You must be at least 21 years of age on the date of appointment (the day you are hired and begin academy training). You must also be appointed before your 40th birthday.

NOTE: Even though you may not be hired until you turn 21, you may still take the written exam if you are at least 20 years old.

You must have a valid Illinois driver license with a residence address within the City of Chicago and Illinois FOID card by the first day of the academy. To apply for a FOID card, visit https://www.ispfsb.com/

NOTE: If you have an out-of-state driver license, you may still take the exam and complete the other components of the pre-employment process.

To be hired as a Chicago Police Officer, you must be either:
– A U.S. citizen, OR
– a lawful permanent resident (green card holder)

NOTE: Although HB3751 was recently signed into law, and may provide a pathway in the future for certain non-citizens with work authorization to be employed as police officers, this law does not take effect until January 1st, 2024. Currently, to become a Chicago Police Officer, you must be either a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). Further guidance will be forthcoming regarding HB3751 and how it may affect future eligibility for the position of Police Officer with the Chicago Police Department.

To meet the education or job experience requirement, you must have:
– 60 semester hours from an accredited college or university, OR:
– 30 semester hours and 1 year of continuous active duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces

The education requirement is waived if you have job experience in certain fields:

2 Years:
– An active duty member of the U.S. Armed Forces
– Peace officer

3 Years:
– Correctional officer
– Detention officer
– Licensed professional security or private security contractor
– Professional in a trade industry
-A social service, health care service, or education professional