In general, you can apply for public safety exams, police officer or firefighter, if you are 19 years old as of last date to apply for the exam.
Note: You need to be 21 years old to be appointed as a police officer. Civil Service Law Chapter 31, Section58
Minimum age requirements to take police officer and firefighter exams
No person shall be eligible to take an examination for original appointment to the position of firefighter or police officer in a city or town if the applicant will not have reached 19 years of age on or before the final date for the filing of applications for the examination, as so stated; provided, however, that an applicant who reached 19 years of age while serving on active military duty, who was not 19 on or before the date of an original examination, shall be eligible for any subsequent make up examination that is offered.
No person shall be eligible for original appointment to the position of police officer in a city or town until that person has reached the age of 21.
Maximum Age Requirements
Some municipalities have an upper age limit of cannot be 32 years old as of the last date to file an application. Civil Service Law Chapter 31, Section 58
Some municipalities have an upper age limit of 32 years old, as of the last date to file an application for an exam, to become a police officer or firefighter. Civil Service Law Chapter 31, Section 58
Other municipalities have no upper age limit for new hires for police officers and firefighters because they had accepted other earlier legislation. Please contact the municipality in which you are interested in working to determine that community's age restrictions.
You should also take this information into account as you decide on the communities in which you wish to work.
An Act Relative to the Maximum Age Requirement for Police Officers for the City Of Boston
Boston has accepted the provisions of Chapter 43 of the Acts of 2007 of the Massachusetts General Laws, and only accepts police officer candidates who have not reached their fortieth birthday as of the date of the exam.