The short answer: the RCMP Police Fitness Assessment (PFA) Field test has three pass or fail components, and you must meet the standard for each: a 500 m foot pursuit in 2 minutes 30 seconds or less, a repeated bag lift and carry in 3 minutes 45 seconds or less, and a 4.5 kg medicine ball throw of at least 2.6 m. This page puts those standards next to a tracker for your own practice and a checklist that keeps three things apart: what the RCMP requires, what ETHOS Prep suggests, and what you have actually done.
The standards below were read on the RCMP’s own pages on 2026-11-06 (the RCMP lists them as modified 2026-09-15). Requirements change, so confirm them with your recruiter before you rely on them. The old PARE was retired in 2024; this page is about the PFA.
PFA Field test: official standards and your practice results
Enter a result from your own practice to compare it with the RCMP’s published standard. A home or gym result is not the assessment: conditions, equipment and course layout differ, and meeting a number here does not mean you would pass.
Official standard (RCMP)
Foot pursuit
Run a total of 500 m as quickly and safely as possible. The course layout varies with the facility (for example multiple laps of a 50 m course, a 250 m out-and-back, or a square or circular course).
Standard: Complete the course in 2 minutes and 30 seconds or less.
Enter your own practice result to compare it with the published standard.
Official standard (RCMP)
Repeated bag lift and carry
Lift a 20.5 kg (45 lb) sandbag from the floor to a target height and tap it on a wall, lower it, move to the next bag and repeat: 14 lifts to 1 m and 1 final lift to 1.4 m. Then run 50 m, pick up two 20.5 kg bags, carry them 50 m, and repeat that sequence three times.
Standard: Complete the entire event in 3 minutes and 45 seconds or less.
Enter your own practice result to compare it with the published standard.
Official standard (RCMP)
Medicine ball toss
Sit on the floor with your back against a wall and legs straddled, shoulder blades in contact with the wall, and throw a 4.5 kg (10 lb) medicine ball forward as far as possible. You get 1 practice attempt and 3 attempts; your longest successful throw counts.
Standard: Throw a 4.5 kg (10 lb) medicine ball a minimum distance of 2.6 m.
Enter your own practice result to compare it with the published standard.
RCMP fitness self-tests
The RCMP recommends these self-tests to gauge readiness for cadet training, every four weeks. Its three bands are minimum, target and superior.
Official standard (RCMP)
5 km run self-test
Mark out a 5 km route, use a GPS or odometer, and if possible avoid a treadmill.
Minimum: 30 minutes. Target: 23 minutes 30 seconds to 26 minutes. Superior: 20 minutes 20 seconds to 23 minutes.
Enter your own self-test result to see where it sits against the RCMP's three bands.
Official standard (RCMP)
Push-up self-test
Place a small folded towel under your chin, lower until your chin touches it, push up until your arms are straight, keep your body straight with thighs off the floor, and do as many as you can without breaks or resting your knees.
Minimum: 10 continuous repetitions. Target: 25 to 40 continuous repetitions. Superior: 40 to 60 continuous repetitions.
Enter your own self-test result to see where it sits against the RCMP's three bands.
Readiness checklist
Each item is labelled as an official requirement, an ETHOS Prep suggestion, or your own progress. Ticking items does not measure medical fitness or predict a result.
0 of 10 ticked. Your results and ticks stay in this browser only.
How the assessment is structured
The PFA Field test is pass or fail and has three components. You must meet the established standard for each one. Applicants receive a minimum five-minute recovery period between components.
The RCMP says the PFA Field test is a new requirement in the Regular Member application process: applicants who apply on or after September 15, 2026 must successfully complete it to continue in the recruitment process. The RCMP page does not state a validity period or a retake policy, so ask your recruiter.
The Field test is not the test you take at the RCMP Academy. Cadets later complete a different, four-assessment version (the bona fide occupational requirement version) at Depot.
The self-tests and what the bands mean
The RCMP recommends doing the fitness self-tests every four weeks, and more often if you are struggling with your fitness. The RCMP describes the minimum standard as the lowest level that gives a reasonable chance of meeting the physical requirements of cadet training, the target standard as an average level compared with the cadet population, and the superior standard as the top 10% of cadet fitness performance. These are cadet-training benchmarks, not the application test.
Where the RCMP pages differ
A separate RCMP page for B.C. and Yukon applicants (Project Red Serge, read 2026-09-28) gave a slightly different self-test rhythm (every 6 to 12 weeks) and a 5 km target range ending at 26 minutes 30 seconds, and said a physician completes a Physical Employment Standard form before you register for the fitness assessment. We have not re-read that page today. Check which page applies to you with your recruiter.
Official requirement, suggestion, or your progress
- Official requirement: the three Field test standards, the five-minute recovery between components, and the self-test bands, as the RCMP publishes them. Read them at the source: the RCMP Police Fitness Assessment page and the RCMP physical standards page.
- Preparation suggestion: trying each component once to learn what it feels like, scheduling a self-test every four weeks, and building in recovery. These are ETHOS Prep suggestions, not RCMP requirements.
- Your progress: the numbers and ticks you record. They show your own trend. They do not show medical fitness, and they do not predict whether you would pass.
What this checklist does not do
- It does not tell you whether you are medically fit to train or to take the assessment. Talk to a health professional before beginning or increasing hard training.
- It does not guarantee a result. A practice number measured at home is not the assessment.
- It does not replace your recruiter. Ask about validity, retakes and any medical form needed before you register.
- ETHOS Prep is independent of the RCMP and of every police service. Nothing here is official RCMP content.
Next steps
For the full explanation of each component and the cadet version, read the RCMP Police Fitness Assessment guide. Place your training around your application with the application timeline planner, see where the PFA sits among the stages in the RCMP application process guide, and practise the other half of the application with free police interview practice and the RCMP-style mock assessment. See pricing if you want full access to the practice bank.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Primary SourcePolice Fitness Assessment
Verified 2026-11-06
Open Official Source (opens in new tab) →Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Primary SourcePhysical standards to become an RCMP officer
Verified 2026-11-06
Open Official Source (opens in new tab) →
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