Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to become a police officer in Florida
- Certifying body
- Florida Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC), staffed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
- Certification
- Law Enforcement Officer Certification (CJSTC)
- Minimum age
- 19 for law enforcement (and correctional probation) officers; 18 for correctional officers (Fla. Stat. §943.13(1)).
- Education
- High school graduate or its equivalent (GED) as defined by Commission rule (Fla. Stat. §943.13(3)).
- Citizenship
- U.S. citizen (Fla. Stat. §943.13(2)).
- Disqualifiers
- Any felony conviction, or a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement. A guilty or nolo contendere plea after July 1, 1981 disqualifies even if adjudication was withheld or the sentence suspended. Dishonorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces (Fla. Stat. §943.13(4)). Good moral character required, determined by background investigation (Fla. Stat. §943.13(7); F.A.C. 11B-27.0011). Fingerprint check (§943.13(5)), physician exam (§943.13(6)) and drug test apply.
- Basic academy
- Florida Basic Recruit Training Program: Law Enforcement (Version 2025.07), ATMS program #2010, 770 hours, at a Commission-certified training school (F.A.C. 11B-35.002; FDLE Active Courses Master List). Applicants must first pass the Basic Abilities Test (BAT); veterans and holders of an associate degree or higher are exempt (Fla. Stat. §943.17(1)(g); F.A.C. 11B-35.0011).
- State exam
- State Officer Certification Examination (SOCE), 3 attempts (Fla. Stat. §943.13(10), §943.1397; F.A.C. 11B-30.0062).
- Time to certify
- Within 4 years of starting the Basic Recruit Training Program, the candidate must complete it, pass the SOCE, and be employed and certified, or else repeat training (F.A.C. 11B-35.002(6)). Temporary employment before certification is allowed under limited conditions (Fla. Stat. §943.131(1)).
- Officers from other states
- Equivalency of Training (EOT) exemption from basic recruit training. Eligible: officers who completed a comparable basic course in another state, federal service or a prior Florida course, and served at least 1 year full-time as a sworn officer with no more than an 8-year break. Special operations forces veterans with 5 years' service also qualify. Within 1 year of the exemption the candidate must complete any required training, show proficiency in high-liability areas and pass the SOCE (Fla. Stat. §943.131(2); F.A.C. 11B-35.009).
- Continuing training
- 40 hours every 4 years (Fla. Stat. §943.135; F.A.C. 11B-27.00212(1)), including mandated topics such as use-of-force, scenario-based firearms and human trafficking (4 hours). Firearms qualification is reported every 2 years (F.A.C. 11B-27.00212(14)).
Correctional officers (18+, 445-hour BRTP) and correctional probation officers have separate certifications under the same Commission. Florida Highway Patrol troopers and deputy sheriffs are certified law enforcement officers under these rules. The BAT is a cognitive entrance test; a physician exam is required (§943.13(6)); agencies and academies set their own fitness tests. Driver's license is not a statewide statutory requirement (agency-level).
Source: State POST commissions and legislatures, State peace officer standards: statutes, administrative rules and POST commission pages. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Pay in Florida, all employers Sourced
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in Florida, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | FL |
|---|---|
| Workers | 43,630 |
| 10th percentile | $51,330 |
| Median | $74,470 |
| 90th percentile | $98,190 |
| National median, government employers | $76,300 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pension in Florida
Local employees: Local police and firefighters
| Plan | Accrual | Normal retirement | Employee pays | Social Security |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Retirement System - Special Risk Class (Pension Plan or Investment Plan) Special Risk, initially enrolled on or after July 1, 2011 | 3% | age 55 once vested in Special Risk service (8 years) | 3% | Covered |
The statewide plan a new hire usually joins. Some cities and counties run their own plans; check with the employer. Each plan's formula, vesting, cost-of-living adjustment and retiree health are on the Florida pension plans list.
Source: State retirement systems, Official state retirement system pages, member handbooks and statutes. Data captured October 2, 2026.
Employers in Florida
301 police departments in Florida.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime Data Explorer — law-enforcement agencies by state (API). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Free practice tests for Florida
Criminal Justice Basic Abilities Test (Florida CJBAT)Florida exam · free on Open Exam Prep- IPMA-HR / PSHRA Entry-Level Police Officer Test (PO-EL)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Law Enforcement Aptitude Battery (LEAB)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI-3)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- National Police Officer Selection Test (POST)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- NTN FrontLine National - Law Enforcement ExamPractice for a named exam · free on Open Exam Prep
- Police Aptitude and Character Test (PACT)Entrance or licensing exam · free on Open Exam Prep
Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Police Officer page.
Police Officer in other states
More government jobs in Florida
Florida government jobs · Florida public pension plans · police officer standards in Florida · exam practice in Florida