The Police
Recruitment Medical
How the medical stage of police constable recruitment works in England and Wales: what the law requires, when forces run it, each test, the BMI screen, why there is no height rule, how your GP records are used and what your rights are, the drugs test, and what happens if the result is not a straightforward pass.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 1 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
It is an occupational health check, usually after you pass the assessments and alongside fitness and vetting. The national recruitment site says it normally covers height, weight and BMI, joints and muscles, blood pressure, a urine test, lung function, hearing and eyesight, plus a health questionnaire, often GP-signed. There is no national height rule, and BMI is a screen, not a pass mark.
General information for police constable candidates in England and Wales, not medical advice. Only the force's occupational health service can assess you, and your own GP or specialist is the right person to advise on your health. If you have a specific condition, read joining the police with a medical condition alongside this page.
What the law requires the medical to establish
Regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 sets the requirements for appointment. Three are health-related:
- Health and fitness (10(1)(d)). You must be certified by a registered medical practitioner approved by the local policing body to be in good health, of sound constitution and fitted both physically and mentally to perform the duties.
- Eyesight (10(1)(e)). You must meet the eyesight standard determined by the Home Secretary.
- Drugs (10(1)(i)). Unless you are transferring from another force, you must give a sample of hair, oral fluid or urine for testing for controlled drugs when the chief officer requires it.
Regulation 10A adds that an offer of appointment is conditional on fingerprints and a sample being taken and on your consent to a speculative search against police records. These biometric steps often happen at the same appointments as the medical, but they are a vetting check, not a health one.
The regulations do not list medical conditions or physical measurements. The Home Office set out how forces should apply the health requirement in Circular 59/2004, which is still the national medical standard published on GOV.UK; we found no newer national replacement. It says it is unlawful to exclude candidates automatically because of a medical condition or disability, that each case should be looked at individually, and that rejection must be justified by the parts of the job a candidate could not do even with reasonable adjustments.
When the medical happens
Since March 2026 every force in England and Wales must use the national application form, national sift, online assessment process and an in-person force interview. The medical, fitness test and vetting come around or after those stages. Circular 59/2004 says forces should assess ability for the job before health checks and that only applicants successful at assessment should complete the medical questionnaire. Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 restricts health questions before an offer, with exceptions such as arranging adjustments for an assessment or checking you can carry out a function intrinsic to the work. An offer can be conditional, which is why many forces make a conditional or provisional offer and then run the medical.
The exact order differs. Here is how the forces whose pages we could read on 1 October 2026 describe it:
| Force | How it describes the medical stage |
|---|---|
| Avon and Somerset | A "pre-selection health medical" and in-person force interview at the same step, after the assessment centre. The health medical includes the fitness test and a physical health assessment with measurements and checks, plus biometrics. It also says fitness testing and biometrics may occur before the assessment centre is completed. |
| Devon and Cornwall and Dorset | Force interview (biometric samples taken, fitness test possible on the day), then fitness test, then a GP patient summary sent to occupational health, then a medical by the occupational health unit, then background checks and drug testing. |
| Thames Valley | The fitness test comes after a provisional offer, during the pre-employment stages "along with medical and vetting", usually 2 to 3 months before an intake. |
| Metropolitan Police (2012 procedure, historic) | An FOI-published 2012 procedure put the medical after successful selection and a provisional offer. It is long past its review date and may not reflect current practice. |
Waiting for GP records or specialist letters can add weeks. The free recruitment timeline planner lets you enter your own force's figures for each stage, including pre-employment checks, so you can see where the medical falls before a start date.
What is checked, and what the standard says
The national recruitment site (re-read 1 October 2026) says the medical "varies by force but normally involves" the checks in the first column. The other columns show what national standards say about each.
| Check | What it is | National standard |
|---|---|---|
| Height, weight, BMI | Measurements used to calculate body mass index | No height standard. BMI outside 18 to 30 is a screen for further assessment, not a pass mark. |
| Musculoskeletal assessment | Joints, back and movement | Condition-by-condition indicative categories; see the medical conditions guide. |
| Blood pressure | A standard reading | Controlled with no side-effects: likely suitable. Uncontrolled: further assessment, possibly after GP treatment. |
| Urinalysis | A urine test | No single national standard for what is tested. The drugs test is a separate legal requirement (below). |
| Spirometry | Lung function: how much and how fast you can breathe out | Persistent respiratory disease impairing exercise capacity: unlikely suitable, case by case. Asthma: further assessment. |
| Hearing | Usually a hearing test across frequencies | Threshold set in the Home Office standards (see below). |
| Eyesight and colour vision | Acuity, near vision, contrast, field, colour | Home Office determination: corrected 6/12 either eye, 6/6 both eyes; glasses and lenses allowed. See the eyesight guide. |
Devon and Cornwall and Dorset list their own checks as BMI, eyesight, colour vision, lung function and hearing, with a confidential medical history questionnaire. Avon and Somerset describes "measurements and checks" without listing them. Expect variation in the details.
Height: there is no national rule
Neither regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 nor the Home Office medical standards in Circular 59/2004 contains a minimum or maximum height for police officers in England and Wales. None of the force recruitment pages we read on 1 October 2026 set one either. Your height is measured at the medical, but the national recruitment site lists it with weight and BMI, which is what it is used for.
The physical standard for recruits is fitness, not size. The College of Policing's job-related fitness test is the 15m multi-stage fitness test (the shuttle run or "bleep test") to level 5.4. The College says there is no obstacle course or upper-body strength test in it, and that the push/pull strength test was withdrawn in 2016. Some forces offer treadmill alternatives for people with lower-limb injuries. Our fitness hub covers the test in detail.
Police forces once had minimum height rules. We have not verified when they were removed, so we do not give a date. What matters for a 2026 applicant is that the current regulations and national medical standards contain no height requirement.
Weight and BMI: a screen, with force differences
The Home Office Recommended Medical Standards list "Body Mass Index outside normal range - 18 to 30" as "likely to require further information, investigation and assessment", and add that "BMI should only be used to screen individuals". In other words, a figure outside the range is meant to trigger a closer look, not to decide the outcome on its own. Forces apply this differently:
| Source | What it says about BMI |
|---|---|
| Home Office standards (2004) | Outside 18 to 30: further information, investigation and assessment. BMI only a screen. |
| Devon and Cornwall and Dorset | Outside 18 to 30 you are still encouraged to apply and can progress if you pass the fitness test, occupational health assesses you as fit, it records a clinical justification that BMI alone is not a medical risk in the role, and no other concerns are found. Other medical issues mean further review. |
| Durham (application form, version 2.0, February 2024) | "BMI must be 30 or below", and the form asks "Is your BMI 30 or under?" |
So the answer to "what BMI do I need?" depends on the force. If your BMI is near or above 30, read your force's eligibility page and ask its recruitment team how it assesses BMI before you apply. If you have a long-term condition affecting weight, the Equality Act duties covered in our medical conditions guide may be relevant.
Hearing, blood pressure and lung function
Hearing. The Home Office standards define below-standard hearing as a loss of more than a total of 84 dB over the 0.5 to 1.2 kHz range, or more than a total of 123 dB over 3, 4 and 6 kHz. Both ears above standard is likely to be suitable; both below is unlikely to be suitable. One ear above and one below, or hearing aids that bring you above the minimum, need further assessment, and the standards say a practical test such as speech comprehension should be considered in borderline cases or where aids are fitted.
Blood pressure. Controlled hypertension with no side-effects of medication is listed as likely to be suitable, subject to medical examination. Uncontrolled hypertension needs further assessment, and the standards say you may be referred to your own GP for monitoring and treatment and assessed again once it is controlled. Hypertension with organ damage or unacceptable side-effects is listed as unlikely to be suitable.
Lung function. The standards say conditions affecting respiratory fitness most commonly limit work through breathlessness. Any persistent respiratory disease impairing exercise capacity is listed as unlikely to be suitable, assessed case by case; asthma needs further information and assessment; treated hay fever without a history of wheezing is likely to be suitable.
These categories date from 2004 and are, in the Home Office's words, "indicative only". Each case is assessed individually.
GP forms, medical records and your rights
The national recruitment site says most forces require a health questionnaire signed by your GP, covering current and past physical and mental health. Practice is changing: Devon and Cornwall and Dorset say they have moved away from GP validation "to minimise the impact on our already under pressure GP surgeries" and now ask candidates to request a summary of their GP record from the surgery reception, which goes directly to occupational health. They stress this does not lower the standard. They also advise candidates not to pay a GP to sign forms until they know they have passed the earlier stages.
If occupational health needs more, it may write to your GP or specialist. When a force asks a doctor who is or has been responsible for your clinical care for a report for employment purposes, the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 gives you these rights:
- Consent first (section 3). The force must tell you it intends to apply and you must consent. It must tell you about your rights, including the right to refuse consent.
- See it before it is sent (section 4). You can say you want access when you consent. The doctor must not supply the report until you have had access, or until 21 days have passed without you arranging access.
- Corrections (section 5). You can ask in writing for anything you think is incorrect or misleading to be amended; if the doctor declines, you can ask for your statement of views to be attached. If you have seen the report, it is not supplied until you consent.
- Retention (section 6). The doctor must keep a copy for at least six months after supplying it.
The Act defines a medical report as one prepared by a doctor who is or has been responsible for your clinical care, so it is aimed at your GP or treating specialist. Asking to see the report first is your right; it can add up to 21 days before the report is sent, so build that into your plans.
Occupational health sees your declaration alongside your GP information. The national recruitment site's eligibility check says it will be important at the relevant stage of recruitment to declare any physical or mental conditions. A condition you leave out cannot be considered for adjustments, and an omission that later comes to light can raise questions about honesty as well as health.
The drugs test and biometrics
The drugs test is a legal requirement in its own right. Regulation 10(1)(i) requires a sample of hair, oral fluid or urine for testing for controlled drugs, in accordance with procedures determined by the Home Secretary, when the chief officer asks for it. Transferees from other forces are exempt.
Devon and Cornwall and Dorset describe their test as part of the pre-requisite checks: entirely confidential, carried out by a third-party laboratory that only discloses the presence of illegal substances to the resourcing team, and not testing for prescribed medication, "including that for individuals with certain disabilities or individuals that may be transitioning".
Biometrics are separate again. Regulation 10A makes an offer conditional on fingerprints and a DNA sample and your consent to a speculative search. Avon and Somerset takes biometrics with its health checks; Devon and Cornwall and Dorset take samples at the force interview. For how past drug use is treated in vetting, see past drug use and police vetting.
The medical stage, step by step
- Assessments first. National sift, online assessment and force interview. If you need adjustments for these because of a disability or condition, ask the force when you apply; that is one of the exceptions in section 60 of the Equality Act.
- Health declaration or questionnaire. A confidential form about your current and past physical and mental health. Answer every question fully.
- GP evidence. A GP-signed questionnaire in most forces, or a GP record summary where the force has moved to that method. Ask your surgery early how long it takes.
- The appointment. Measurements, blood pressure, urine, lung function, hearing and eyesight, and a musculoskeletal check, by the force's occupational health service or its provider. Bring glasses or contact lenses if you wear them: the eyesight standard is for corrected vision.
- Fitness test. The shuttle run to level 5.4, sometimes on the same day. Avon and Somerset allows three attempts about six weeks apart; other forces set their own rules.
- Further evidence if needed. Occupational health may ask your GP or specialist for a report, or see you again. The Met's 2012 procedure described candidates being placed on "medical hold" while this happened.
- Drugs test and biometrics, often around the same time.
- Outcome. Occupational health advises the force; the force decides and tells you.
The medical comes after the assessments. If you have not sat the online assessment yet, the free OAC readiness check takes about two minutes and shows which parts of the interview, written and briefing exercises need work. Still weighing up whether to apply? Should I join the police? compares your current pay with police pay over ten years as an estimate.
Results, deferral and failing the medical
| Outcome | What it usually means | Basis in the sources |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | The application continues to vetting and offer. | Regulation 10(1)(d) certificate |
| Fit with adjustments | You can do the role with reasonable adjustments. | Circular 59/2004; Equality Act duty to make reasonable adjustments |
| Deferred | Reassessment after a set time or after treatment. | Standards recommend deferral in some cases: untreated hernia (refer to GP or defer until after surgery), a recent hypoglycaemic episode, a single seizure (18 months) |
| Unfit | The force does not progress the application on medical grounds. | Must be justified by aspects of the job you could not do even with adjustments (Circular 59/2004) |
We found no single national medical appeal process for police candidates. Some forces have a general recruitment appeal: Devon and Cornwall and Dorset publish a recruitment process appeal form, after first trying to resolve things informally, on the grounds that a perverse decision has been made or there has been an abuse of process. Whatever your force, it is reasonable to:
- ask for the decision and the reasons in writing;
- ask which parts of the role occupational health thinks you could not do, and whether adjustments were considered;
- offer specialist evidence if the decision turned on missing information;
- ask whether a deferral has a reassessment date, and whether you can reapply later; see rejected applications and reapplying.
If you think a decision was unlawful disability discrimination, time limits for legal claims are short; our medical conditions guide explains the Equality Act position, and a solicitor or adviser can explain your options.
Myths about the police medical
- "You have to be a minimum height." There is no height rule in the regulations or national medical standards.
- "BMI over 30 is an automatic fail everywhere." Nationally it is a screen. Some forces set 30 as a limit, others let you progress with a clinical assessment.
- "Wearing glasses fails the eye test." The eyesight standard is for corrected vision; glasses and contact lenses are acceptable.
- "The urine test at the medical is the drugs test." Not necessarily. The drugs test is a separate legal requirement; Devon and Cornwall and Dorset describe theirs as done by a third-party laboratory.
- "The force can read my whole medical history without asking." Reports from your own doctor for employment purposes need your consent under the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, and you can ask to see them first.
- "Failing the medical means never." Deferral is a recognised outcome, and many conditions are assessed rather than barred.
What to ask the force and occupational health
- At what stage is the medical, and is it before or after a conditional offer?
- What does it include, and who carries it out?
- Do you use a GP-signed questionnaire or a GP record summary? Should I wait before requesting it?
- How do you assess BMI outside 18 to 30?
- Can I have adjustments for any part of the medical or fitness test?
- If I am deferred, when can I be reassessed, and do I keep my place in the process?
- Is there a review or appeal if I disagree with the outcome?
The force recruitment team handles process questions; occupational health handles clinical ones; your GP or specialist can advise on your own health and provide evidence. Our police jobs pages link to each force's recruitment site.
What we could not verify
- Whether any force now uses a newer internal medical standard than Circular 59/2004. We found no newer national standard.
- The current medical process of forces whose recruitment websites block automated reading, including the Met, West Midlands, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire.
- Whether Durham's "BMI 30 or below" statement, from a form last edited in February 2024, is still applied after the national application form became mandatory in 2026.
- What the urine test at the medical screens for in each force.
- When historical minimum height rules were removed.
- GP charges for completing police medical forms, which are set by practices and vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens at a police medical?
The national recruitment site says it varies by force but normally includes checking height, weight and BMI, a musculoskeletal assessment, blood pressure, a urine test, spirometry (lung function) and hearing and eyesight checks, alongside a confidential health declaration. Most forces also want a health questionnaire signed by your GP. Occupational health may ask for more evidence afterwards.
When is the police medical in the recruitment process?
Usually after the assessments, alongside fitness and vetting. Home Office Circular 59/2004 says only applicants successful at assessment should complete the medical questionnaire. Forces differ: Avon and Somerset describes a pre-selection health medical at the same stage as its force interview, and Thames Valley runs fitness after a provisional offer.
Is there a height requirement to join the police?
No national one. Regulation 10 of the Police Regulations 2003 and the Home Office medical standards (Circular 59/2004) contain no minimum or maximum height. Height is measured at the medical mainly to work out your BMI. The physical test for recruits is the job-related fitness test, the 15m shuttle run to level 5.4.
What BMI do you need to join the police?
There is no BMI pass mark in the regulations. The Home Office standards say a BMI outside 18 to 30 is likely to need further information, investigation and assessment, and that BMI should only be used to screen. Some forces set their own rule: Durham's published application form says BMI must be 30 or below.
Can I join the police with a BMI over 30?
With some forces, yes. Devon and Cornwall and Dorset say candidates outside the 18 to 30 range can still progress if they pass the fitness test, occupational health finds them fit, it records that BMI alone is not a medical risk in the role, and there are no other concerns. Durham's form says 30 or below. Ask your force.
What is the hearing standard for the police?
The Home Office standards define below-standard hearing as a loss of more than a total of 84 dB over 0.5 to 1.2 kHz, or more than 123 dB over 3, 4 and 6 kHz. Both ears above standard is likely to be suitable. One ear below, or hearing aids that bring you above the minimum, needs further assessment, possibly with a practical hearing test.
Does the police medical include a drugs test?
A drugs test is a separate legal requirement. Regulation 10(1)(i) says candidates (other than transferees) must give a sample of hair, oral fluid or urine for testing for controlled drugs when the force asks. Devon and Cornwall and Dorset say their test is confidential, done by a third-party laboratory, and does not test for prescribed medication.
Will the police contact my GP?
Often. The national recruitment site says most forces want a health questionnaire signed by your GP, and occupational health may ask your GP or specialist for more information. Devon and Cornwall and Dorset have replaced GP-signed validation with a patient summary you request from your surgery and pass to occupational health.
Can I see a GP report before it goes to the police?
Yes, if it is a report from a doctor who is or has been responsible for your care, such as your GP. The Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 requires your consent first, lets you ask to see the report before it is sent, gives you 21 days to arrange access, and lets you ask the doctor to correct anything you think is wrong.
What happens if you fail the police medical?
The usual outcomes are suitable, suitable with adjustments, deferred or unsuitable. The Home Office standards recommend deferral rather than rejection in several cases, such as untreated hernia or a recent hypoglycaemic episode. We found no national medical appeal for candidates; ask for reasons in writing and whether further specialist evidence can be considered.
Is the eyesight test part of the police medical?
Usually, yes. The national recruitment site lists hearing and eyesight checks as part of the medical, and Devon and Cornwall and Dorset list eyesight and colour vision tests. The standard itself is the Home Office determination: corrected 6/12 in either eye and 6/6 with both eyes, plus near, contrast, field and colour rules. Glasses and contact lenses are allowed.
Can the police ask about my health before offering me a job?
Only for limited purposes. Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 bars health questions before an offer, except where needed for things such as arranging adjustments for an assessment or establishing whether you can carry out a function intrinsic to the work. Offers are often conditional on the medical, which is why the full medical usually comes later.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 1 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.
- Police Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/527), regulation 10, latest revised text — approved doctor certifies good health and fitness (10(1)(d)); eyesight (10(1)(e)); drug test sample (10(1)(i)); no height requirement (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Police Regulations 2003, regulation 10A: fingerprints and samples before appointment — offer conditional on fingerprints and a DNA sample and a speculative search (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office Circular 59/2004: National recruitment standards, medical standards for police recruitment — no automatic exclusion; individual assessment; medical questionnaire only after success at assessment; rejection justified by the job (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office: Recommended Medical Standards (attachment to Circular 59/2004) — BMI 18 to 30 screen; hearing thresholds; blood pressure, respiratory and deferral entries; no height standard (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Home Office: Determination under regulation 10, eyesight standards (Circular 007/2019) — acuity, near, contrast, field and colour vision standards; glasses and lenses acceptable (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Equality Act 2010, section 60: enquiries about disability and health — no health questions before an offer, with listed exceptions; an offer can be conditional (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Equality Act 2010, section 20: duty to make adjustments — reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police: Am I eligible to apply? (eligibility check) — declare any physical or mental conditions at the relevant stage; all applicants pass a fitness test (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, sections 1 to 6 — consent, access before supply, 21 days, amendment requests, six-month retention (accessed 1 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Job-related fitness standards — 15m MSFT to level 5.4; push/pull test withdrawn in 2016; treadmill alternatives for lower-limb injury (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Joining the Police (national recruitment site): What's involved in the medical assessment? (re-read 1 October 2026) — what the medical normally checks; health declaration; GP-signed questionnaire in most forces (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Avon and Somerset Police: Police officer recruitment process — pre-selection health medical alongside the force interview; fitness and biometrics may come before the assessment centre; three fitness attempts (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Devon and Cornwall Police and Dorset Police recruitment: Police officer selection process — GP summary instead of GP validation; medical checks BMI, eyesight, colour vision, lung function, hearing; drug test confidential (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Devon and Cornwall Police and Dorset Police recruitment: Eligibility for police officers — conditions on which candidates with a BMI outside 18 to 30 can progress (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Durham Constabulary: Police constable application form (PCEP), version 2.0 — an example of a force stating BMI must be 30 or below (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Thames Valley Police careers: Police officer eligibility (FAQ) — fitness test after a provisional offer, with medical and vetting, typically 2 to 3 months before an intake (accessed 1 October 2026)
- Metropolitan Police: Medical Standards and Screening SOP (2012, published under FOI) — historic example of a force process: medical after provisional offer, medical hold while evidence is gathered, case conference (accessed 1 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with the College of Policing, the Home Office or any police force, and it does not recruit, vet or assess applicants. Recruitment standards, assessment formats and vetting decisions are set by the College of Policing and each force and change from time to time: check the force you are applying to before relying on anything here. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 1 October 2026.