FBI Agent Requirements

Job Description

FBI Special Agents are responsible for conducting sensitive national security investigations and for enforcing over 300 federal statutes. As an FBI Special Agent you may work on matters including terrorism, foreign counterintelligence, cyber crime, organized crime, white-collar crime, public corruption, civil rights violations, financial crime, bribery, bank robbery, extortion, kidnapping, air piracy, interstate criminal activity, fugitive and drug-trafficking matters, and other violations of federal statutes.

There is no such thing as a typical day for an FBI Special Agent. Every day is different. One day you could be testifying in federal court, the next you could be executing a search warrant and gathering evidence, the next you could be meeting with a source to gather intelligence on illegal activities, the next you could be making an arrest, and the next you could be back in the office meeting with your squad and catching up on paperwork.

Job Requirements

Serving as a Special Agent is a very demanding job with strict entry requirements. Please review closely all requirements to ensure that you qualify before you apply.

To become an FBI Special Agent you must be a U.S. citizen or a citizen of the Northern Mariana Islands. You must be at least 23 years of age, but younger than 37 upon your appointment as a Special Agent. Age waivers may be granted to preference eligible veterans who have surpassed their 37th birthday. You must possess a four-year degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional or national institutional associations recognized by the United States Secretary of Education. You must have at least three years of professional work experience. You must also possess a valid driver’s license and be completely available for assignment anywhere in the FBI’s jurisdiction.

All applicants for the Special Agent position must first qualify under one of five Special Agent Entry Programs. These programs include:

  • Accounting
  • Computer Science/Information Technology
  • Language
  • Law
  • Diversified

After qualifying for one of the five Entry Programs, applicants will be prioritized in the hiring process based upon certain Critical Skills for which the FBI is recruiting. The FBI is currently recruiting for Special Agent candidates with one or more of the following Critical Skills:

  • Accounting
  • Finance
  • Computer Science/Information Technology Expertise
  • Engineering Expertise
  • Foreign Language(s) Proficiency
  • Intelligence Experience
  • Law Experience
  • Law Enforcement/Investigative Experience
  • Military Experience
  • Physical Sciences (e.g., physics, chemistry, biology, etc.) Expertise
  • Diversified Experience

Candidates with these Critical Skills are essential to address our increasingly complex responsibilities. As such, candidates with one or more of these skills will be prioritized in the hiring process.

All candidates that meet the Entry Program and Critical Skill requirements must also:

  • meet the Special Agent Physical Requirements
  • and pass the FBI Background Investigation.

The FBI is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity.