The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and the NYPD are rolling out new steps to strengthen recruitment and bring more officers into the ranks. The changes include monthly testing dates, waived fees for a limited time, and a permanent reduction in the minimum age requirement for new applicants.
“Crime was down in June, for the second quarter of 2025, year-to-date, and for the sixth consecutive quarter — become part of the winning team keeping New York City the safest big city in America,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Starting this month, New Yorkers can take the open competitive police officer exam every month. For exams in July, August, and September 2025, the city is waiving application fees completely. After that, beginning in October, the exam fee will be set at $40.
The city is also lowering the minimum age for applicants to 20.5 years, marking the first change to this requirement in 25 years. The shift is designed to grow the pool of candidates while maintaining strong training standards. Recruits will complete six months at the police academy, ensuring they are at least 21 years old by graduation.
DCAS is introducing a new testing model with scheduled monthly exams, now part of its annual exam calendar. The goal is to make it easier for interested candidates across the five boroughs to apply and address the department’s recruitment needs.
Under New York State Civil Service Law Section 58, the minimum age for police officer appointments is 20 years, with local agencies able to set stricter limits. Over the past 30 years, the age requirement changed twice. It was raised from 20 to 22 years in 1995, then lowered to 21 in 2000. The new 20.5-year minimum aims to balance accessibility with the need for well-prepared officers.
The NYPD is the largest municipal police department in the country, with about 36,000 officers and 19,000 civilian employees. It covers 78 patrol precincts citywide, 12 transit districts, and nine police service areas that serve public housing developments. Uniformed civilians also work as traffic safety agents on busy streets and as school safety agents in the city’s public schools, which serve over a million students.
“We want the best and brightest to join the NYPD, and we’re clearing the path for those who are ready to lead and committed to serving this city,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch.
DCAS supports city agencies with hiring and training, manages public buildings, oversees property transactions, purchases over $1 billion in goods and services, runs the greenest municipal fleet in the country, and leads sustainability efforts across city government. For more information about DCAS and the NYPD, visit nyc.gov.
