New York City Civil Service: Exam Fee Waivers for Veterans and Their Spouses

The Department of Citywide Administrative Services runs the City's civil service exams. Veterans. A veteran may have the exam application fee waived on any exam for appointment or promotion with the City, with no limit on the number. At the time of filing the veteran must be a United States citizen or permanent resident, honorably discharged or released under honorable conditions from the armed forces, including the National Guard when called into federal service, after full-time active duty other than for training. Someone still on active duty does not qualify. Send the DD-214 (long form), a VA statement of service, or deployment orders with the OASys application receipt, through OASys Contact Us or by mail to DCAS, One Centre Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Attention: Application Processing Unit. The waiver cannot be applied to an exam already applied for. Spouses. Since November 10, 2022, the spouse or domestic partner of such a veteran gets a one-time waiver for any single exam, with the veteran's DD-214 and proof of the marriage or partnership. Fees ran from $40 to $101 when this was announced. Credits. The 5 and 10 point veterans' credits are the State's (see the New York entry on civil service credits) and are a separate request: claim them on the application, or in writing before the eligible list is established, never after. DCAS asks that the candidate be a New York resident and a citizen or permanent resident by the date of appointment, and for the disabled veteran credit a rating of at least 10% at the time the list is set. A fee waiver does not claim the credits, and having used the credits does not stop a fee waiver. Missed an exam while serving. A service member who missed an exam or an appointment because of military duty may be able to take a make-up or be placed on a special military list; ask DCAS through OASys.