Postal exams – Apply to work for the USPS (2024)

FAQs

Can you take the postal exam before applying for a job? ›

Not everyone who applies will be invited to take the exam. If you are not invited to take the exam, you may be able to take it in the future or through other job applications.

The Postal Exam 474, also called the Virtual Entry Assessment – MC (474), is used for evaluating candidates applying for both city and rural mail carrier positions. To try sample questions, get practice tips, and access the full preparation pack for the 474 exam, visit our USPS 474 Sample Questions Practice.

Both the application and any exams are free – if you see any websites that are charging a fee they are not legitimate and should be reported to the United States Postal Inspection Service.

With a failure rate between 80% and 90%, you'll want to study as much as you possibly can for the postal exam. Create a studying schedule well in advance and stick to it all the way until the day before your exam.

Immediately. An e-mail message will be sent to the e-mail address listed in your Candidate Profile following completion of the assessment at the testing center. How long is my score good?

However, you will be able to apply to other positions and take the test in the future. You must score at least 70% to pass the VEA.

A non-proctored assessment is one that you can take on your own, at any location of your choosing (for example, using a computer at home or at the library). A proctored assessment is one that you must take at a specified test center.

The 1st part of the 473 exam is fairly easy but is timed so you need to work quick and be accurate. The memory part is generally considered the hardest for most people unless you have a photographic memory.

USPS Postal Exam 474

This is a 45 minutes long self-administered test given to those who are applying for city and rural mail carrier positions. After you submit your application for an open position, if you are deemed a good fit you will be sent an email inviting you to take a Virtual Entry Assessment - MC 474.

Certain employees must wear prescribed uniforms in performing their duties. These employees are entitled to the following: A uniform allowance to purchase authorized uniform items; or. To be provided uniforms that meet Postal Service specifications.

Why am I not eligible for USPS? ›

An applicant found ineligible in any one factor — age, Selective Service System registration, driving record, qualifying test, driver's license review, drug screening, or English competence — is notified in writing that he or she is ineligible.

The Postal Exams is a general name given to four assessments used by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to screen potential candidates - USPS 474 Test, USPS 475 Test, USPS 476 Test, and USPS 477 Test.

Can I Retake the 474 Postal Exam? If you fail the 474 Postal Exam and get an ineligible status, you'll be allowed to retake the test only after one year. If you've passed the exam and want to retake it to improve your score, you'll have to wait 24 months before you can do so.

The Postal Exam became an extremely difficult hurdle for USPS applicants when it was updated in 2023. Only 10-20% of applicants pass the exam's passing grade of 70% and go on to receive a job offer.

After you have logged in, click on the “Active Assessments” tab and look under the “Proctored Assessments” section. There you will see a list of all proctored exams for which you are authorized to schedule testing at a designated test center. To proceed to schedule your assessment, click on the “Schedule Test” button.

The pass mark for the USPS 474 is a minimum of 70%. If you fall under this score threshold, you'll be removed from the applicant pool and will need to wait one year to apply for any other mail carrier role. With that in mind, it's important to put in plenty of USPS 474 test practice before your official assessment.

USPS Postal Exam 477. The Virtual Entry Assessment CS 477 is for those candidates applying for customer, service, sales, and distribution positions. There are four sections on the CS 477: work situations, work your register, tell us your story, and describe your approach.

To pass it, you must reach a minimum score of 70. The higher you score above 70, the higher your chances of getting hired fast.