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Key Facts: NYS Trooper Exam

150

Multiple-Choice Questions

NYSP entrance exam announcement

2 hours

Total Test Time

NYSP entrance exam announcement

Ranked

Eligibility List (no fixed cutoff)

NYSP recruitment process

$64

Total Fees ($20 application + $44 testing)

NYSP / Pearson VUE

Pearson VUE

CBT Test Provider

NYSP recruitment site

20-43

Age Window to Apply (appointed before 44)

NY Civil Service Law s.58 (2025 amendment)

The NYSP entrance exam is 150 items in two separately timed sections: 65 cognitive-ability items (1 hr 40 min) across 12 abilities including memorization, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, reasoning, and spatial orientation, plus 85 personality-attribute items (20 min). It measures no job knowledge, there is no penalty for guessing, and scores place candidates on a ranked eligibility list (veteran credits add 5 or 10 points). Fees: $20 application plus $44 Pearson VUE testing fee. Apply at 20-43 with a HS/equivalency diploma; appointment requires 30 college credits or qualifying military/police training.

Sample NYS Trooper Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the NYS Trooper exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 200+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Study this description once: "A person wearing a red cap, gray coat, and black shoes left a white sedan and walked east toward a grocery store." Without rereading the description, in which direction did the person walk?
A.North
B.South
C.East
D.West
Explanation: The description states that the person walked east toward the grocery store.
2Study this description once: "A silver sport-utility vehicle with plate FXR-8821 stopped beside a stone wall at 7:35 a.m." Without rereading the description, what color was the vehicle?
A.Black
B.White
C.Silver
D.Blue
Explanation: The vehicle is described as silver.
3Study this description once: "A red pickup truck bearing commercial plate 88412-CB was parked in the north lot beside a yellow van." Without rereading the description, what type of plate was on the pickup truck?
A.Passenger
B.Commercial
C.Livery
D.Vanity
Explanation: The description explicitly identifies 88412-CB as a commercial plate.
4Study this description once: "The person wore a gray jersey and dark jeans and had a dragon tattoo on the right forearm." Without rereading the description, which distinctive feature was reported?
A.A scar on the chin
B.A star tattoo on the left hand
C.A dragon tattoo on the right forearm
D.A bandage on the left wrist
Explanation: The description reports a dragon tattoo on the right forearm.
5Study this description once: "A black Subaru Outback with plate JKR-7755 was in the median. Its driver wore a green jacket." Without rereading the description, what was the vehicle make?
A.Toyota
B.Subaru
C.Hyundai
D.Honda
Explanation: The vehicle is identified as a Subaru Outback.
6Study this description once: "At 6:45 p.m., a blue delivery van with plate TQH-6194 stopped beside Gate 3. The driver wore an orange vest." Without rereading the description, what was the plate?
A.TQH-6194
B.TQH-6914
C.THQ-6194
D.TQK-6194
Explanation: The plate in the description is TQH-6194.
7Study this description once: "A dark-blue sedan had damage to its left rear bumper and a plate ending in 92." Without rereading the description, which part of the vehicle was damaged?
A.Left front bumper
B.Right front bumper
C.Left rear bumper
D.Right rear bumper
Explanation: The description locates the damage on the left rear bumper.
8Study this description once: "Person 1 wore a blue coat and black cap. Person 2 wore a red jacket and gray scarf. Person 3 wore a green sweater and brown hat." Without rereading the description, who wore the red jacket?
A.Person 1
B.Person 2
C.Person 3
D.No person listed
Explanation: Person 2 is described as wearing the red jacket.
9Study this list once: "Avery: 5 feet 8 inches; Blake: 6 feet 1 inch; Casey: 5 feet 11 inches; Drew: 5 feet 9 inches." Without rereading the list, who was tallest?
A.Blake
B.Casey
C.Drew
D.Avery
Explanation: Blake is listed at 6 feet 1 inch, the greatest height.
10Study this sequence once: "The three packages were labeled KLM-4421, RPS-7118, and TVN-3056, in that order." Without rereading the sequence, what was the first label?
A.KLM-4421
B.KML-4412
C.RPS-7118
D.TVN-3056
Explanation: KLM-4421 appears first in the stated sequence.

About the NYS Trooper Exam

The New York State Trooper Entrance Exam is the entry-level selection test administered by the New York State Police through Pearson VUE testing centers. The computer-based exam consists of 150 multiple-choice items completed in 2 hours and produces a ranked eligibility list used by the NYSP for each recruitment cycle. The test plan covers memory and observation, written comprehension, information ordering, spatial orientation, pattern recognition, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning.

Exam sponsor: New York State Police; computer-based testing by Pearson VUE. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

150 questions

Time Limit

2 hours (separately timed: 100 min cognitive, 20 min personality)

Passing Score

Not published by the New York State Police (scores rank candidates on an eligibility list; veteran credits of 5 or 10 points are added to a passing score)

Exam / Certification Fees

$20 application + $44 Pearson VUE testing fee

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. NYSP does not publish a single first-time pass rate; the exam ranks candidates rather than applying a fixed pass/fail cutoff. Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

10 of 65 items

Memorization

Study photographs for six minutes, then answer from memory with no look-back - the heaviest-weighted single ability

5 items each

Reading and Writing

Reading comprehension passages and summary-selection writing items in multiple-choice form

5 items each

Grammar and Vocabulary

Standard English usage and word meaning - no law-enforcement knowledge required

5 items each

Deductive and Inductive Reasoning

Applying general rules to cases and inferring rules from examples

5 items each

Ordering and Pattern Recognition

Sequencing information and recognizing visual or logical patterns

5 items each

Visualization, Spatial Orientation, and Flexibility of Closure

Generic street-map navigation and picking objects out of cluttered backgrounds - not NYSP troop geography

85 items / 20 min

Personality Attributes

Work-related attitudes and judgment on a five-point scale plus forced-choice items; inconsistent answering patterns are flagged

Preparing for the NYS Trooper Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Not published by the New York State Police (scores rank candidates on an eligibility list; veteran credits of 5 or 10 points are added to a passing score)
  • Exam length: 150 questions
  • Time limit: 2 hours (separately timed: 100 min cognitive, 20 min personality)
  • Exam / certification fees: $20 application + $44 Pearson VUE testing fee Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 200 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

NYS Trooper: Suggested Study Strategy

1Drill memory and observation under short timed exposure: read a scene for 60 seconds, then answer recall questions without looking back.
2Sequence arrest, traffic-stop, DWI investigation, and crash investigation steps until correct ordering becomes automatic.
3When tackling problem-sensitivity items, identify the most actionable cue (e.g., furtive movement + incongruous clothing) rather than the most colorful detail.
4For inductive items, choose the conclusion best supported by the listed facts — not the broadest possible claim.
5For deductive items, restate the rule's required elements and check each one against the fact pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NYS Trooper Entrance Exam?

The NYS Trooper Entrance Exam is the entry-level selection test administered by the New York State Police through Pearson VUE testing centers. It is a 2-hour, 150-question multiple-choice computer-based exam that places candidates on a ranked eligibility list rather than applying a fixed pass/fail cutoff.

How long is the NYS Trooper exam and how many questions does it have?

The exam is 2 hours long and contains 150 multiple-choice questions. Candidates take it at Pearson VUE testing centers using a computer-based testing format.

What score do I need to pass the NYS Trooper Entrance Exam?

There is no fixed cutoff. The NYSP places all candidates on a ranked eligibility list and hires from the top of the list each cycle, so a competitive score relative to other candidates matters more than reaching a single passing percentage.

Does the NYS Trooper Entrance Exam cost anything?

Fees are a $20 application fee plus a $44 Pearson VUE testing fee for the entrance exam during NYSP recruitment cycles. Candidates are responsible for their own travel and lodging to the Pearson VUE testing site.

What topics does the NYS Trooper exam cover?

The exam tests memory and observation, written comprehension (NY Penal Law, Vehicle and Traffic Law, and NYSP procedural passages), information ordering, spatial orientation across NYSP troop areas and the state highway system, pattern recognition, inductive reasoning, and deductive reasoning.

How do I schedule the NYS Trooper Entrance Exam?

Candidates apply during an open NYSP recruitment cycle through joinstatepolice.ny.gov, then schedule the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center once the New York State Police authorizes the testing window.

How is the NYS Trooper exam scored?

The exam is scored by Pearson VUE and produces a numerical score used to place each candidate on a ranked eligibility list. The NYSP then draws from the top of the list for the next academy class; there is no single passing percentage.

How do I retake the NYS Trooper exam if my score is not competitive?

The NYSP does not allow open retesting between recruitment cycles. Candidates whose scores are not competitive must wait for the next announced entrance exam cycle and reapply through the joinstatepolice.ny.gov recruitment process.