Apply for the Partial Waiver Assessment Test for Law Enforcement Officers Transferring from Out of State

Out-of-state transfers

Out-of-state police officers transferring to Pennsylvania can apply to take an assessment test to determine what areas of training may be waived and what areas must be attended at a certified PA police academy.  

The assessment test

The current waiver assessment test consists of 200 multiple-choice questions, scored in three sections corresponding to the first three modules of the basic municipal police training program.  More information about the test can be found in the Assessment Testing Protocols document. 

• MPOETC Assessment Test Study Guide (NEW 2025 edition)
• Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure (Title 234)
• Pennsylvania Crimes Code (Title 18)
• Pennsylvania Vehicle Code (Title 75)
• Constitution of the United States of America 
  

Out-of-state police officers may apply for assessment testing using the existing application process in TACS by creating a Partial Waiver Assessment Test Application under My Profile. In the application, the applicant should provide the following three documents as PDFs (using the applicant's own name in place of "Applicant Name"):

1. The completed and signed Application Form named "Applicant Name - Application".  Please ensure that your document contains all requested information before you submit it.
2. A single document named "Applicant Name - Certificates" containing copies of certificates for the law enforcement training courses you listed on the application form.
3. A single document named "Applicant Name - Employment" containing documentation supporting your full-time employment as a law enforcement officer.
   

The results of the assessment test will be valid for up to two years, during which the applicant must enroll in an academy and complete the required training. Applicants who do not complete the required training within two years of the assessment test will be required to take the assessment test again. Applicants are not permitted to take the assessment test more than once in any two-year timeframe.

Study guide and additional resources

The Commission staff has produced a study guide (NEW 2025 edition) for individuals planning to take the Assessment exam.