When is the next New Jersey civil service exam?
By NJ Civil Service Navigator Editorial Team · Updated October 24, 2026
New Jersey publishes no fixed civil service exam calendar. Here is the Civil Service Commission's open competitive announcement list, re-read weekly with closing dates, plus how exams are announced and which titles run on cycles.
The most common question people ask about New Jersey civil service exams is the one with the least satisfying answer: when is the next one? New Jersey does not publish a fixed annual exam calendar. There is no single date when "the civil service exam" is held, because there is no single exam.
Instead, exams are announced title by title, on a rolling basis, when the Civil Service Commission or a jurisdiction needs a fresh eligible list. This page explains how that actually works, which titles run on predictable cycles, and carries the Commission's current open competitive list, read from the Commission's own page and linked row by row, so "what is open right now" has an answer with dates on it.
When is the next New Jersey firefighter exam?
The most recent open competitive Fire Fighter announcement (M9999H) closed on August 31, 2026. The exam runs on a cycle, and the next announcement will appear on the Civil Service Commission's firefighter titles page; this site does not predict the date. No Fire Fighter announcement was on the Commission's open competitive list when we last read it on October 24, 2026. When one is posted, it will appear in the calendar below.
For who can apply, the age and residency rules and the physical test, see the firefighter exam guide. For the whole path from application to appointment, read how to become a firefighter in New Jersey.
Announcements on the Commission's open competitive list
As of October 24, 2026, no announcement on the Commission's open competitive list was still accepting applications. October 2026's batch, posted October 1, 2026, held 136 open competitive and 308 promotional examinations and closed October 21, 2026. The Commission posts each new batch on the 1st of the month, so the next is due on or about November 1, 2026. The list is re-read weekly; a closed announcement stays below so the cycle is visible.
This page also keeps the announcements the Commission has taken down. An open competitive announcement comes off the list once it closes, a promotional one after about three weeks, and neither is ever republished, so for a closed examination there is no official page left to read. We hold 596 such announcements, read from the Commission's own lists since September 21, 2026: 283 open competitive and 313 promotional. Each one appears on its job specification page with the date it closed and the Commission's own symbol, which is what to quote when asking about a past examination. None of them can be filed for.
Each month's batch
The Commission posts open competitive and promotional announcements on the 1st and they close about three weeks later. We keep every batch we have read, so a month stays on record after the Commission takes it down.
| Month | Posted | Closed | Open competitive | Promotional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | October 1, 2026 | October 21, 2026 | 13612 State, 124 local | 308123 State, 185 local |
| September 2026 | September 1, 2026 | September 21, 2026 | 14312 State, 131 local | not read while posted |
Read from the Civil Service Commission's open competitive announcement list on October 24, 2026, one request, no interpretation: every date and jurisdiction is the Commission's, and each row links to its announcement. A title links to its job specification only when the announcement names it exactly under the same jurisdiction; 0 of 0 rows did not and are listed without a link rather than guessed. Promotional announcements, which require permanent status, are on a separate CSC list, read on the same schedule and shown below.
Promotional announcements
A promotional examination is a separate announcement from the open competitive ones above, and it produces its own eligible list. Each one is scoped more narrowly than the employer. A local announcement names a department and a State one names a unit scope, which is a division, bureau or office rather than the whole department, and only people who already hold permanent status in a qualifying title within that named unit may file. Working somewhere else for the same employer does not qualify you, and one employer often runs several announcements in the same month across different units. Filing without eligibility means an ineligible determination and no refund of the fee, so read the scope on the row and then the announcement itself, which is the authority on who may file.
The Commission posts these on the 1st of each month and leaves them up for about three weeks, so the list is empty for part of every month by design. Nothing was posted when this site last checked, on October 24, 2026, across all 246 department and county lists. The next batch is due on the 1st.
Read from the Commission's promotional announcement lists, all 246 of them, on October 24, 2026. Each row links to the announcement it came from.
New Jersey does not publish a fixed exam calendar
There is no yearly schedule to look up. Each competitive title has its own examination, and an exam for that title is announced when a list is needed, not on a set date. Some titles are announced every year or two; others go years between announcements, or are only opened when a specific jurisdiction requests a list. That is why searching for a "2026 civil service exam schedule" turns up no official calendar. One does not exist.
How to find the exams that are open right now
The authoritative source for what is currently open is the Civil Service Commission's own job announcements. Each announcement lists the exact application window, the fee, and the minimum qualifications. The calendar below is that list, re-read weekly, with each row linked to the announcement it came from and to the job specification it examines for; the announcement itself is what you file against. Check it directly too, because application windows are short and the Commission does not extend them.
You can browse the NJ Civil Service Commission jobs site for current announcements. To understand a specific title before an exam is announced, search this site for it: the job specification tells you whether the title is competitive (exam-required) and what the exam will be built around.
The titles that do run on known cycles
A few high-volume public safety titles are announced on recognizable cycles rather than one at a time:
- Firefighter. The entry-level Fire Fighter exam is announced periodically and statewide. The most recent open competitive Fire Fighter announcement (M9999H) closed on August 31, 2026. The exam runs on a cycle, and the next announcement will appear on the Civil Service Commission's firefighter titles page; this site does not predict the date. See the firefighter exam guide.
- Law enforcement. Entry-level police, correctional police, and parole officer titles are tested through the Law Enforcement Examination on a cycle. See the law enforcement exam guide.
- Supervisory and management batteries. The Supervisory and Management Test Batteries cover dozens of titles and are administered on an ongoing basis. See the test preparation guide.
Why the closing date is the date that matters
When an exam is announced, the date to circle is the closing date, not the test date. Your eligibility is fixed as of the closing date: you must meet every requirement, and your residency and age are locked in, on that day. The written test itself is scheduled later, and the Commission tells candidates when it is by email. A passing score then places you on an eligible list that lasts about three years. For how lists work after you pass, see the eligibility lists guide, and for the full path from announcement to appointment, the hiring process guide.
How to find and track NJ civil service exams
Check the CSC job announcements (10 min)
The Civil Service Commission job announcements are the only authoritative source for what is currently open. Check them directly rather than relying on any third-party calendar.
Look up your title on this site (15 min)
Search for the title you want. The job specification tells you whether it is competitive (exam-required) and what the exam is built around, so you can prepare before an announcement appears.
Watch the titles that run on cycles (10 min)
Firefighter and entry-level law enforcement exams are announced on recognizable cycles. If that is your path, follow the firefighter and law enforcement guides for the current windows.
Apply before the closing date (1 to 2 hrs)
Application windows are short and are not extended. Everything must be submitted by the closing date, and your residency and age are fixed as of that date.
Track your eligible list (Ongoing)
After you pass, monitor your standing. Eligible lists last about three years, and your rank climbs as candidates above you are appointed or removed.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next civil service exam in New Jersey?
New Jersey does not publish a fixed annual exam calendar. Exams are announced title by title, on a rolling basis, when a fresh eligible list is needed. Check the Civil Service Commission job announcements for what is currently open.
Is there a 2026 NJ civil service exam schedule?
No single published calendar exists. A few high-volume titles run on recognizable cycles, such as firefighter and entry-level law enforcement, but most exams are announced only when a jurisdiction needs a list.
How often are New Jersey civil service exams held?
It varies by title. Some titles are announced every year or two; others go years between announcements or are opened only when a specific jurisdiction requests a list.
How will I know when the exam for my title is announced?
Monitor the Civil Service Commission job announcements and keep your contact email current. The Commission increasingly uses email to notify candidates about testing, so check spam and junk folders too.
When is the next firefighter exam in New Jersey?
The most recent open competitive Fire Fighter announcement (M9999H) closed on August 31, 2026. The exam runs on a cycle, and the next announcement will appear on the Civil Service Commission's firefighter titles page; this site does not predict the date. The firefighter exam guide covers the requirements, residency rules, and physical test.
How long do I have to apply once an exam is announced?
Application windows are short and are not extended. The announcement lists the exact closing date, and everything must be submitted online by that deadline, so filing early is the safe move.
Related: How the civil service exam works · Firefighter exam · Law enforcement exam · Eligibility lists