911 Dispatcher Typing Test: WPM Needed and How to Practice

Most 911 dispatcher jobs ask for a typing speed of 35 to 40 words per minute, and the number is almost always net WPM, which means errors are subtracted. The California Highway Patrol, San Francisco's Department of Emergency Management and the Arizona Department of Public Safety all set the bar at 40 WPM, while the New Mexico Department of Public Safety asks for 35. Many agencies also test typing inside a larger computer exam, often CritiCall, where you type while listening, reading or doing a second task. This guide covers what real agencies require, how the tests work and how to practice so you pass with room to spare.

What typing speed do 911 dispatchers need?

There is no national standard. Each agency, county or state sets its own minimum, and the figure is printed in the job posting or exam bulletin. In published requirements the minimum usually sits between 35 and 40 WPM, and a few dispatch-related postings go higher. Here are examples from official agency pages:

Treat these as examples, not a rule for your area. Requirements change, and two centers in the same state can ask for different numbers, so read the posting for the job you want.

If you want a wider view of how 35 to 40 WPM compares with other jobs, see typing speed for jobs. For how it compares with the general population, see average typing speed.

What does net WPM mean on a dispatcher test?

Net WPM is your typing speed after errors are taken off. Gross (or raw) WPM counts everything you typed, mistakes included. If you type 45 WPM gross with frequent errors, your net score can drop below a 40 WPM cutoff even though your fingers were moving fast enough.

Accuracy matters this much because a wrong digit in an address can send help to the wrong place. Our guide on how WPM is calculated explains the difference between net and raw WPM in more detail.

As a practical target, aim for five or more WPM above the posted minimum with 95% accuracy or higher. Nerves, an unfamiliar keyboard and harder text all pull your score down on the day.

What is the CritiCall typing test?

CritiCall is pre-employment testing software made by Biddle Consulting Group and used by many emergency communications centers. According to its publisher, the software includes more than 20 tests, and each agency picks only the ones that fit its positions. The typing-related parts commonly include:

• Keyboarding. You retype written paragraphs, and the score is reported in words per minute. This is the closest thing to a standard typing test.
• Data entry. You read information such as names, phone numbers or license plates and enter it accurately. Speed and accuracy are both scored.
• Audio data entry and multitasking. Some agencies add modules where you type information you hear, or type while making decisions or handling another task at the same time.

The agency, not the software publisher, decides which modules you take and what score counts as a pass. CritiCall's own FAQ says there is no official practice test for applicants, because the software is only available to emergency response agencies and verified private dispatch companies. You can still prepare for the skills it measures, which is what the rest of this guide covers.

Do you need a typing certificate to apply?

Some agencies want proof of typing speed before they look at your application, and others test you themselves. The California Highway Patrol asks for an official typing certificate that meets the 40 WPM net standard, and California's state typing certificates must come from a test that is five minutes long and proctored. Arizona DPS asks for a certificate with the application.

The posting will say what counts. Look for three details:

1. Who can issue it. Some agencies accept a certificate from any testing service. Others need one from a specific provider, a state agency or a proctored setting.
2. Test length. Five minutes is common for government typing certificates.
3. How old it can be. Certificates often have an expiry period, so check the date rule.

You can take a 5 minute typing test here and download a free typing certificate with your name, WPM, accuracy and date. It is a useful record of your progress and works where an agency accepts self-taken online results. Where a posting asks for a proctored or agency-issued certificate, use the provider the posting names.

How do you practice for a 911 dispatcher typing test?

Dispatch typing tests reward steady, accurate typing under pressure more than bursts of speed. A plan that works for most people:

1. Measure where you are. Take the 3 minute typing test and the 5 minute test a few times and note your net WPM and accuracy. One good run is luck; your average is your real level.
2. Fix accuracy first. If accuracy is below 95%, slow down until it climbs back. How to improve typing accuracy has drills for this.
3. Practice numbers and capitals. Addresses, phone numbers, unit numbers and license plates are full of digits and capital letters. Work through Course 5: Numbers & Symbols in the typing lessons, and read how to type numbers faster.
4. Stop looking at the keys. In a real call you need your eyes on the screen and your attention on the caller. If you still glance down, how to stop looking at the keyboard will help.
5. Practice typing what you hear. For audio modules, have someone read short messages with names and numbers aloud while you type them. Our Listen and Type game is built for kids and English learners, but it is a gentle way to get used to hearing a word and typing it right away.
6. Add pressure. The Typing Challenge speeds up every 30 seconds, which is good practice for keeping accuracy when you feel rushed.
7. Use harder text. Practice on Medium or Hard text so punctuation and longer words do not surprise you on test day.

If you are far below the cutoff, the 30-day typing practice plan for adults gives a structure to follow.

What to do on test day

• Warm up. Type for two or three minutes first. Cold hands make more mistakes.
• Check your setup. For a remote test, run every key through the keyboard tester beforehand.
• Keep a steady rhythm. On a net-scored test, one careful word beats three rushed ones with errors.
• Reset between modules. CritiCall-style exams run several tasks in a row. Take a breath before each one.

Frequently asked questions

Is 40 WPM enough to be a 911 dispatcher?

For the typing part, 40 net WPM meets the posted minimum at many agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, San Francisco and Arizona DPS. Typing is only one step, though. You will usually also face other test modules, an interview, a background check and a hearing test.

Can I retake the dispatcher typing test?

It depends on the agency. San Francisco lets candidates who fail only typing, with a net score of 35 to 39 WPM, retake it within 72 hours. Other agencies set longer waiting periods. The exam bulletin states the rule.

Is there a free CritiCall practice test?

Not an official one. The publisher says CritiCall is only available to emergency response agencies and verified dispatch companies. You can practice the underlying skills with timed typing tests, number drills and typing from audio.

Do dispatchers need to type numbers fast?

Yes. Addresses, callback numbers, license plates and unit numbers come up on almost every call, and data entry modules test them directly. Practice the number row until you can type digits without looking.

Sources

• California Highway Patrol. Minimum Requirements – Public Safety Dispatcher.
• City and County of San Francisco. Work at San Francisco 911.
• San Francisco Careers. Public Safety Communications Dispatcher – Department of Emergency Management (8238).
• Arizona Department of Public Safety. Become a Dispatcher.
• New Mexico Department of Public Safety. Become a Dispatcher.
• CritiCall (Biddle Consulting Group). CritiCall and the Dispatcher Applicant: F.A.Q. and Dispatcher Skills Testing.
• CalCareers. Typing Certification.