Massachusetts police Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain promotional exams

Official information from the Massachusetts Civil Service Unit, last updated by the publisher September 11, 2026.

Application period

June 1 to July 7, 2026

Experience & Education claim period

August 24 to September 21, 2026

Notice to appear

August 31, 2026

Written examination

September 14, 2026

Examination fee

$150

Location

Various sites across the Commonwealth

Score release

TBD on the official page

Eligible list established

TBD on the official page

Eligibility is set by the exam poster for your department and title. The official page states that eligibility for this cycle was reviewed and determined based on the September 14, 2026 examination date.

Every 2026 posting combines some of the following components. The mix and the weights differ by participating department group, so do not assume one structure applies to every department.

• Technical Knowledge: a written component. The reading list announcement states that all examination questions will be based on the listed texts and materials.
• Situational Judgment: a written component that, according to the posters, measures judgment and decision-making, accountability, adaptability, guiding and developing others, leadership, and interpersonal skills including conflict management.
• Experience & Education (E&E): a claim you file online. The notice states that it is a mandatory component and that failing to complete it results in a failing score. Supporting documentation is accepted up to seven calendar days after the original written exam date.
• Assessment Center: included only in some department groups, as the tables below show.

Appeals of the E&E score must be filed within seventeen calendar days from the date the score notice was sent, according to the official page.

Weights below are copied from the official 2026 page. "1YP" means one year of eligibility is required in the eligible title, and "3YP" means three years.

From the 2026 posters, which we checked for every Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain posting. The weights and department lists on the posters match the official exam page.

• You must be an employee of the police department the exam is given for, with permanent civil service status in the specified eligible title by the exam date.
• You must have served in the force at least one year since you were appointed and performed the duties of the eligible title (at least three years on the Sergeant 3YP posting). Temporary and permanent service from a certification can be combined toward that requirement.
• Candidates placed on the resulting eligible list can be certified for a period set by the administrator, not to exceed two years unless Massachusetts General Law Chapter 31, Section 25 or the HRD revocation policy provides otherwise.

The eligible title is Police Officer for Sergeant, Police Sergeant for Lieutenant, and Police Lieutenant for Captain. The Sergeant posting also states that two points are added to the passing score of qualified veterans and disabled veterans, or of individuals with 25 years of service on a regular Massachusetts municipal police force who have passed a promotional exam there, on submission of written proof. Two points is the maximum.

Each rank has its own reading list. The announcements tell candidates to note the edition and date of publication for each item, and say that all chapters, appendices, and glossaries are included unless noted. Chapter and page ranges are listed in the official documents, so we list only the titles here.

The Human Resources Division states that it does not recommend specific retailers or private preparation services. The Civil Service Unit also publishes a candidate preparation guide and an Experience & Education preparation guide, linked from the official exam page.

Open the official 2026 exam page for the reading lists and guides

• An application is complete only after you receive both confirmation emails, one for the application and one for payment.
• HRD sends all notices to candidates by email only.
• There is no right to a makeup exam for personal or professional conflicts. For an emergency or unanticipated hardship, a written request with documentation is due within seven calendar days of the original exam date, and HRD may approve or deny it.
• The processing fee is not refunded unless HRD cancels the exam.
• Reasonable accommodation requests are due no later than four weeks before the exam date.

• Find your department on the poster first, because your weights and components depend on it.
• Build your study plan around the exact edition of each text on the official reading list.
• File your E&E claim early. It is mandatory, and gathering documents takes longer than most candidates expect.
• For situational judgment, practice choosing the response that follows policy, documents the facts, and keeps the chain of command informed.

Our promotional exam study guide covers how promotional exams differ from entry-level tests and includes five original sample questions. They are unofficial and are not drawn from any Massachusetts exam.

Facts on this page about dates, eligibility, and exam components come from the official sources below. We last checked them on October 12, 2026. Exam details change between cycles, so confirm with the administering authority before you act.

• 2026 Statewide Police Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain Exams

  Mass.gov Civil Service · Published March 16, 2026 · Updated September 11, 2026

• 2026 Police Sergeant Reading List

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division · Published March 13, 2026

• 2026 Police Lieutenant Reading List

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division · Published March 13, 2026

• 2026 Police Captain Reading List

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division · Published March 13, 2026

• 2026 Statewide Police Sergeant (1YP) examination poster

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division

• 2026 Statewide Police Lieutenant (1YP) examination poster

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division

• 2026 Statewide Police Captain (1YP) examination poster

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division

• 2026 Statewide Police Sergeant (3YP) examination poster

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division

• Statewide posters for the assessment-center groups (Sergeant 1YP-442, 1YP-451, 1YP-541; Lieutenant 1YP-3232, 1YP-454510, 1YP-442; Captain 1YP-442)

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division

• 2026 Statewide Police Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain E&E Preparation Guide

  Massachusetts Human Resources Division