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N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.10 Conduct and security of examinations

N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.10, Conduct and security of examinations. The Civil Service Commission shall insure that all applicants for an examination are given equal opportunity to demonstrate their relative merit and fitness Full text with 3 recorded amendments, 18 citing decisions.

Selection and Appointment · Competitive Examinations

Current through New Jersey Register, Vol. 58 No. 14, July 20, 2026. Reviewed as of July 26, 2026.

This is an annotated mirror, not the official publication. Verify against the Civil Service Commission before relying on it.

In plain language

Bringing a cellphone into the building is a prohibited action, not merely into the test room, and work-issued phones count, as does any type of electronic recording or imaging device. The rest of the prohibited list covers unauthorised persons securing questions or materials, unauthorised persons securing information about the number or identity of applicants before all parts are held and a list issued, identifying an applicant's papers or work where anonymity is required, impersonating an applicant or improperly exchanging applicant numbers, using or attempting to use unauthorised aids, information or assistance including copying from or helping another applicant, participating where that would likely result in physical injury or property damage, and copying, recording or transcribing any question or answer or removing any related material from the examination room. The consequence is stated plainly: disqualification from that examination, possible rejection from future examinations, and punishment as provided by law. Confidentiality of the records themselves is at 4A:4-2.16.

Written by the NJ Civil Service Navigator editorial team from the text of N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.10. It is a description of the rule, not the rule itself, and not legal advice.

(a) The Civil Service Commission shall insure that all applicants for an examination are given equal opportunity to demonstrate their relative merit and fitness. #

(b) In the conduct or administration of an examination, the following shall be considered prohibited actions: #

1. Bringing cellphones (including work-issued phones), smart phones, and/or any type of electronic recording/imaging device into the building where the examination is being conducted; #

2. Securing, by unauthorized persons, of questions or materials, unless the same are available to all applicants; #

3. Securing, by unauthorized persons, of information concerning the number or identity of applicants until all parts of the examination have been held and a resulting eligible list issued; #

4. Identification of an applicant's examination papers or work before all examinations have been rated, where anonymity is required; #

5. Impersonation of an applicant, either in person or by the improper exchange of applicant numbers or in any other manner; #

6. Use or attempted use of any unauthorized aids, information or assistance, including copying or attempting to copy from, or helping or attempting to help another applicant in any part of an examination or performance of work assigned; #

7. A candidate's participation in an examination if it would likely result in physical injury to the candidate or others, or damage to property; or #

8. Copying, recording or transcribing any examination question or answer, and/or the removal from any examination room of any question sheet, answer sheet, scrap paper, notes or other papers or materials related to the content of an examination. #

(c) Anyone participating in a prohibited action under (b) above shall be disqualified from the examination and may be rejected from future examinations and subject to punishment as provided by law. #

(d) See N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.16 on confidentiality of examination records. #

Amendment history

Rule numbers, effective dates and New Jersey Register citations as published. 3 recorded changes.

  1. AmendedR.2017 d.142
    49 N.J.R. 492(a); 49 N.J.R. 2239(a)
  2. AmendedR.1993 d.270
    25 N.J.R. 1085(b); 25 N.J.R. 2509(a)
  3. date not statedAdministrative correction
    42 N.J.R. 1515(a)

How this rule has been applied

18 decisions have cited N.J.A.C. 4A:4-2.10. The list below is citations to those decisions, not the decisions. We have not written summaries for this section. A citation with no summary is deliberate: we do not paraphrase a decision we have not read. Nothing here is legal advice.

New Jersey Supreme Court (1)
  • In the Matter of Police Sergeant (PM3776V) City of Paterson176 N.J. 49; 819 A.2d 1173
Appellate Division (1)
  • Rox v. Dept. of Civil Service141 N.J.Super. 463; 358 A.2d 819
Civil Service Commission final determinations (14)
Office of Administrative Law initial decisions (2)
  • In re Linda Tisby, Camden Cnty. Corr. Facility
  • In re GialanellaDocket CSV 5772-07

Commission decisions citing 4A:4-2.10

6 decisions of the Civil Service Commission since January 16, 2019 cite this section (denied 5, granted 1, as the minutes record the outcome). The newest:

All 6 decisions

This rule points to

Elsewhere in Competitive Examinations