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While Title 53, Chapter 21, Subchapter D (Act 120) permits the Commission to grant training waivers to police officers from other states, on July 7, 2022, the Commission voted to develop an accelerated basic training course for certain experienced law enforcement officers, who will complete Act 120 training in the accelerated course rather than being granted waivers or attending portions of the full-length (919-hour) course.  Officers who have qualifying law enforcement service or training will take an assessment test to determine their eligibility to attend the accelerated course.  Officers who complete the accelerated basic training course will be required to successfully pass the state certification examination before they can be certified as municipal police officers.  

The current waiver assessment process will continue until the accelerated basic training course and revised assessment test are completed (estimated 2023).  Please review the current process (and requirements) below.  Information about the accelerated course will be posted here as it becomes available.

The current waiver assessment test consists of 200 multiple choice questions, scored as three sections corresponding to the first three modules of the basic municipal police training program.  To pass each section of the assessment test, the applicant must obtain a score of at least 72% in that section.  Applicants who pass all sections of the assessment test will be granted a full waiver and permitted to take the certification exam without additional training.  Applicants who fail to obtain a 72% in any section will be required to attend the corresponding module at a certified Pennsylvania municipal police academy prior to being permitted to take the certification exam. While there is no specific study guide for the assessment test, officers may refer to the documents listed below.


Out-of-state officers may apply for assessment testing using the existing application process in TACS by creating a "Certification Exam Application" and selecting a test date listed as "Partial Waiver Assessment Test".  In the application, the applicant should provide the following three documents as PDF documents.  The labels of the required document fields in the application may not exactly match the ones listed below but the documents must be included to be considered.

  1. The completed and signed Application Form named "Applicant Name - Application".  Please ensure that your document contains all requested information before you submit it.
  2. A single document named "Applicant Name - Certificates" containing copies of certificates for the law enforcement training courses you listed on the application form.
  3. A single document named "Applicant Name - Employment" containing documentation supporting your full-time employment as a law enforcement officer.

Out-of-state officers will not be permitted to take the MPO Certification Exam until they have either successfully passed all the sections of the assessment test or have completed any required training at a certified police academy.  The results of the assessment test will be valid for up to two years, during which the applicant must enroll in an academy and complete the required training.  Applicants who do not complete the required training within two years of the assessment test will be required to take the assessment test again.  Applicants are not permitted to take the assessment test more than once in any 2-year timeframe.