Selection Process | SCDPS
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South Carolina Department of Public Safety

Selection Process

STEP 2: Required Documents and Employment Process

Once you have submitted an application at careers.sc.gov, and met all requirements, you will be sent an e-mail detailing the next steps in the employment process.

Required Documents

It is recommended that you start gathering the items below, and have them ready to be submitted, to make the selection process more efficient:

  1. Copy of high school diploma or GED certificate
  2. Certified copy of college transcripts (if applicable)
  3. Copy of DD214 if you have served in the military
  4. Copy of birth certificate or naturalization certificate (if applicable)
  5. Copy of your South Carolina driver's license
  6. If you are an out-of-state applicant with a driver's license from a different state, you will need to submit a certified copy of your driver's license for that state and any other state you have held a license in with in the past 5 years.

Employment Process

Applicants must participate in the following:

  • Physical Ability Test (PAT) (Start physically preparing for this NOW, BE READY.)
  • Written Examination (If you pass the PAT test, you will take the written test the same day and undergo an informative employment orientation.)
  • Polygraph Examination
  • Background Investigation
  • Interview
  • Medical and Psychological Testing

Hiring Process Timeline and Rejection Criteria

Hiring cycles generally coincide with the next available SCHP Patrol/Criminal Justice Academy (CJA) classes.  If you are not selected you may generally be able to re-apply within six months of your rejection letter, unless your rejection was based on one of the following factors:

  1. ANY falsification of application discovered during process: Applicants will be ineligible to re-apply for 2 years from date on rejection letter.
  2. Two (2) Physical Agility Test (PAT) failures within a twelve (12) month period: Applicants will be ineligible to re-apply for 1 year from date on rejection letter.
  3. Two (2) Written Examination test failures within a twelve (12) month period: Applicants will be ineligible to re-apply for 1 year from date on rejection letter.
  4. Non-selection by the Oral Interview Board: Applicants who fail to get the minimum required score during their interview will be ineligible to re-apply for 1 year from date on rejection letter.

The employment process to become a State Trooper is one of the most rigorous and challenging employment processes in law enforcement. It all begins with your online State Application, it is the root of the process and all of the remaining steps that follow will be based from it. Meticulous attention to detail, accuracy, and honesty will ensure you move forward in this process.  

If you have any questions prior to filling out your State Application online, please contact the SCHP Recruiter through e-mail at: schprecruiter@scdps.gov.

« RETURN TO STEP 1 of the application process