Florida 911 Telecommunicator (PST) Exam and Certification

Florida requires anyone employed as a 911 public safety telecommunicator (PST) at a public safety answering point to be certified by the Florida Department of Health. Getting certified means completing an approved training program of at least 232 hours, applying to the Department, and passing a state exam delivered by Prometric. This guide covers who needs certification, the trainee window, the exam process, and renewal, using Florida Statute 401.465 and the Department of Health's own material.

The state exam is separate from the test that gets you hired. Florida agencies still screen applicants with their own pre-employment skills test first; see what is on the 911 dispatcher test for that part.

Florida PST certification at a glance

Question	Answer
Who certifies	Florida Department of Health, 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Program
Who needs it	Anyone employed as a 911 public safety telecommunicator at a PSAP
Training	A Department-approved program of at least 232 hours
Working before certification	Up to 12 months as a trainee, under direct supervision of a certified PST and enrolled in a training program
Application	Form DH 5066 with documentation and a $50 certification fee
Exam	Delivered by Prometric after the Department approves you to test; $75 per attempt
Format and passing score	Per the Department's 2015 candidate booklet: 100 scored multiple-choice questions in 2 hours; 80% to pass
Renewal	Certifications expire February 1 of each odd year; 20 hours of renewal training; $50
CPR	Telecommunicators who handle medical calls need telecommunicator CPR training every 2 years

Who needs Florida 911 PST certification

Florida Statute 401.465 defines a 911 public safety telecommunicator as a public safety dispatcher or 911 operator whose duties include answering, receiving, transferring and dispatching functions related to 911 calls; dispatching law enforcement, fire rescue, emergency medical and other public safety services; providing real-time information from crime databases; or supervising people who do. Administrative support staff, such as accounting, purchasing, legal and personnel, are excluded. Since October 1, 2012, anyone employed in that role at a public safety answering point must be certified by the Department.

Two groups have different routes. People employed as telecommunicators or state-certified firefighters before April 1, 2012 can become certified by passing the exam, which waives the training program. And a sworn state-certified law enforcement officer who acts as a telecommunicator only occasionally, when selected by their chief executive, can have the certification requirement waived by passing the exam; an officer who fails it must complete a training program before retaking it.

The trainee window

You do not have to be certified on your first day. Under the statute, an agency may employ a 911 PST trainee for up to 12 months, as long as the trainee works under the direct supervision of a certified telecommunicator and is enrolled in a public safety telecommunication training program. In practice that means your training, exam and certification need to fit inside that year.

Requirements for certification

The statute lists what the Department must require:

1. Completion of an appropriate 911 public safety telecommunication training program.
2. A statement under oath that you are not addicted to alcohol or any controlled substance.
3. A statement under oath that you are free from any physical or mental defect or disease that might impair your ability to do the job.
4. The application fee.
5. A completed application showing you meet the first three requirements.
6. Passing a Department-approved exam that measures competency in the training program's subject matter.

The training program must be one the Department determines is equivalent to the Department of Education's public safety telecommunication curriculum framework, and it must be at least 232 hours.

The Florida 911 PST exam

Applying and booking

The Department's process runs in a fixed order. You submit Form DH 5066 with your documentation (for most people, the certificate from a Department-approved training program) and the $50 certification fee. After the Department sends you an approval-to-test email, you register for the exam with Prometric and pay the $75 exam fee directly to Prometric. The fee applies to each attempt.

Format

The most detailed official description of the exam is the Department's candidate information booklet, which is dated September 2015. Treat these details as a guide and confirm them with the Department or Prometric when you book. According to that booklet:

• The exam is computer-based and has 100 scored multiple-choice questions, with 2 hours to complete it.
• A 15-minute tutorial with sample questions comes first and does not count against your time.
• It may include a small number of unscored pilot questions, which are not identified.
• You can move back and forth between questions and review your answers while time remains.
• You need 80% or better to pass, and a preliminary result appears on screen at the end.
• You should arrive at least 30 minutes early with an accepted photo ID; late arrivals are not admitted, and notes, reference materials and phones are not allowed in the room.

What to study

The exam measures competency in the subject matter of the training program. The Department's page points candidates to the Florida Department of Education's Public Safety Telecommunication curriculum framework and to a PST study guide available through Prometric. Your training program is built on that same framework, so your course materials are the core of your preparation.

If you do not pass

You must re-apply to the Department for approval to retest, using its re-exam application, and pay the exam fee again for the new attempt. The 2015 booklet also describes an optional post-exam review of the questions you missed, for a $50 fee, and says you must wait at least 30 days after a review before retesting. No primary source we found sets a maximum number of attempts, so ask the Department if that matters to your timeline — and remember the 12-month trainee limit.

Renewal and CPR

• Expiration. The Department says all PST certifications expire February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
• Renewal training. 20 hours of renewal training based on the Department of Education's curriculum framework, submitted with Form DH 5068 and a $50 renewal fee.
• Telecommunicator CPR. Under the statute, telecommunicators who answer calls and dispatch for emergency medical conditions must complete telecommunicator CPR training every 2 years.
• Inactive status. A certificate that is not renewed goes inactive and can be reactivated for up to 6 years; after 6 years inactive it expires.

Florida's wider requirements sit on our Florida dispatcher requirements page. For how the hiring process before all this works, see how to become a 911 dispatcher.

A note on what we do: DispatchDrills drills are built for the pre-employment skills test Florida agencies use when hiring, not for the state PST exam, which tests training content. For the hiring test, start with free practice.

Sources

• Florida Statutes, §401.465, 911 public safety telecommunicator certification (2026)
• Florida Department of Health, 911 Public Safety Telecommunicator Program
• Florida Department of Health and Prometric, 911 PST Examination Candidate Information Booklet (effective September 2015)

Rules and fees change. Confirm current requirements with the Florida Department of Health before relying on them. DispatchDrills is an independent practice provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Florida Department of Health, Prometric or any Florida agency.

Common questions

Do you need to be certified to be a 911 dispatcher in Florida?

Yes. Anyone employed as a 911 public safety telecommunicator at a public safety answering point must be certified by the Florida Department of Health. Agencies can employ a trainee for up to 12 months while they train under supervision.

How many hours is the Florida 911 telecommunicator training program?

At least 232 hours, in a program the Department of Health approves as equivalent to the Department of Education's curriculum framework.

How much does the Florida 911 PST exam cost?

The exam fee is $75 per attempt, paid to Prometric. The initial certification application fee is $50, and renewal is $50.

What is the passing score for the Florida 911 PST exam?

The Department's candidate information booklet, dated 2015, says you need 80% or better on 100 scored multiple-choice questions. Confirm the current format when you book.

What happens if I fail the Florida PST exam?

You re-apply to the Department of Health for approval to retest and pay the exam fee again. Keep the 12-month trainee limit in mind when you plan a retake.

How often do Florida telecommunicators renew?

Certifications expire February 1 of each odd-numbered year. Renewal requires 20 hours of training and a $50 fee, and telecommunicators who handle medical calls must also complete telecommunicator CPR every 2 years.

Is the Florida PST exam the same as the dispatcher hiring test?

No. Agencies use their own pre-employment tests to decide whom to hire. The state exam comes afterward and tests what you learned in the training program.