Florida Basic Abilities Test · study guide
CJBAT study guide: what to practice, section by section
Study for the CJBAT by ability, not by subject. The test checks reading, writing, memory and reasoning on material it hands you, and the handbook says outright that no previous experience or outside knowledge is needed. That changes how you prepare: less reading about police work, more practice reading closely and following a rule exactly as written.
- 97items in three sections
- 1 h 30 mintotal testing time
- 70, plus 30 of 50to pass
What you're preparing for
97 items in three separately timed sections: 47 behavioral, 10 memorization, 40 in Section III; the exam also contains unscored field-test items. Timing: Section I 20 minutes; Section II 1 minute per picture plus 1½ minutes for its questions; Section III 1 hour. The passing rule: 70, plus 30 of 50 (in full on exam facts), and only pass or fail is reported. Booking, results and retakes: exam facts.
Section by section: what to practice
The handbook lists six abilities. One section has no answer key; the other five abilities do.
- Section I, behavioral attributes (47 items). Statements about how you act at work. Answer honestly and the same way each time a theme comes back; there is nothing to memorize.
- Memorization (10 items). Study a picture, then answer from memory. Practice with photos of busy scenes: look for a minute, cover the photo, write down the people, vehicles, numbers and positions.
- Written comprehension. A short procedure, policy or report, then the statement it supports. Practice on dense text with numbered steps and exceptions.
- Written expression. Spelling, grammar and punctuation in report sentences. Keep a list of the words you miss.
- Deductive reasoning. Apply a stated rule or definition to a situation. Split the rule into its conditions and check each one.
- Inductive reasoning. Several cases, reports or a small table; find the pattern or the link between them.
Myth: you need to know Florida law
A deductive question gives you the rule it wants applied, and the right answer follows that rule even when real law or your common sense says otherwise. The handbook's instruction is to use only the material in the question or passage. Knowing the law can cost you points here if you answer from memory.
A study order that fits the scoring
- Take the practice test once, untimed. Note which ability you miss most; the ability chips show it.
- Start with written expression. Errors there repeat: the same misspelled words, the same verb forms.
- Train memorization in short daily sessions with a photo of a busy scene; they are easier to keep up than one long session.
- Work comprehension and deductive questions slowly until you can say which line of the passage proves your answer.
- Then add the clock. Section III puts 40 items under a single timer.
The pass rule counts the 10 memorization and 40 Section III questions separately from the overall score, so there's no section you can afford to skip.
Old study material: check the section list
The current handbook lists six abilities: written comprehension, written expression, memorization, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning and behavioral attributes. Decks and guides that list other abilities, or call the test the FBAT, were written for something else.
Study materials
- From the test's developer: IOS sells CJBAT study materials for each discipline on its web store. The handbook links to that store.
- Commercial guides and courses: sold by test-prep companies. Check that they describe Sections I to III as above.
- Free questions: the practice test and the section pages here, every option explained. Corrections candidates: CJBATCO questions.
No study material is required. Copying or sharing real items is prohibited under the state rule.
Test day
- ID: Two current IDs with a signature; the primary one must be a government-issued photo ID, and the names must match your registration.
- Arrival: 15 minutes early. Late means no test and no refund.
- Phones, notes, bags and calculators aren't allowed, and there's nowhere to store them; leave them in the car.
- No eating or drinking during the test.
Source: Pearson VUE candidate handbook, August 2025, p.2–3.
Study between shifts on your phone
CJBAT practice app
More CJBAT practice questions with explanations, in a study app. Not affiliated with FDLE.
CJBAT study, quick answers
How do I pass the CJBAT?
Meet both parts of the rule: 70, plus 30 of 50. In practice that means steady accuracy on memorization and the four Section III abilities, honest answers in Section I, and enough speed to finish Section III in the hour.
What should I study for the police entry exam in Florida?
Reading comprehension, report grammar and spelling, short-term visual memory, and applying rules to situations. The test needs no law or police knowledge; that comes in the academy and the State Officer Certification Exam (SOCE) after it.
How many times can I take the CJBAT?
At most 3 attempts per discipline in any 12 months; book a retake 24 hours after a fail and pay the fee again. The fee is $39 each time.
Is there an official CJBAT study guide?
The developer, IOS, sells study materials for each version, and the Pearson VUE handbook points to them. They're optional, and prices change, so check the store.