Where do I go to take the Exam?

The CSC uses examination centers throughout the State. These centers have been chosen for both their suitability as test sits and their location near transportation routes. You will receive a written notice 2-3 weeks prior to the test date which will tell you when and where your test will be administered. You must bring your notice with you to the test center.

URGENT NOTICE: You are not permitted to have a cell phone within the Test Center. If you are found to have a cell phone, you will be disqualified from the testing process.

Sample Notice

What to Bring to the Test Center?

Bring your written notice, three No.2 pencils, a photo ID, and other items shown on your notice under "Special Instructions". Calculators are optional unless the "Special Instructions" on your notice say otherwise.

Valid Forms of Photo ID include

• Driver's License
• Employee ID
• Student ID
• County ID
• Bank credit card with photo
• Passport
• Welfare card or other Government ID

CSC Assessment Methods

For a more detailed explanation of the types of assessment methods utilized by the Civil Service Commission, click here.

Arrival Times/Late Policy

According to N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.8

• Examinations may be scheduled for one or more sessions on a Statewide, regional or local basis.
• Candidates will be notified in an appropriate manner of the time and place of the examination, and of any postponement or cancellation.
• Candidates shall be at the examination site at the designated time. Candidates arriving late shall only be admitted as follows:
  1. Unless the examination notice states otherwise, candidates for written or computer-based examinations or examinations containing written and performance parts shall be admitted to the examination if they arrive at the test room within 15 minutes after the designated time.
  2. Candidates for oral examinations or examinations containing oral and performance parts shall be admitted to the examination if they arrive at the test room within 30 minutes after the designated time, provided the last scheduled candidate has not started the examination.
• A candidate who arrives late and is admitted to the examination shall receive the full allotted time to complete the examination.
• Jurisdictions operating under Title 11A, New Jersey Statutes, shall furnish sufficient facilities for the conduct of examinations when requested by the Chairperson or designee.

Directions to Examination Centers

Make-Up Examinations

As per N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.9 regarding make-up examinations:

• Make-up examinations for open competitive and general promotional testing, except for professional level engineering promotional examinations and public safety promotional examinations under (b) below, may be authorized for the following reasons:
  1. Error by the Civil Service Commission or appointing authority;
  2. Serious illness or disability of the candidate on the test date, provided the candidate submits a doctor's certificate specifying that the candidate was not able to take the test on that day for medical reasons;
  3. Documented serious illness or death in the candidate's immediate family;
  4. Natural disaster;
  5. Prior vacation or travel plans outside of New Jersey or any continguous state, which cannot be reasonably changed, as evidenced by a sworn statement and relevant documentation;
  6. When required for certain persons returning from military service (see N.J.A.C. 4A:4-4.6A); and
  7. Other valid reasons.
• For professional level engineering, police, fire, correction officer, correctional police officer, sheriff's officer, juvenile detention officer, and other public safety promotional examinations, make-up examinations may be authorized only in cases of:
  1. Debilitating injury or illness requiring an extended convalescent period, provided the candidate submits a doctor's certification containing a diagnosis and a statement clearly showing that the candidate's physical condition precluded his or her participation in the examination;
  2. Death in the candidate's immediate family as evidenced by a copy of the death certificate;
  3. A candidate's wedding which cannot be reasonably changed as evidenced by relevant documentation;
  4. When required for certain persons returning from military service (see N.J.A.C. 4A:4-4.6A); or
  5. Error by the Civil Service Commission or appointing authority.
• Subject to applicable provisions in N.J.A.C. 4A:4-4.6A, employees returning from military leave shall have an opportunity to take promotional examinations that have not yet been administered, or make-up examinations for active promotional lists for which they were eligible while on military leave. If the eligible passes the examination, his or her name will be placed on the eligible list, for prospective appointment only, based upon the score obtained, as if the examination had been taken when originally held, except that in the case of certain persons returning from military service, applicable provisions of N.J.A.C 4A:4-4.6A shall govern placement on an eligible list.
• Employees who have been removed for disciplinary reasons or indefinitely suspended pending criminal charges, and are thereafter exonerated of all charges, shall have an opportunity to take promotional examinations that have not yet been administered, or make-up examinations for active promotional lists, if the suspension or removal resulted in the employee's non-participation in the promotional examination.
• Except as provided in N.J.A.C. 4A:4-4.6A, a candidate must request, in writing, a make-up examination, within five days after the examination date due to one of the valid reasons set forth in (a) or (b) above, as applicable. However, a candidate must submit a written request for a make-up examination within five days of receipt of the examination notice in case one of the valid reasons set forth in (a) or (b) above, as applicable, of which a candidate is aware upon receipt of the examination notice, except that the candidate shall follow the procedures set forth in N.J.A.C. 4A:4-4.6A, where applicable.
• Make-up examinations will be administered to the extent possible under the same conditions as the original examination but, in the case of public safety examinations under (b) above, shall be different in content from the original examination.
• The name of any candidate passing a make-up examination will be added to the eligible list. Except for error by the Civil Service Commission or appointing authority, prior appointments from the eligible list will not be affected by the addition of a name to the list.
• All candidates taking a make-up examination, except a physical performance examination, shall, as a precondition to taking the make-up examination, be required to sign a statement that they have no knowledge of the content of the examination as a result of information gained from or furnished by other candidates who participated in the original examination, or third parties, provided that:
  1. In the case of open competitive and promotional public safety examinations referred to in (b) above, candidates shall sign an additional statement accepting the make-up examination as a substitute for the original examination, provided, however, that signing this statement shall not preclude the candidate from challenging the validity of the make-up examination's items, the scoring of the make-up, or the make-up test conditions. See N.J.A.C. 4A:4-6.3 and 6.4.
• In extraordinary circumstances, such as an examination that requires a multiple assessment of a candidate which results in a group consensus rating by a panel of experts, a make-up examination shall not be held. In such cases, candidates will be so notified at least 45 days prior to the date of the examination. The only exceptions will be documented error on the part of the Civil Service Commission or appointing authority, in which case a make-up may be granted if practicable, or where N.J.A.C. 4A:4-4.6A applies in the case of certain persons returning from military service.

Mailing Address for Make-Up Requests

Make-Up Unit
New Jersey Civil Service Commission
P.O. Box 310
Trenton, NJ 08625-0310

or

FAX: 609-984-1064

Examination Postponements

Exams may be postponed for various reasons, especially due to bad weather.  Please check the CSC main website at Civil Service Commission (nj.gov) for any information regarding examinations.

Another option is to call the CSC at (609) 292-4144; if examinations are postponed, that will be the first message you'll hear.  If there is no message about exams being postponed, report to the Examination Center at your scheduled time.