Eligibility – JoinCPD

Eligibility & Requirements

To be hired as a Chicago Police Officer, you must meet the below qualifications by the date you are appointed (the date you begin academy training).

Be at least 21 years of age and under the age of 40

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.

Have a valid Illinois driver license and FOID card

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.

Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident

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.

Have no indebtedness to the City of Chicago

You must not owe any debts to the City of Chicago, such as unpaid parking/red light/speeding tickets or unpaid city utility bills. To search for and pay tickets or boot fees issued to you, or to enter into a payment agreement, visit the City’s Citation Administration page. To check your utility billing account, visit the City’s Utility Billing & Customer Service page.

Meet the education OR job experience requirement

To meet the education or job experience requirement, you must have:
– 60 semester hours (90 quarter hours) from an accredited college or university (Documentation Required), OR:
– 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) and 1 continuous year of active duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces (Documentation Required)

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

2 Years:
– Served two (2) consecutive years (24 months) on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States and received an Honorable Discharge (Documentation Required)
– 2 years full-time employment as a peace officer

3 Years (within the last 4 years):
– Full-time employment as a correctional officer
– Full-time employment as a detention officer
– Full-time employment as a licensed professional security or private security contractor
– Full-time employment in the professional trade industry
– Full-time employment providing paraprofessional work experience to the public or community in one of the following fields: social services, health care services, and/or education