Submit Your Application Online

Apply for an Examination Online  

You can apply for most Civil Service examinations online. Follow these steps to apply online:

• Read the examination announcement carefully
• If you do not already have one, create a personal NY.Gov ID
• Unless you qualify for a fee waiver, submit the application fee - information about fee waivers and application processing fees is listed below
• Submit your examination application before the deadline listed in the announcement

Application Processing Fee  

Most open competitive examinations require a non-refundable application processing fee. When applying for an examination online, application processing fees must be paid by credit card. Only Visa and MasterCard are accepted. You will be asked to verify the billing address and credit card security code during the transaction. Please be aware that billing addresses outside the continental United States cannot be verified by our current system. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Postponed Examinations: If you are a candidate who applied for a New York State civil service examination that was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and no longer wish to participate in the re-announced examination, you may email the Fee Unit to request a credit for a future examination.

Important: Please be advised that the application processing fee is non-refundable and that it will not be refunded under any circumstance. Past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email the Fee Unit regarding inquiries about any past due application processing fees. If you decide you no longer want to take an examination you applied for, or if your application for an examination is disapproved, the application processing fee payment will not be returned to you in full or partial form. Fees also cannot be transferred to or counted toward another examination application.

Application Fee Waiver  

There are some instances in which a fee can be waived. You may be eligible for a fee waiver if any of the following circumstances apply to you and appropriate documentation is provided with your application:

• You are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. On the examination application, select the option, "I am unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household."
• You are eligible for Medicaid, receiving Supplemental Social Security payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a state or local social service agency. On the examination application, choose the option, "I am receiving public assistance."
• You are a New York State CSEA-represented employee applying for an open-competitive examination. On the examination application, choose the option, "I am applying for an OPEN-COMPETITIVE examination and my fee is paid by my union because I am a New York State employee represented by CSEA in Negotiating Units 02, 03, 04 or 47." (State employees represented by PEF are required to pay the Application Processing Fee.)
• You are a Veteran discharged under honorable conditions from the Armed Forces of the United States or New York State applying for an open-competitive examination. On the examination application, choose the option, "I am applying for an OPEN-COMPETITIVE examination and I am a Veteran."

All fee waiver requests are subject to verification. Failure to submit appropriate documentation may be grounds for barring or rescinding an appointment.

Admission to Examination  

Applications are reviewed prior to the date of the examination. You will be advised if your application is considered incomplete or if more information is required. If your application is disapproved, you will receive a justification. If your examination involves a written test, an admission notice will be mailed to the address you provided on the application. If you do not receive an admission notice three days before the date of the written test, please email us at admissionnotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number. In certain instances, candidates may be admitted to the test pending a full review of their application. If you are admitted to the examination and take the test but your application is later disapproved, you will not receive a test score.

Place of Examination  

The location of your examination is indicated on the examination announcement. Unless the announcement states otherwise, written tests are held in the following locations. You will be assigned to the closest available location based on your zip code.

• Albany
• Amsterdam
• Binghamton
• Buffalo
• Fredonia
• Hicksville
• Hornell
• Kingston
• Middletown
• New York City (Bronx)
• New York City (Manhattan)
• Nyack
• Plattsburgh
• Poughkeepsie
• Rochester
• Saranac Lake
• Saratoga
• Selden
• Syracuse
• Troy
• Utica
• Watertown

Note: Oral tests are held in Albany.

Contact Us  

• Email: OcAppsMail@cs.ny.gov











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