United States Drug Enforcement Administration

To be eligible to apply, you need to meet the following criterion:

• Must be 21 years old, and no older than 36 years old at the time of appointment
• Hold U.S. citizenship
• Possess a valid U.S. driver's license
• Be willing to relocate anywhere in the U.S.
• Able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance
• Be in excellent physical condition
• Be willing and able to carry and handle firearms

*You must be at least 21 years of age and not older than 36 at the time of appointment. In accordance with Public Law 100-238, this position is covered under law enforcement retirement provisions; therefore, you must be appointed before reaching your 37th birthday unless you are a preference eligible veteran OR presently serve or have previously served in a Federal civilian law enforcement retirement-covered position (after subtracting the years/months of prior Federal service worked in a primary law enforcement position, you must be less than 37 years of age). The maximum entry age limit was established under the age discrimination prohibitions contained in Section 15 of the Age Discrimination and Employment Act.

Applicants need to meet physical and medical requirements, prove they have achieved minimum education and/or job experience, and demonstrate basic competencies needed for the position.

Applicants need to meet the following medical qualifications:

• Sharp visual and hearing acuity.

• Manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips and knees.

• Arms, hands, legs, and feet are sufficiently intact and functioning. (If unable to meet this standard, the applicant can ask for a medical review process to determine their eligibility.)

• Sufficient vision in each eye, with or without correction. If the applicant has near vision (corrective lenses permitted) sufficient for reading printed material the size of typewritten characters.

• Does not have hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, that exceeds 35 decibels at 1000, 2000 and 3000 Hz levels.

• Emotional and mental stability that allows them to perform duties that are exacting and responsible and involve activities under trying conditions.

• Do not have a physical condition that would cause them to be a hazard to themself or others. 

Applicants must be in excellent physical condition in order to pass the Physical Task Assessment (PTA). The PTA determines a candidate's ability to withstand the physical rigors of Special Agent Training.

*(DEA Pre-Employment Drug Policy updated June 27, 2024)*

All job applicants must disclose past and current illegal drug use and drug abuse. Pre-employment forms, in conjunction with a case-by-case analysis, are used by all entities in the hiring process to help determine whether an applicant's prior illegal drug use makes them eligible and/or suitable for DEA employment. A candidate will be found unsuitable for employment and automatically disqualified if they deliberately misrepresent their drug history in connection with their application for employment. 

Marijuana Use 

• Marijuana or cannabis use before the candidate’s 18th birthday is not an automatic disqualifier for DEA employment. Candidates are evaluated using all available, reliable information about the person, past and present, favorable and unfavorable, when reviewing a candidate's application for determining employment eligibility with DEA. Aside from marijuana or cannabis use before the candidate’s 18th birthday not being an automatic disqualifier, applicants cannot have used marijuana or cannabis in any form (natural or synthetic) and in any location (domestic or foreign) within three (3) years preceding the date of their application for employment, regardless of state or foreign country laws where this activity may be legal.
• Applicants cannot present “medical marijuana cards” or other prescriptions as mitigating factors for marijuana or cannabis use. Dronabinol (sold as Marinol, Syndros, or generic equivalents) is the only pharmaceutical drug containing THC that the Food and Drug Administration has approved for lawful use with a medical prescription. 

Other Illegal Drugs

• Applicants cannot have sold, distributed, manufactured, or transported any illegal drug or controlled substance without legal authorization.
• Applicants cannot have used any illegal drug, other than marijuana, within the seven (7) years preceding the date of the application for employment.
• Applicants cannot have used anabolic steroids without a prescription from a licensed practicing physician within seven (7) years preceding the date of the application for employment.
• Applicants cannot have illegally used or been involved with an illegal drug, controlled substance, or illegal narcotic while in possession of a security clearance.
• Applicants cannot have illegally used or been involved with an illegal drug or controlled substance while employed as a law enforcement officer, prosecutor, or courtroom official, or while in a position of public trust or public safety.

Prescription Drugs/Legally Obtainable Substances

• Applicants who have abused any prescription drug, over-the-counter substance, or legally obtained substance (e.g., inhalants, solvents, etc.) within three (3) years preceding the date of application for employment will be found unsuitable and disqualified. Abuse is defined as the use of illegal drugs, prescriptions, or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are meant to be used or in excessive amounts. Drug abuse may lead to social, physical, emotional, and job-related problems.
• Applicants cannot have used or purchased for use, sold, or provided a prescription drug to someone knowing that person was going to use that drug for something other than its intended medical purpose.

Conflict of Interest

• Applicants whose personal habits, conduct, or behavior pose a conflict of interest with the DEA’s mission to enforce the CSA and provide a drug-free society will not continue in the hiring process. Examples of conflicts of interest include, but are not limited to: being in a current, intimate relationship with a user of illegal narcotic or dangerous drugs; voluntarily living with a user of illegal narcotics or dangerous drugs; or, a person who is seeking or has obtained state licensure or permits to cultivate and/or distribute marijuana, THC, and other cannabis products regardless of state or foreign country laws where this activity may be legal.

You need to possess one or more of the following:

• A bachelor's degree (GPA of 2.95 or higher), a master's or a J.D. or LL.B.;
• OR experience assisting in investigations of alleged or suspected violations of the law; participating in multi-agency/organization venues, briefings, meetings, conferences; researching, collecting and analyzing data from a variety of sources relating to investigations; writing reports and conducting briefings of findings, results, or accomplishments for information or action relating to law enforcement activities and/or court cases; assisting court officials and law enforcement personnel with case-related materials; and testifying or presenting evidence for court, legislative, or administrative proceedings;
• OR three+ years of substantive work experience and special skills; e.g., pilot/maritime, accounting/auditing, military/technical, mechanical including information systems, telecommunications, engineering, and/or a foreign language fluency (fluency subject to verification); and a bachelor's degree or higher (no minimum GPA required) with coursework related to the aforementioned special skill.

You need to possess all of the following competencies:

• Written and oral communication capabilities
• Attention to detail/memory
• Decision-making/judgment
• Interpersonal skills
• Integrity/honesty
• Flexibility
• Problem-solving
• Self-management
• Teamwork

Basic Agent Training Program (BATP)

All Special Agent candidates must attend the 16-week Basic Agent Training Program (BATP) located at the DEA Academy in Quantico, VA.

Basic Agent Training Program (BATP) is designed to prepare a Basic Agent Trainee (BAT) to be an entry-level Special Agent upon graduation. It is incumbent upon each and every BAT to ensure that they are familiar with the requirements, regulations, and guidance provided in this document. In order to graduate from the BATP, a BAT must receive a passing score in nine (9) performance-based disciplines, demonstrate that they possess the necessary eight (8) critical job-related traits and characteristics to be a Special Agent, and conduct themselves in a safe manner at all times throughout the BATP.

The Performance-Based Disciplines are:

• Physical Fitness
• Standards of Conduct
• Academics/Legal
• Report Writing
• Practical Applications/Exercises
• Driver Training
• Defensive Tactics
• Tactical Operations Training
• Firearms/Weapons Training

Depending on scheduling and candidate availability, our hiring process may take 12 months or longer.

The purpose of this guide is to help you prepare for the Special Agent selection process with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This guide will familiarize you with several phases of the selection process, including the multi-phase assessment battery consisting of the Test of Observation and Recall, the Writing Exercise, and the Structured Panel Interview. This guide will give you an opportunity to review some test question examples and provide you with an overview of assessments. If you do not have a lot of experience taking job selection tests, this guide will help you prepare for the testing process by letting you see questions similar to those on the actual tests.

Special Agent Test Preparation Guide

DEA has vacancies throughout the United States.

DEA Special Agents are generally hired at the GS-07 or GS-09 level, depending on education and/or experience and Special Agents progress to the GS-13 grade within a few years after being hired.  In addition, 25% Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) is added to your base and locality pay when hired.  This 25% salary is additional, above your normal salary. Visit the latest Office of Personnel Management Law Enforcement Officer Salary Calculator and OPM.gov, for specific locality pay:  Salaries & Wages (opm.gov).

A background investigation (BI) is one of the final steps in the application process that seeks to discern a comprehensive snapshot of you. The investigation provides information on personal history, education and work experience, personal and professional references, as well as other necessary checks. The time it takes to complete the BI is dependent on the type and scope of investigation being conducted.