General Information About Examinations

It is the policy of the Rockland County Department of Personnel to provide for and promote equal opportunity in employment, compensation and other terms of employment without discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, or arrest and/or criminal conviction record, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception. In addition, it is our policy, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide equal employment opportunity to participate in and receive any benefits, services programs and activities. Military personnel or Saturday religious observers who need special testing arrangements must note this on their applications. Persons with disabilities who require special test-taking accommodations also must note their specific needs on their applications.

Civil Service Examinations may be either open to the general public or limited, if indicated, to a promotional field of employees in Rockland County government or in one or more of the Rockland County Civil Service jurisdictions (towns, villages, school districts, and special districts, etc.) See complete list of Local Municipal Agencies/Jurisdictions.

Civil Service examinations test a candidate's qualifications for a particular Civil Service title. If you are interested in taking an examination, click on the examination title and review the examination announcement that provides you with information specific to that examination, including the scheduled exam date, minimum requirements required, salary and location(s) of positions, and last filing dates for participation in the examination.

The Rockland County Department of Personnel continues to strive to improve all aspects of the Civil Service examination process. Towards this end, effective with the September 2015 Examinations, all communications and correspondence (i.e., Eligibility Notice, Admission Notice, Notice of Results, etc.) in regards to civil service examinations will be done through email.

We believe that this approach to communicating with candidates will enable the Rockland County Department of Personnel to expedite the dissemination of information regarding Civil Service examinations to candidates.

Candidates applying for a Civil Service examination beginning in September of 2015 must make sure to enter their email address accurately on their application and if their email has changed, to notify our office immediately.

Please direct any questions you may have regarding this change to the Rockland County Department of Personnel at (845) 364-3737 or email questions to rcexams@co.rockland.ny.us.

It is important to refer to the list of examination announcements (Open Competitive and/or Promotional) regularly for updates. Examinations may be administered in a variety of ways, including written exams, performance exams (e.g., for language or equipment operation proficiency), computerized exams, or evaluations of training and experience.

It is recommended that you print a copy of the examination announcement to which you are applying.

To apply to take a Civil Service examination, you must complete a Rockland County Application for Examination or Employment and file within the announced filing period.

You may apply in one of three ways:
  1. by submitting a signed, hard copy original application (blue application form) available at the Rockland County Department of Personnel;
  2. by completing a type-able PDF "application form", signing it and submitting it by mail or in person to the Rockland County Department of Personnel, or
  3. by applying on-line, the "Apply On-line" link next the appropriate examination announcement.

Examination Fee / Application Submission Information

 A $15.00 non-refundable application filing fee is required for each separately numbered non-uniformed examination for which you apply. A $30.00 non-refundable application filing fee is required for each separately number uniformed examination for which you apply. The fee must be submitted with your application(s) and must be received in the Rockland County Department of Personnel by the Last Filing Date as indicated on the appropriate examination announcement.

If submitting a paper application make check or money order payable to the Rockland County Commissioner of Finance. Write your name, last four digits of your social security number and the examination number(s) on the check of money order. Cash will not be accepted.

Application filing fees are non-refundable. We urge you to compare your qualifications carefully with the minimum qualifications indicated on the examination announcement and file only for those examinations for which you are clearly qualified and intend to take. If you are disqualified from or fail to appear for the examination, your fee is not refunded.

If your application is received without the required fee, your application will be disapproved. Should you wish to appeal the disqualification, you must submit the required fee to the Rockland County Department of Personnel within five (5) business days from the date of the disapproval letter. There is a $15.00 charge for returned checks.

Application filing fee may be waived for those candidates who are unemployed and primarily responsible for the support of a household. In addition, fees may be waived if you are determined eligible for Medicaid, or receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, or Public Assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families/Family Assistance or Safety Net Assistance) or are certified Job Training Partnership Act/Workforce Investment Act eligible through a State or local social service agency. All claims for application filing fee waivers are subject to verification. Candidates interested in this waiver must submit a Request for Application Fee Waiver and Certification form with their application by the Last Filing Date indicated on the appropriate examination announcement. Waiver forms can be obtained by clicking here or from the Rockland County Department of Personnel, 50 Sanatorium Road, Building A, Pomona, NY 10970.

The applicant should make sure to answer all questions in detail and insure that the application is complete in all respects including number and title of the examination. We do not acknowledge receipt of applications but all applicants will be either admitted to the examination applied for or be informed of the reason for disqualification.

If applying by mail, completed applications must be postmarked no later than the last filing date. If applying in person, completed applications must be received in the Department of Personnel no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the Last Filing Date. If applying on-line, completed applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the last filing date.

Applications faxed or emailed to this office will not be accepted.

Examination Cancellations

As the New York State Department of Civil Service schedules examinations on a statewide basis, it is very rare for an examination to be cancelled for any reason.

In case of a weather or other emergency we have established a procedure to have examination delay/cancellation information announced on the following radio stations in the region:
  • WHUD - FM 100.7
  • WLNR - AM 1420 
  • WRCR - AM 1700
The decision whether or not to cancel an examination may not be made until very early on the day of the exam.

The radio stations listed above will broadcast notice of any postponement or cancellation between the hours of 6:00AM and 8:00AM on the day of examination.

We will also post a notification on our home page to notify you only of a cancellation during these hours. In case of adverse weather conditions, candidates should NOT call our office or the school district/exam location.

Directions

Examinations are generally given in the North Rockland Area and alternate examination dates are normally given in our Pomona office.
Below are addresses for each testing location:
  • Willow Grove Middle School 153 Storrs Rd, Thiells, NY 10984
  • Fieldstone Secondary School 100 Fieldstone Dr., Thiells, NY 10984 
  • North Rockland High School 106 Hammond Rd, Thiells, NY 10984 
  • Rockland County Fire Training Center 35 Firemen's Memorial Dr., Pomona, NY 10970 
  • Rockland County Dept. of Personnel 50 Sanatorium Road, Building A, Pomona, NY 10970 
  • Rockland Community College 145 College Rd, Suffern, NY 10901