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PELLETB score needed, by California police department, 2026
The minimum written test T-score that 39 of the largest California police and sheriff departments print on their own hiring page or job posting. The PELLETB is the entry-level written test from California POST. A T-score of 50 is average.
Most common minimum PELLETB T-score, 17 of 39 departments
42
Printed minimums run from 42 to 51. 7 of the 39 give a different test and take a PELLETB score in its place.
Minimum PELLETB T-score, by department
Dark bars: the score to pass the department's written test step. Gray bars: the department gives a different test, and this PELLETB score lets you skip it.
Read from each department's own page or official job posting on Nov 15, 2026, and each source opened a second time. Some figures come from the most recent posting, which may be closed. This is the minimum only. Departments rank candidates, so a higher score still helps. A department that is not listed may still use the test. San Mateo Police prints a preferred T-score of 52, not a minimum, so it is not in the chart (official page).
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Each department, with the official page
Alameda County Sheriff
Minimum T-score 42. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: Scores should be dated no more than one year ago.. Test: PELLETB or NTN FrontLine Official page
Anaheim Police
Minimum T-score 51. Required test. Score good for: within 365 days of application. Official page
Bakersfield Police
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: A passing score (of 42) is valid for 12 months.. Official page
Beverly Hills Police
Minimum T-score 50. Exempts you from the NTN test. Score good for: within the last 12 months. Test: NTN FrontLine. A PELLETB score can exempt you. Official page
Chino Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required test. Score good for: earned within the past 12 months. Official page
Citrus Heights Police
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: within one (1) year of application. Official page
Contra Costa County Sheriff
Minimum T-score 44. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: within the last 12 months. Test: PELLETB or NTN FrontLine Official page
Corona Police
Minimum T-score 42. Waives the city's own test. Score good for: within the last 3 years of the application date. Test: City's own online written exam (108 questions). A PELLETB score or a degree can waive it. Official page
Costa Mesa Police
Minimum T-score 45. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: within one (1) year of the application date. Test: NTN FrontLine or PELLETB Official page
Downey Police
Minimum T-score 42. Waives the city's own test. Score good for: WITHING ONE (1) YEAR OF DATE OF APPLICATION. Test: City's own written exam (100-item multiple choice). A PELLETB score can waive it. Official page
Elk Grove Police
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: within one year from the date of application. Official page
Fairfield Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required with the application. Score good for: within 12 months prior to the application date. Official page
Folsom Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required test. Score good for: within one (1) year from the application closing date. Official page
Fontana Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required test. Score good for: within the past year from the date of application. Official page
Kern County Sheriff
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: less than 2 (two) years old as of the date of this application. Official page
Los Angeles Police
Minimum T-score 42. Waives the city's own test. Test: City of Los Angeles multiple-choice test (own exam). A PELLETB or NTN FrontLine score can waive it. Official page
Modesto Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required test. Score good for: within 12 months from application. Official page
Oakland Police
Minimum T-score 45. One of two ways to meet the written test. Test: NTN FrontLine or PELLETB Official page
Ontario Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required test. Score good for: within 365 days of the application. Official page
Orange Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required test. Score good for: within 12 months of the date of the upcoming City of Orange physical ability testing date. Official page
Petaluma Police
Minimum T-score 42. Minimum qualification. Official page
Redding Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required test. Score good for: Certificates over two years old will not be accepted.. Official page
Redlands Police
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: within the last twelve (12) months. Official page
Rialto Police
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: within 365 days of the application. Official page
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: within one (1) year of the application date. Official page
Sacramento Police
Minimum T-score 45. Exempts you from the city's own test. Score good for: within two years of the final filing date. Test: City of Sacramento Entry Level Law Enforcement Exam (own online exam, not the PELLETB). A PELLETB score can exempt you. Official page
San Bernardino Police
Minimum T-score 42. Waives the city's own test. Score good for: within the last 6 months of date of application. Test: City's own online written exam. A PELLETB score or a degree can waive it. Official page
San Francisco Police
Minimum T-score 42. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: within the last two years. Test: NTN FrontLine or PELLETB (applicant's choice) Official page
San Jose Police
Minimum T-score 50. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: Results valid for three years.. Test: PELLETB or NTN FrontLine (applicant's choice) Official page
Santa Ana Police
Minimum T-score 46. Accepted in place of the NTN test. Score good for: within 1 year of application. Test: NTN FrontLine. A PELLETB score from another agency is accepted in its place. Official page
Santa Barbara Police
Minimum T-score 45. One of two ways to meet the written test. Test: NTN exam or PELLETB Official page
Santa Clara Police
Minimum T-score 50. Required with the application. Score good for: All certificates should be dated no more than one year ago.. Test: PELLETB or NTN FrontLine Official page
Santa Cruz County Sheriff
Minimum T-score 46. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: valid within 12 months. Test: PELLETB or NTN FrontLine Official page
Santa Rosa Police
Minimum T-score 42. Required test. Score good for: within one year prior to application. Official page
Stockton Police
Minimum T-score 45. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: within 12 months of the date of submitting this application. Test: PELLETB or NTN Official page
Vacaville Police
Minimum T-score 45. Required with the application. Score good for: within 12 months prior to application submittal. Official page
Ventura County Sheriff
Minimum T-score 42. One of three ways to meet the written test. Score good for: within one year of the date of application. Test: One of three: NTN FrontLine, the CPS HR Entry-Level Law Enforcement Examination, or a prior PELLETB score Official page
Ventura Police
Minimum T-score 42. One of two ways to meet the written test. Score good for: within one year of application submittal. Test: PELLETB or NTN FrontLine Official page
Departments that name a written test and print no minimum score
No written test score could be read on an official page for: Buena Park Police, Clovis Police, Fresno Police, Hanford Police, Imperial County Sheriff, Madera Police, Tulare County Sheriff.
What California POST says about the score
What a T-score is
A T-score is a standardized score that places your performance on the test into a distribution (bell-shaped curve) with a midpoint (average) of 50 and a standard deviation of 10.
Retaking the test
Yes, however, before you can retest, you must wait for a period of 30 calendar days before taking the exam again. You may retake the exam a minimum of 31 days after your most recent test administration. If you retest within 30 days either with the same or a different department/agency, your test results will be invalidated.
How long a score lasts
A score on the POST test has no shelf life; therefore, a candidate may submit the department letter from the previous administration to the prospective employer. Individual departments, however, have the discretion to establish their own acceptable time frames for the shelf life of a reading and writing test.
What PELLETB score do I need to be a police officer in California?
It depends on the department. Of 39 large California departments that print a minimum on their own page, 17 ask for a T-score of 42. The lowest printed minimum is 42 and the highest is 51. California POST, which writes the test, leaves the minimum to each department.
What is a good PELLETB score?
California POST says: "A T-score is a standardized score that places your performance on the test into a distribution (bell-shaped curve) with a midpoint (average) of 50 and a standard deviation of 10." It also says: "Research shows that the likelihood of successful academy completion increases for every point above 42 you score."
How soon can I retake the PELLETB?
California POST says: "Yes, however, before you can retest, you must wait for a period of 30 calendar days before taking the exam again. You may retake the exam a minimum of 31 days after your most recent test administration."