MOD Police
Medical Standards
Every MOD Police constable is an armed officer, so every applicant is measured against the Authorised Firearms Officer medical standard from the start. Hearing must be met without aids, colour vision has its own test path and there are waist limits as well as BMI. This page sets out every standard the MDP publishes, with a checklist to work through before you apply. Read from the MDP's medical page on 23 October 2026.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 23 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
The MDP applies the AFO standard to all applicants: binocular vision 6/7.5 (aided or unaided), at least 6/12 in the worse eye, unaided 6/36, near vision N8 and a visual field of 120 by 100 degrees. Hearing must meet the AFO standard without a hearing aid. Colour vision is tested with Ishihara, then the D-15 and City University tests if needed. BMI must be 19 to below 30 with a waist limit, or meet a waist to hip ratio or body fat alternative. Blood pressure consistently at 140/90 or above is unsuitable. Drug and alcohol testing is included.
Why every applicant takes the firearms officer medical
The MDP says all operational officers are trained as Authorised Firearms Officers Counter Terrorism (AFO CT). Its medical page is headed as the medical standards for Authorised Firearms Officers and applies them at entry. There is no lighter standard for unarmed constables because there are no unarmed constable posts.
In practice this means the hearing, colour vision and body composition rules below apply to you from the start, not only if you later choose a firearms role.
When the medical happens
The medical comes after you pass the interviews. It is part of stage 4 of the MDP's six-stage process, alongside the fitness test (if not already done), Security Check clearance and police vetting. The MDP calls it a pre-employment medical. GOV.UK and the entry criteria describe it as following a conditional offer.
Because the forms need your GP and an optician, start on them as soon as you are invited. The MDP does not publish how long the medical stage takes.
Forms you complete before the medical
| Form | Who completes it | When |
|---|---|---|
| Medical History Questionnaire | You complete section 1. Your GP completes, signs and stamps section 2. | Before the medical |
| Opticians' Form | Completed, signed and stamped by a qualified optician. | Before the medical |
| Audio 1 Form | You complete it. The last page is done by MOD Occupational Health. | Before; last page at the medical |
| Health surveillance respiratory questionnaire | Completed at the medical. | At the medical |
| Fitness to use breathing apparatus questionnaire | Completed at the medical. | At the medical |
The MDP does not say whether you pay your GP or optician for completing their sections. Ask both how long they need and whether they charge, so it does not hold you up.
Tests at the medical
| Test | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hearing | Audiometry |
| Vision | Against the AFO eyesight standard |
| Blood pressure and pulse | Resting readings |
| Urinalysis | Urine test |
| Lung function | Breathing test |
| Height and weight | To calculate BMI |
| Drug and alcohol testing | Part of the medical |
Eyesight: the AFO standard
| Measure | Standard | In plain words |
|---|---|---|
| Binocular distance vision | 6/7.5, aided or unaided | Both eyes together, with or without correction |
| Worse eye | At least 6/12, aided or unaided | The weaker eye on its own |
| Unaided binocular vision | 6/36 or better | Without correction. Does not apply if you are corrected with soft contact lenses. |
| Near vision | N8, corrected and uncorrected | Reading at close range, with and without correction |
| Visual field | At least 120 degrees horizontally by 100 degrees vertically, free of large defects | Assessed by confrontation testing of each eye |
How to read the numbers
Distance vision is written as a fraction. The first number is the test distance in metres; the second is the distance at which someone with standard vision could read the same line. So 6/7.5 is sharper than 6/12 and 6/36 is much weaker. N8 is a print size on a near-vision reading chart. Your optician records all of these on the Opticians' Form.
What this means for you
- If you wear correction: you need 6/7.5 binocular and 6/12 in your worse eye with it. Without it you need 6/36 binocular, unless you wear soft contact lenses.
- If you wear soft contact lenses: the unaided 6/36 rule does not apply.
- Near vision must be N8 both with and without correction.
Visual field and laser eye surgery
Visual field: at least 120 degrees horizontally by 100 degrees vertically, free of large defects. The MDP says it is assessed by confrontation testing of each eye.
Laser eye surgery: at least six weeks must have passed since surgery with no residual side effects. The MDP says LASIK, LASEK, PRK and ICRS can be considered.
If you are thinking about surgery to meet the standard, the six-week rule means timing matters. Have it done well before your medical and take your surgeon's notes with you. That is our suggestion, not an MDP requirement.
Colour vision: the full path
Some types of colour deficiency rule you out straight away:
| Type | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Monochromats | Unsuitable |
| Dichromats | Unsuitable for AFO roles |
| Severe anomalous trichromats | Unsuitable for AFO roles |
| Colour-correcting lenses | Not accepted |
For everyone else the MDP sets out a path:
| Step | Test | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ishihara plates, done by your optician | If you pass, the colour vision check is done. |
| 2 | Farnsworth-Munsell D-15 | Fail at 2 or more major crossings. |
| 3 | City University test, 2nd edition | Fail at 5 or more total errors, or 2 errors on the large circle plates. |
| 3 (alternative) | City University test, 3rd edition, if the 2nd edition is unavailable | Fail at 3 or more errors on part two. |
| Extra rule | Protanomalous diagnosis | Candidates consistently diagnosed protanomalous in two of the three tests are excluded, even with only 2 to 4 City University errors or one major D-15 crossing. |
If you fail the Ishihara plates, you must pass both the D-15 and a City University test. Failing the Ishihara is therefore not the end, but you should know your result before you apply. Ask your optician to run the Ishihara plates at your next eye test.
The MDP does not accept colour-correcting lenses. You must meet the standard without them.
Hearing: unaided, with annual checks
The AFO hearing standard must be met without a hearing aid. The MDP says you are unlikely to meet it with a total hearing loss of more than:
- 84 dB summed across 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz (the lower frequencies), or
- 123 dB summed across 3, 4 and 6 kHz (the higher frequencies).
Worked example (our arithmetic, invented figures)
Suppose an audiogram shows losses of 20, 25 and 30 dB at 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz. They add up to 75 dB, under 84. At 3, 4 and 6 kHz it shows 35, 45 and 50 dB, which add up to 130 dB, over 123. On the MDP's guidance that person is unlikely to meet the standard because of the higher frequencies. Repeat the sums for each ear on your own audiogram.
Hearing is not a one-off check. The MDP says all firearms officers have audiometry every year throughout their career. If you shoot, work with loud machinery or go to loud events, protect your hearing now.
BMI, waist and body fat
| Rule | Standard |
|---|---|
| Main rule | BMI below 30 and no lower than 19, with a waist below 40 inches (men) or 35 inches (women) |
| Alternative 1: waist to hip ratio | Below 0.95 (men) or below 0.80 (women) meets the requirement |
| Alternative 2: body fat | At or below 21% (men) or 30% (women) is acceptable |
BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Waist to hip ratio is your waist measurement divided by your hip measurement. Here are four worked examples:
| Person | BMI | Waist to hip | Result on the MDP rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man, 1.80 m, 99 kg, waist 36 in, hips 39 in | 99 / (1.80 x 1.80) = 30.6 | 36 / 39 = 0.92 | BMI is outside the main rule but the ratio is below 0.95, so on the MDP's alternative he meets the requirement |
| Woman, 1.65 m, 70 kg, waist 32 in | 70 / (1.65 x 1.65) = 25.7 | Not needed | BMI between 19 and 30 with a waist below 35 inches: meets the main rule |
| Woman, 1.68 m, 86 kg, waist 33 in, hips 42 in | 86 / (1.68 x 1.68) = 30.5 | 33 / 42 = 0.79 | Outside the main rule; ratio below 0.80 meets the alternative |
| Man, 1.75 m, 84 kg, waist 41 in | 84 / (1.75 x 1.75) = 27.4 | Depends on hips | BMI in range but waist is 40 inches or more, so he needs to meet the ratio or body fat alternative |
The alternatives matter for muscular applicants, who can have a BMI over 30 with little body fat. The MDP does not say how it measures body fat, so ask if you plan to rely on it. Our PES-JRFT guide has a training outline that builds strength without losing sight of these limits.
Blood pressure
Resting readings consistently at 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic or more are not suitable for an AFO role. The word "consistently" matters: one high reading on a nervous day is not the same as a pattern. If you are unsure, ask your GP or a pharmacy to check your blood pressure before the medical so you know where you stand.
Named medical conditions
| Condition | How the MDP treats it |
|---|---|
| Asthma | Assessed individually. May be accepted if managed with medication. |
| Type 1 diabetes | Unlikely to be suitable. Assessed case by case. |
| Epilepsy | Unlikely to be suitable. Assessed on your history of fits after age 5. |
| Stress, anxiety or depression | Assessed individually. Includes a face-to-face assessment. |
Anything else on your medical history is considered from your GP's section of the questionnaire. Be complete and accurate. Our medical conditions guide covers declaring conditions generally.
Drug and alcohol test
Drug and alcohol testing is part of the MDP pre-employment medical. The MDP does not publish the sample type or who carries out the test. Declare any prescribed medication on your medical forms.
NEOF and specialist applicants
The AFO medical standards apply to all applicants, not only New Recruits. Serving officers joining through the New Entrant from Other Forces (NEOF) route take the same pre-employment medical in their stage 4, even if they already hold a firearms role in their current force.
| Role | Extra step before an offer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Unit AFO CT (NEOF) | A marine medical and a swim test. The Marine Units page names the MDP Marine Unit Swimming Test and an MM1 medical for entry-level crew. | NEOF Marine Unit advert; Marine Units page |
| Tactical Firearms Unit AFO CT | The multi-stage fitness test to level 10.5 before employment. This is a fitness rule, not a medical one. | TFU adverts; fitness page |
| Inspector and above | The multi-stage fitness test to level 5.4 instead of the PES-JRFT. | Fitness page |
The MDP does not publish separate medical standards for the Special Escort Group, National Firearms Instructors or the Operational Support Unit. Assume the AFO standard on this page applies.
After you join
- Annual audiometry for all firearms officers throughout their career.
- Annual fitness assessment through the Job-Related Fitness Test. The MDP does not publish the current annual standard.
- Marine Unit officers need a marine medical and swim test before an offer. The Marine Units page names an MM1 medical for entry-level crew.
If you are close to a limit
The MDP publishes the limits but not how it handles borderline results, apart from the named conditions above. The right-hand column is our practical advice, not MDP guidance.
| Area | MDP standard | What we suggest |
|---|---|---|
| Eyesight | Binocular 6/7.5; worse eye 6/12; unaided 6/36; N8 | Get an up-to-date prescription. If you are near the unaided 6/36 limit, soft contact lenses take that rule out of play. |
| Colour vision | Ishihara, then D-15 and City University | Ask your optician whether they can run the D-15 or City University test, or refer you, so you know before the medical. |
| Hearing | 84 dB and 123 dB summed limits, unaided | Get a full audiogram. Avoid loud noise in the days before any hearing test (our suggestion). |
| BMI and waist | BMI 19 to below 30; waist under 40 in (men) or 35 in (women) | Work out your waist to hip ratio. If you are muscular, the ratio or body fat alternative may apply. |
| Blood pressure | Consistently below 140/90 | Take readings on several days, at rest. If they are high, see your GP well before the medical. |
| Laser surgery | Six weeks, no side effects | Book surgery so the six weeks have passed with time to spare. |
If a limit is clearly out of reach, it is better to know before you apply than at stage 4 after two interviews. If you are unsure, contact the MDP recruitment team before you request a pack.
On the day of the medical
Our suggested list. Check your invitation for anything the MDP asks you to bring.
- Completed forms: the Medical History Questionnaire with your GP's signed and stamped section, the Opticians' Form and the Audio 1 Form.
- Your correction: glasses or contact lenses, so your aided vision can be tested.
- A list of medication, including anything prescribed recently. This also matters for the drug and alcohol test.
- Specialist letters for any condition you have declared.
- Comfortable clothing for height, weight and lung function tests.
- Time: arrive early and calm. Rushing in can raise your blood pressure reading.
At the medical you also complete the health surveillance respiratory questionnaire and the breathing apparatus questionnaire, so allow time for them.
MOD Police vs Civil Nuclear Constabulary medical
Both forces arm every officer, so both use firearms officer medicals. The detail differs. The biggest difference is glasses.
| MOD Police | Civil Nuclear Constabulary | |
|---|---|---|
| Glasses | Not excluded: the binocular and worse eye standards apply aided or unaided | Glasses are not acceptable to meet the eyesight standard. Contact lenses are the route. |
| Corrected distance vision | Binocular 6/7.5; worse eye at least 6/12 | Binocular 6/6 or better; 6/12 in either eye; low contrast 6/12 at 10% |
| Unaided vision | Binocular 6/36 (not if corrected with soft lenses) | Binocular 6/36 (not if corrected with soft lenses) |
| Near vision | N8 corrected and uncorrected | Corrected near static acuity 6/9 or better, binocularly |
| Visual field | 120 degrees horizontally by 100 vertically | 160 degrees horizontally by 100 vertically |
| Colour vision | Ishihara, then D-15 (fail at 2 or more major crossings) and City University 2nd edition (fail at 5 or more errors) or 3rd edition (fail at 3 or more on part two) | Ishihara, then City University 3rd edition (less than 3 errors on part 2) and D-15 (less than 2 major crossings) |
| Hearing | Unaided. Unlikely to meet with more than 84 dB summed over 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz or 123 dB over 3, 4 and 6 kHz | No hearing aids. The same summed limits plus an average loss of more than 20 dB over 500 to 4,000 Hz |
| BMI | 19 to below 30 with waist limits; waist to hip ratio or body fat as alternatives | 18.5 to 30; above 30, body fat no more than 25% (men) or 32% (women) |
| Blood pressure | Consistently 140/90 or more: not suitable for AFO | Above 140/90: referred to GP; recruitment continues once stable |
| Diabetes | Type 1 unlikely to be suitable | Needing medication to control diabetes is normally not compatible |
| Laser eye surgery | At least 6 weeks with no residual side effects | At least 6 weeks if no significant weakening of the cornea |
If you wear glasses and do not want to switch to contact lenses, the MDP standard is easier to meet than the CNC one. If your visual field is between 120 and 160 degrees horizontally, you could meet the MDP standard but not the CNC one. See our CNC medical guide.
Before you apply: a medical checklist
Our suggested checks, so nothing surprises you at stage 4:
- Eye test: ask your optician for your binocular and each-eye distance vision with and without correction, near vision and an Ishihara colour check.
- Hearing: if you have any doubt, get a hearing test and add up the losses at 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz and at 3, 4 and 6 kHz.
- BMI and waist: measure your height, weight, waist and hips and work out BMI and waist to hip ratio.
- Blood pressure: get a few readings on different days.
- Laser surgery: if planned, make sure six weeks will have passed with no side effects before the medical.
- Conditions: gather dates and treatment for asthma, diabetes, epilepsy or mental health history.
- GP and optician: ask how long they take to complete forms and whether they charge.
- Hearing protection: use it from now on if you are exposed to loud noise.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a standard entry medical applies. The MDP uses the AFO standard for everyone.
- Relying on a hearing aid. The standard is unaided.
- Buying colour-correcting lenses. They are not accepted.
- Ignoring the waist limit. A BMI in range is not enough if your waist is 40 inches (men) or 35 inches (women) or more.
- Leaving the GP form late. It needs your GP's signature and stamp.
- Laser surgery too close to the medical. Six weeks is the minimum.
- Leaving out a condition. Your GP completes section 2, so gaps will show.
What the MDP does not publish
- Who runs MDP medicals. The forms mention MOD Occupational Health; the provider of the medical itself is not named.
- The drug test method (hair, urine or other).
- A minimum height. None is published.
- Whether you pay for the GP section or the optician's form.
- How body fat is measured.
- How long the medical stage takes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the eyesight standard for the MOD Police?
The MDP uses the Authorised Firearms Officer standard for all applicants: binocular vision of 6/7.5 aided or unaided, at least 6/12 in the worse eye aided or unaided, unaided binocular vision of 6/36 or better (not applied if you are corrected with soft contact lenses) and near vision of N8 corrected and uncorrected. Your visual field must be at least 120 degrees horizontally by 100 degrees vertically.
Can I join the MOD Police if I wear glasses?
The MDP's standards apply aided or unaided, which means with or without correction. The MDP does not exclude glasses the way the CNC does. You must still meet the unaided binocular standard of 6/36 unless you are corrected with soft contact lenses.
Can I join the MOD Police if I am colour blind?
It depends on the type and severity. Monochromats, dichromats and severe anomalous trichromats are unsuitable for AFO roles and colour-correcting lenses are not accepted. If you fail the Ishihara plates you must pass the Farnsworth-Munsell D-15 and the City University test. Some people with mild colour deficiency pass these tests.
Can I wear a hearing aid in the MOD Police?
No. The AFO hearing standard must be met unaided. You are unlikely to meet it with a total loss of more than 84 dB across 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz or more than 123 dB across 3, 4 and 6 kHz. All firearms officers have audiometry every year.
What BMI do I need for the MOD Police?
BMI below 30 and no lower than 19, with a waist below 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women. If you are outside that, a waist to hip ratio below 0.95 (men) or 0.80 (women) meets the requirement and body fat at or below 21% (men) or 30% (women) is acceptable.
Can I join the MOD Police after laser eye surgery?
Yes, if at least six weeks have passed since surgery with no residual side effects. The MDP says LASIK, LASEK, PRK and ICRS can be considered.
Does the MOD Police medical include a drugs test?
Yes. Drug and alcohol testing is part of the pre-employment medical. The MDP does not publish the sample method.
Can I join the MOD Police with asthma or diabetes?
Asthma is assessed individually and may be accepted if managed with medication. Type 1 diabetes is unlikely to be suitable and is assessed case by case. Epilepsy is unlikely to be suitable and is assessed on your history of fits after age 5.
Do transferees take the MOD Police medical?
Yes. The MDP says its AFO medical standards apply to all applicants, so New Entrants from Other Forces take the pre-employment medical too. Marine Unit applicants also need a marine medical and a swim test before an offer.
When is the MOD Police medical?
After you pass the interviews, in stage 4 of the six-stage process, alongside the fitness test and vetting. GOV.UK and the entry criteria describe it as following a conditional offer.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 23 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- MDP: Medical (medical standards for Authorised Firearms Officers) : forms; tests; eyesight; visual field; laser surgery; colour vision path; hearing thresholds and annual audiometry; BMI, waist, waist to hip ratio and body fat; blood pressure; named conditions; drug and alcohol testing (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: New Recruit entry criteria : medical follows a conditional offer (accessed 23 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Ministry of Defence Police entry requirements : medical follows a conditional offer (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: New Recruit recruitment process : stage 4: medical including drug and alcohol testing, fitness, SC and police vetting (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: Our force : all operational officers are AFO CT (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: Marine Units : MM1 medical for entry-level crew; Marine Unit swimming test (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: NEOF Marine Unit advert : swim test and marine medical before an offer (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: Fitness : annual JRFT for serving officers; MSFT 5.4 for inspectors and above (accessed 23 October 2026)
- MDP: New Recruit Tactical Firearms Unit advert : MSFT level 10.5 before employment (accessed 23 October 2026)
- CNC: AFO Pre-employment Medical Guidance v8 : CNC comparison: glasses not acceptable; 6/6 binocular corrected; 160 by 100 degree fields; colour tests; hearing; BMI 18.5 to 30 and body fat; blood pressure; diabetes; eye surgery (accessed 23 October 2026)
- CNC careers: Police officers : CNC officers need different medical and fitness standards from Home Office colleagues (accessed 23 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
Free tools for MOD Police and CNC applicants
Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the Ministry of Defence Police, the Ministry of Defence, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, the Civil Nuclear Police Authority, the Defence Police Federation, the Civil Nuclear Police Federation, the College of Policing or any other force. It does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Every fact here comes from the force's own pages, GOV.UK, legislation.gov.uk or the other sources listed, read on the date shown. Each force sets and changes its own process and pay: check its current pages and your own invitation before relying on anything here. Our practice questions are original PolicePay material, not questions used by either force. Details are as checked on 23 October 2026.