clearest report sentence. These skills take weeks to build, and you have time now.
- Protect your driving record. The 2022 notice says serious moving violations, a suspension or an accident record may disqualify you.
- Plan your CDL. You do not need a CDL to take the test. You need it by appointment. DSNY runs a one-week CDL course for people who have already taken the exam, and you need a CDL learner permit to join it (DSNY CDL Licenses). See the requirements guide before you spend money.
- Keep proof of where you live. In 2022, the residency credit needed documents such as utility bills and pay stubs for a full year before filing.
- Get in shape for the work. The notice describes lifting, dragging and carrying heavy bags, cans and bulk items, in all weather.
To get ready now, read what was on the last Sanitation Worker exam and the Sanitation Worker requirements, especially the CDL rules.
When the next notice posts, read it first. It will set the real dates, fee, age rule and ability list, and it may differ from 2022.
Get an email when filing opens
We'll email you when the City posts the next notice for the NYC Sanitation Worker Exam, with the dates and how to prepare. No spam, and you can unsubscribe with one click.
We use your email only for this. See our privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next NYC sanitation exam?
It has not been announced. As of October 15, 2026, Sanitation Worker is not on the DCAS schedule through June 30, 2027, or on the October 2026 monthly schedule. The last exam was No. 2060, with filing in June 2022.
Is the DSNY exam the same as the NYC Sanitation Worker exam?
Yes, for the entry-level job. DCAS gives the Sanitation Worker exam, and DSNY hires from the list. Other sanitation titles, such as Supervisor (Sanitation), have their own exams.
Will I have to pay a fee?
The 2022 fee was $61. The next fee is unknown. Since July 1, 2026, DCAS fee waivers also cover first-time applicants and New York City high school students, along with groups such as veterans and people on public assistance. The next notice will say what applies.
How long after the test was the list ready?
For Exam 2060, filing closed on June 30, 2022, testing began in September 2022 and the list was established on February 28, 2024.
Can I take the NYC sanitation supervisor exam instead?
Only if you are already a permanent Sanitation Worker. Supervisor (Sanitation) is a promotion exam. The last one, No. 4551, had filing in October 2023 (Notice 4551).
Are there official practice tests?
We found none from DCAS or DSNY. The examples in our guides are original practice content, never real exam questions.
PrepRaven is not affiliated with or endorsed by the City of New York, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the Department of Sanitation or any City agency. The practice examples on this page are original and are not taken from any real exam.
Last updated October 2026