CritiCall practice test: what to expect and how to prepare

Updated November 1, 2026

CritiCall is a computer-based pre-employment test that many 911 centers in the United States use to screen dispatcher and call-taker applicants. Its publisher says it measures the abilities a person needs before any training, so you do not need dispatch experience to take it. What you do need is comfort with a keyboard, a mouse and a headset, because almost everything happens on screen and at speed.

This page describes the test from the publisher's public candidate guide and from agency pages, then explains how to practice. Dispatcher Prep is an independent product. We have no access to real test items and our exercises are original.

Your agency decides which modules you take

There is no single CritiCall test. Each hiring agency chooses modules and sets its own passing scores, so two candidates in two counties can sit quite different exams. Some agencies publish details. For example, Denco 911 describes its own testing process on its site, and Grand Traverse County lists data entry, memory, multitasking, map reading and note taking. Read your testing notice first and ask the agency if it leaves something out. Retake rules and waiting periods also vary by agency.

What the publisher says may be measured

The publisher's guide lists abilities that may be measured. In plain terms:

Following rules and deciding quickly. Choosing the right response from rules you were given.
Data entry. Typing names, phone numbers and license plate sequences that you read or hear.
Listening and summarizing. Answering questions about information told to you as a short story.
Finding information. Locating an entry on a list, such as a name in a phone book.
Comparing. Deciding whether addresses or names are the same or different.
Memory. Recalling descriptions you saw and phone or plate numbers you heard moments ago.
Basic maps. Finding routes and locations. No map training is expected, but you need left and right.
Language. Spelling common sound-alike words, writing clear sentences and reading passages.

How the test behaves on screen

A few details from the guide are worth rehearsing because they cost points when they surprise you:

Uppercase entry. Many parts accept only capital letters, like the computer-aided dispatch systems used on the job.
A fixed form. Data entry uses set fields, including last name, first name, telephone, address, city, ZIP, vehicle identification number, license plate and driver's license. You can click between them or use Tab and Shift+Tab.
Emergency messages. Messages can pop up while you do another task. You choose who to send: police, fire, EMS or a utility company. The guide gives 15 seconds per message, with no credit for a late or wrong choice.
Rules supplied in advance. The guide prints the decision rules. Learn them from your own copy and use those rules during the test, not what you know about a real agency.
Skipping costs you. Unless told otherwise for a section, skipped questions are penalized.
Practice items. Each section starts with unscored practice items that you may bypass.
Num Lock. The guide notes that many test takers like having it on for number entry.

How long it takes

Length depends on the modules your agency picked. Published estimates range from about 45 minutes to around three hours, so plan for a long session and ask your agency if timing matters for your day.

A practice plan that matches the test

Get the current guide. Download the publisher's candidate guide and learn the four decision rules.
Find your weak skills. Take a short mixed check instead of drilling what you already do well.
Train entry in uppercase. Use the same field order until Tab is automatic. See our audio data entry guide.
Practice phone numbers from memory. The guide suggests having someone read a seven-digit number, then typing it without a hyphen, with about five seconds between numbers.
Add interruptions. Keep typing while emergency messages appear. See our multitasking guide.
Measure net typing speed. Check your agency's minimum and our typing test guide.
Review every miss. A transposed digit and a wrong field call for different practice.

What a practice score can and cannot tell you

Practice scores help you compare yourself with yourself over time. They do not predict a CritiCall result, and no independent product can honestly promise a pass. Be careful with any site that claims real questions or a guaranteed score. Repeating the same item also inflates your confidence, so look for practice that keeps giving you new material.

The test is usually one step in hiring. Agencies commonly add interviews and background checks, and some use a polygraph. Your agency's posting is the place to confirm them.

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Dispatcher Prep is independent practice, not an official test. Hiring agencies set their own tests and requirements, so confirm the details with yours.