You Make
the Difference

• Possess a High School Diploma or equivalent/GED.
• Be legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law. (Applicants may be in the process of obtaining legal authorization upon application, but will need to show proof of legal authorization to work in the US under federal law before being accepted into the Academy)
• Age 20-35 (Applicants must be 35 on the final filing date of the examination cycle to which they are applying)
• No felony convictions.

Possession of a valid Class C driver license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles is required. Applicants who do not possess a license will be admitted to the examination but must secure the license prior to appointment.

Expect the entire hiring process, from the date of initial application to academy appointment, to last approximately 6-9 months. This is the general timeline and individual cases may vary considerably.

The CHP uses an online application system where prospective applicants can apply at https://recruitment.chp.ca.gov/NewApplication.

Applicants who are unable to attend the scheduled Physical Abilities Test (PAT) should notify their Division recruiter. Your name may be taken off the recruiter’s list; however, there is no way to remove you from the system. Applicants who do not attend the scheduled Physical Abilities Test (PAT), will be marked as a no show (this does not affect an applicant negatively through the remainder of the process). Your name will be removed from the exam cycle approximately 30 days after the written test. At that point, you may reapply.

According to the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST)—the organization that writes and grades the test—you can only take the written exam once every 30 days regardless of the agency you take it with.The above rule can be accessed at: https://post.ca.gov/LE-Entry-Level-Test-Battery-Applicant-FAQs

Applicants must pass all components of the PAT to continue to the next phase of testing, the Written Exam. To successfully pass the PAT, applicants must complete the following components.

• 19 Push-Ups in a minute
• 25 Sit-Ups in a minute
• Complete a 1.5 mile run in 15 minutes or less
• Complete a 300 meter run in 70 seconds or less

Failure to complete any component of the PAT will result in automatic disqualification and will end the applicants hiring process. Applicants will be able to reapply in the next exam cycle.

You may specify any region to take the written test and will be scheduled accordingly. Be prepared to test in the same geographical location for the physical ability test and written test. If you choose to test in an area other than the one you live in, and you are successful at the written portion, your background will take much longer than if you tested in your home division.

During the period between weeks 19 and 21 before graduation, cadets receive a “Dream Sheet”; a list of CHP Area offices that have openings (not all offices have openings) for new officers. Cadets list their choices of locations by order of personal preference. The lists are then returned to headquarters for processing. The following information shows how the cadet’s first duty assignment is determined/prioritized:

1. The needs of the department.
2. Hardship. The hardship must have occurred after appointment to the academy.
3. Residency. This is for cadets who reside within 70 miles of the command they chose. Residency must be established before the start of Academy training. Each cadet claiming this criteria must provide a photocopy of two types of proof of residency from the following categories; current utility bill, deed of trust. rental agreement, vehicle records(i.e., registration or lease), insurance document, or California Driver License.
4. Academy Scores. A merit-based assignment system has been developed utilizing an average of scores obtained through standardized Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) testing. The scores utilized will be calculated on dates determined by HRS and will not reflect the overall score at Graduation. The scoring criteria are as follows:
   (a) Average of Post Academic tests. (Weighted 60 percent.)
   (b) Average of Post Physical Agility test. (Weighted 20 percent.)
   (c) Average of Post Weapons score (Firearms). (Weighted 20 percent.)

There are no guarantees that you will be assigned to a location in the city nearest your residence or family
members.

Most of the department’s vacancies are in metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay area, and the San Joaquin Valley, or the desert areas. Nearly all officers begin their careers in one of those locations. After one year on the job, you may transfer to another area pending vacancy and seniority.