Typing Certification Requirements

A typing certification is required when applicants apply for State civil service clerical positions such as Office Assistant (Typing) and Office Technician (Typing). The specific typing requirement will be noted in the Class Specification.

State departments will honor typing certificates issued within the last four years, and certified from a five (5) minute typing test that meets the CalHR requirements, with a minimum of 40 WPM (words per minute).

Acceptable Certificates

The California Department of Human Resources has approved certificates from the following entities:

    1. Any State Agency/Department (the Agency/Department that you are applying to may also give you a typing test)
    2. The Employment Development Department’s (EDD) One-Stop Career Centers may offer free typing tests.  For a location near you, visit EDD’s website at http://www.edd.ca.gov/Jobs_and_Training/pubs/osfile.pdf .
    3. Business schools or colleges
    4. Adult Education Centers
    5. Skills and Business Education Centers.

Unacceptable Certificates

Typing certificates issued by the Internet or Employment Agencies, and Typing Certificates issued for a typing test under five (5) minutes are not acceptable.

For additional information regarding the typing test locations and requirements, please call the CalHR Exam Services Unit
at (866) 844-8671.