US Federal Clerk-Typist Test
US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), GS-322 series · Clerk-Typist and related GS-300 clerical positions
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About US Federal Clerk-Typist Test
OPM's classic clerical-series typing standard: a 5-minute business-correspondence passage, a 40 WPM floor, and no more than 3 errors — one of the most widely-referenced typing benchmarks in US government and state-level clerical hiring (several state systems, including California's CalCareers, use the same band). This mock reproduces the exact duration, speed target, and error ceiling.
Exam Format
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Duration | 5 minutes |
| Passage style | Standard business/office correspondence |
| Pass mark | 40 WPM |
| Error tolerance | 3 errors maximum — a 4th error fails the test regardless of speed |
🎯 This is a mock test
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 40 WPM / 3 errors an official, universal US government standard?
It's the long-standing OPM benchmark for the GS-322 Clerk-Typist series and closely related clerical roles, and several state hiring systems use the same band. Individual agencies and roles can set their own thresholds, so always check your specific job posting.
What happens if I make exactly 3 errors?
You still pass — the limit is a maximum of 3, so 3 errors is the last acceptable count. A 4th error fails the test even if your WPM clears 40.