To get into a Florida police academy, you have to pass a medical examination, a physical fitness test, and a drug screen, and Florida police academy physical requirements are set mostly by the individual academy rather than by the state. Section 943.13 of the Florida Statutes and Florida Administrative Code Rule 11B-35.001 lay the foundation, but each certified training school writes its own fitness program and picks its own passing numbers. The result is a common shape across the state (run, push-ups, sit-ups, or a timed obstacle course) with different thresholds depending on where you train.
The Medical Examination
Every applicant has to pass a physical examination documented on the CJSTC-75 form. A licensed physician, a physician assistant, or a licensed advanced practice registered nurse can perform it.1Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 943.13 – Officers Minimum Qualifications for Employment or Appointment The point is to determine whether any medical or physiological condition would keep you from performing the essential functions of a law enforcement officer.2Florida Department of Law Enforcement. CJSTC-75 Physicians Assessment
The exam covers your cardiovascular system, vision (including color vision), hearing, and any condition that could worsen under the stress of defensive tactics training, firearms use, or chemical agent exposure. Cardiovascular issues draw particular scrutiny because the job involves sudden bursts of intense exertion. Uncontrolled hypertension, a history of heart disease, or reliance on certain medications may be disqualifying, but evaluations are case-by-case.
Vision is evaluated for both corrected and uncorrected acuity. If you wear glasses or contacts, the examiner checks whether your corrected vision meets the standard. Color vision matters because officers need to identify suspects, vehicles, and signals accurately. The CJSTC-75 form has the provider note corrective lenses and record acuity measurements, and the state leaves clinical judgment to the examiner on whether a condition is disqualifying.2Florida Department of Law Enforcement. CJSTC-75 Physicians Assessment
The Physical Fitness Test
Florida Administrative Code Rule 11B-35.001 requires every certified training school to develop its own physical fitness program and submit a copy to the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. There is no single statewide fitness standard with identical numbers at every academy. You take the test twice: once within the first two weeks of the academy, and again within the final two weeks. Both must be completed to graduate.3Legal Information Institute. Florida Administrative Code 11B-35.001 – General Requirements The second attempt is designed to show improvement, so training does not stop when you get in.
Common Fitness Benchmarks
Most Florida academies test three core exercises. A representative floor looks like this:
- 1.5-mile run in 18 minutes or less
- At least 15 push-ups in one minute
- At least 25 sit-ups in one minute
Those numbers reflect a common minimum used at programs like Valencia College’s Criminal Justice Institute, which applies a single standard regardless of gender.4Valencia College. CJI Minimum Fitness Standards Not every program works that way. Some agencies and academies use the Cooper Institute fitness standards, which adjust requirements by age and gender. Under the Cooper model, a male applicant under 30 might need at least 18 push-ups and 30 sit-ups per minute, while a female applicant in the same age range would need at least 8 push-ups and 21 sit-ups per minute. The 1.5-mile run time shifts with demographic group as well.
Train to the hardest standard you can find rather than the easiest. The 18-minute run and 15 push-ups are a bare minimum at many programs, and you are expected to be stronger by the final test.
Obstacle Course Option
Some academies use a timed obstacle course in place of, or alongside, the individual exercises. The Southwest Florida Public Service Academy runs a continuous-flow course with a cutoff of 6 minutes and 4 seconds. It includes:
- Dragging a 150-pound dummy 100 feet across a grass surface
- Climbing over a 40-inch wall
- Jumping hurdles and weaving through pylons
- Crawling under a 27-inch barrier
Knocking over a hurdle or pylon means repeating that portion of the course, which cuts into your time.5Southwest Florida Public Service Academy. Physical Abilities Test Obstacle courses test functional strength and coordination in a way that tracks actual job demands. If your academy uses one, practice the specific components (deadlifts and farmer’s carries for the dummy drag, box jumps for the wall, bear crawls for the low barrier) rather than just logging miles.
Drug Screening
Drug testing is part of the application process and is pass/fail.6Florida Department of Law Enforcement. How to Become a Certified Officer in Florida Individual agencies set their own lookback windows for prior use, and they tend to be strict. Many departments disqualify applicants for any illegal drug use within 36 months of the application date. If you are counting on a past mistake being old enough to overlook, ask the specific agency before you invest time in the process.
A mandatory psychological evaluation is separate from the medical exam and looks at whether any condition would interfere with the responsibilities of carrying a firearm and making split-second decisions under pressure. Agencies treat it as seriously as any other screening step.
How To Prepare
Start with the academy or hiring agency you are targeting and get its written fitness standard in hand. If it uses a single-standard test like Valencia’s, work backward from 15 push-ups, 25 sit-ups, and an 18-minute 1.5-mile run, and build a margin above each. If it uses Cooper standards, find the row for your age and sex and train to the next age bracket up so you have room as you age through the process. If it uses an obstacle course, break the course into its parts and train the movements, not just the run.
Get your medical questions answered before you pay for a screening. If you take a regular medication, wear corrective lenses, or have a cardiovascular history, talk to the provider who will complete your CJSTC-75 about how those factors are treated. And be candid on every form. The background investigation examines your criminal history, driving record, employment history, financial responsibility, and personal references, and investigators are good at spotting inconsistencies. A felony conviction, or a misdemeanor involving perjury or a false statement, is a permanent disqualifier under state law even if the court withheld adjudication.1Online Sunshine. Florida Statutes 943.13 – Officers Minimum Qualifications for Employment or Appointment