US Federal (OPM) Typing Test
United States Federal Government — OPM Clerical Typing Assessment (GS-3 to GS-7)
Federal government typing requirement for GS-300 series clerical positions. 40 WPM minimum in 5 minutes. General administrative and government correspondence vocabulary.
Practice Tests
US Federal Clerical Typing Requirements (OPM) Explained
The US Office of Personnel Management sets government-wide qualification standards for clerical and administrative support positions in the GS-300 occupational group. For positions with typing duties — clerk-typist, office automation clerk and assistant, and many secretary roles — the standard requires 40 words per minute, and some agencies specify 40 WPM with no more than a small number of errors on a 5-minute sample. Agencies verify the skill through a proctored test, a self-certification subject to later verification, or an assessment attached to the USAJOBS announcement.
Federal typing tests use formal correspondence and administrative prose — memoranda, policy language, proper nouns, and dates — which types differently than casual text. The practice passages here mirror that register so your tested speed reflects what the assessment will actually measure.
If you are building a federal application, practice to a stable 45+ net WPM: the 40 WPM standard is a floor, competitive candidates clear it with room to spare, and a recent typing certificate documenting your speed is a useful artifact for self-certification announcements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What typing speed does the federal government require?
OPM qualification standards require 40 words per minute for clerk-typist, office automation, and similar GS-300 series positions with typing duties. Individual announcements state the requirement and how it is verified — proctored test or self-certification.
How do federal agencies verify typing speed?
Three common ways: a proctored typing test administered during hiring, an online assessment linked from the USAJOBS announcement, or self-certification on the application subject to verification before appointment. A recent typing certificate helps document self-certified speed.
What is a 5-minute typing sample?
The standard federal format: you type continuously from a printed or displayed passage for 5 minutes, and the score is net WPM with an error limit. Five minutes tests endurance as well as speed, which is why short 1-minute scores overstate what you will score on the real assessment.
Which federal jobs require typing tests?
Positions classified with typing or office automation duties in the GS-300 group: clerk-typist, office automation clerk/assistant, secretary, and many administrative support roles. The job announcement on USAJOBS states the requirement explicitly in the qualifications section.