- Exam No. 7302 applications run September 2 through October 27, 2026, with a $0 application fee.
- Computer-based multiple-choice testing is expected to begin December 15, 2026.
- You need a 70% score to pass, and results rank you on the eligible list.
- The eligible list generally stays active for four years after it's established.
Registration Basics at a Glance
Before you touch a practice question, lock in the administrative facts. The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) runs this process under Open-Competitive Exam No. 7302, and it hires on behalf of the New York City Department of Correction. There's no cost to apply - the application fee is $0 - and the filing window opens September 2, 2026 and closes October 27, 2026. Miss that window and you wait for the next announced cycle.
Multiple-choice testing is expected to begin December 15, 2026, delivered at a computer terminal rather than on paper. That format matters: pacing, answer-changing, and flagging questions all work differently on-screen than with a bubble sheet, which is one reason a dedicated NYC-CO Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt is worth reading before your test date is finalized.
Eligibility Snapshot
Age and credential rules are layered - you can qualify for the exam before you're old enough for appointment. Here's the compressed version:
- Test-date age: at least 17 on the day you sit for the exam.
- Appointment age: at least 21 by the time you're actually hired.
- Education/experience: 39 college credits, or a published combination of high school plus qualifying experience, military service, social-service work, law-enforcement experience, or reserve service.
- Citizenship and residency: must meet citizenship and qualifying-area residency requirements at the time of appointment, not necessarily at application.
- Driving credentials: a New York State learner permit at appointment, upgraded to a full New York State driver license before Academy graduation.
Because several of these thresholds apply at different points in the process, it's easy to misread a requirement as immediate when it's actually tied to appointment or graduation. A full breakdown of every pathway sits in NYC-CO Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Key Takeaway
You can apply and even test at 17, but appointment requires being 21, holding a learner permit at appointment, and a full driver license before graduating the Academy.
Test-Day Facts
Testing happens at a computer terminal. Bring only what's allowed: a basic four-function calculator is permitted, but every other electronic device - phones, smartwatches, tablets - is prohibited and will be sealed away during testing. Assume nothing extra makes it to your seat.
The passing threshold is fixed at 70%. There's no curve to bank on, and because this is a ranked eligible-list exam, your raw score does double duty: it determines whether you pass and where you land relative to every other candidate. For a plain-language explanation of how that threshold is applied, see NYC-CO Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
The 11 Exam Domains, Fast
DCAS organizes the multiple-choice content around eleven distinct cognitive and skill domains. None of these are trivia categories - they're reasoning and comprehension abilities tested through scenario-style questions relevant to correction officer duties. Here's the one-line version of each, with a full walkthrough available in NYC-CO Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 11 Content Areas.
Domain 1: Deductive Reasoning
Applying a general rule or policy to a specific situation to reach one correct conclusion.
- Practice policy-to-scenario logic puzzles, not just abstract syllogisms
Domain 2: Inductive Reasoning
Spotting patterns across several examples or incidents and generalizing a rule from them.
- Work with multi-incident scenario sets, not single-example items
Domain 3: Information Ordering
Arranging steps, facts, or events into the correct sequence.
- Drill procedural checklists and timeline reconstructions
Domain 4: Mathematical Reasoning
Solving word-problem-style questions requiring basic arithmetic reasoning under time pressure.
- Practice with the same four-function calculator allowed on test day
Domain 5: Memorization
Retaining details from a passage, image, or scenario long enough to answer later questions without referring back.
- Time yourself: read, cover, then answer from memory
Domain 6: Number Facility
Quick, accurate manipulation of numbers - addition, subtraction, ratios - under a clock.
- Build speed drills separate from your math reasoning practice
Domain 7: Problem Sensitivity
Recognizing that a problem exists or is about to occur before it fully develops.
- Practice scenario sets that hide an early warning sign in the details
Domain 8: Spatial Orientation
Understanding your position relative to other objects, routes, or layouts.
- Work with facility maps and directional reasoning items
Domain 9: Visualization
Mentally manipulating shapes or arrangements to predict how they'll look when changed.
- Practice rotation and rearrangement item types
Domain 10: Written Comprehension
Reading a passage - policy language, incident narrative, or memo - and answering accurately based only on the text.
- Avoid outside assumptions; answer strictly from the passage
Domain 11: Written Expression
Choosing clear, grammatically correct, well-organized language to communicate information.
- Review grammar and sentence-clarity basics, not just vocabulary
If you're still deciding how much time this eleven-domain spread realistically demands, How Hard Is the NYC-CO Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 breaks down where most candidates lose points.
Scoring and the Eligible List
Once you clear the 70% threshold, your score is converted into a rank on the eligible list. That list is typically active for four years, which means your test result can matter well beyond the initial hiring push tied to Exam No. 7302. Understanding how ranking interacts with hiring volume is useful context if you're weighing your odds - see NYC-CO Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows for how the data is typically discussed.
| Milestone | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application window | September 2 - October 27, 2026 |
| Application fee | $0 |
| Expected testing start | December 15, 2026 |
| Test format | Multiple-choice, computer terminal |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Eligible list duration | Typically 4 years |
| Fingerprint-screening fee | $75 (during investigation) |
| Probationary period | 24 months after appointment |
Post-Exam Steps to Appointment
Passing the multiple-choice test is the beginning of the process, not the finish line. Appointment depends on clearing a sequence of additional checkpoints:
- A full background investigation, which includes a $75 fingerprint-screening fee separate from the free application
- Medical and psychological assessment
- A qualifying physical test
- Drug screening
- PREA screening
- Confirmation of Peace Officer eligibility
Assuming you clear all of these and are appointed, expect a 24-month probationary period that includes required Academy training and annual firearms qualification once you're on the job. None of these costs or requirements should be confused with fees tied to other credentials - every dollar figure and rule listed here is specific to this DCAS process. If you want the complete money picture across the entire process, NYC-CO Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown lays it out line by line, and NYC-CO Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis covers what the job pays once you're through probation.
Key Takeaway
The $75 fingerprint fee happens during background investigation, well after the $0 application step - budget for it separately.
Last-Mile Study Schedule
With the application window and December testing target both fixed, your prep calendar should work backward from your scheduled test date rather than follow a generic study plan. Here's a compressed four-week structure built around the domain groupings above - spread this out further if your test date lands later than December 15.
Reasoning Domains
- Deductive Reasoning and Inductive Reasoning scenario sets
- Problem Sensitivity items focused on early-warning details
Numbers and Order
- Mathematical Reasoning word problems with your allowed calculator
- Number Facility speed drills
- Information Ordering sequencing exercises
Spatial and Memory Skills
- Spatial Orientation and Visualization practice sets
- Timed Memorization exercises: read, cover, recall
Written Skills and Full Simulation
- Written Comprehension passages answered strictly from text
- Written Expression grammar and clarity review
- One full-length timed practice run at a computer terminal
Notice this schedule doesn't lean on generic productivity tricks - it's sequenced around which domains benefit from early repetition (reasoning) versus late-stage timed simulation (written skills, full-length runs). For a longer version of this approach with domain-specific drills, revisit the NYC-CO Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. You can also run timed domain drills directly through our practice test platform to see how your pacing holds up under exam-style conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications for Exam No. 7302 are accepted from September 2 through October 27, 2026. There is no application fee.
Testing is expected to begin December 15, 2026, delivered at a computer terminal rather than on paper.
You need 70% to pass. Your score also determines your rank on the eligible list, so scoring above the minimum can improve your standing.
Yes, a basic four-function calculator is allowed. All other electronic devices are prohibited and sealed during testing.
The eligible list is typically active for four years, meaning your test score can affect appointment opportunities well after the initial hiring cycle.
Keep this page bookmarked as your one-stop reference while you work through registration, the eleven exam domains, and the post-exam investigation steps. For deeper dives on any single piece - from eligibility requirements to whether the career path is worth pursuing - the linked guides above cover each topic in full, and the practice platform is there whenever you're ready to test your readiness under real exam conditions.