Is there an “official” typing test?
Short answer: no. There is no single authority that certifies typing speed. There are three kinds of test employers actually use, and the job posting tells you which one it means. This page explains them and says plainly when ours counts.
Why people search for an official test
Job postings say things like “must provide an official typing certificate” or “typing test required, 40 WPM”. Candidates reasonably assume that somewhere there is an official test, the way there is an official driving test. There is not. Typing speed is not licensed. “Official” in a posting just means “the test we have decided to accept”, and that decision is made employer by employer, and sometimes department by department.
So the useful question is not “which test is official?” but “which category of test does this employer accept?”. There are three.
Category 1: Employer-run tests
The employer tests you themselves, during the application or at interview. It might be their own software, a staffing agency's test, a commercial assessment platform, or an invite link from a tool like ours. The employer sees the result directly and does not need a certificate from you.
How to recognise it: the posting says a typing test “will be administered” or “is part of the selection process”, or you receive a link from the employer.
What to do: practise in the same format. If they say 5 minutes, practise 5 minutes. A free 5-minute test will give you a realistic net WPM so you know where you stand before the real thing.
Category 2: Government and proctored tests
Many public-sector employers require a certificate from a proctored test, meaning a person verified your identity and watched you take it, usually in person at a testing centre, adult school, community college, staffing agency or the agency's own HR office.
- As of 2026, California's CalHR guidance for state classes with a typing requirement calls for a certificate from a proctored 5-minute test showing net words per minute and errors, issued by the administering organisation. Check the current policy and the specific job bulletin.
- Some city and county personnel departments, including some large city HR departments, require their own typing certificate or one from a list of approved sources, and may run the test on site. Rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time.
- Courts, police records units and 911 dispatch centres often test on their own systems because the job involves specific software.
How to recognise it: words like “proctored”, “administered by”, “approved agency”, “certified by”, or a list of acceptable issuers.
What to do: do not submit an online certificate; it will be rejected and may delay your application. Find a proctored provider the agency accepts. Use an online test only to practise to the required speed first.
Category 3: Online verifiable tests
An online test you take yourself, which issues a certificate the employer can check against a record held by the test provider. This is what TechTypo is. The value over a plain screenshot is the verification: anyone with the link can confirm the score was recorded, when, and under what name, and an edited certificate will not match.
How to recognise it: the posting asks for a typing certificate without naming an issuer or requiring proctoring, or says a certificate from an online test is acceptable.
What it does not prove: who was at the keyboard. No unproctored test can.
When our test qualifies
To be clear about what we are and are not:
| Situation | Does a TechTypo result count? |
|---|---|
| Employer sent you a TechTypo invite link | Yes. They see your result directly on their dashboard. |
| Private employer or staffing agency asks for a typing certificate, no issuer named | Usually yes. Send the certificate and the verification link. |
| Posting requires a proctored or agency-administered test | No. Use us to practise, then take the proctored test. |
| Posting names a specific issuer or the agency's own certificate | No. Follow the posting. |
Our certificate attests to a browser-based test result only, and the certificate page says so. We would rather you knew that before applying than after.
What any accepted certificate usually needs to show
Whether a certificate is proctored or online, most policies look for the same fields: candidate name, date, test length in minutes, gross WPM, net WPM or error count, and the issuing organisation. Many also want it to be recent (6 to 12 months is common; some public agencies set their own window). Ours shows all of those plus the test type and verification URL. A 5-minute test is the safest length to hold because it is the most widely specified; see why 5 minutes.
For employers deciding what to accept
If your organisation has no written policy, the practical approach most private employers use is: accept a verifiable online certificate for screening, then administer your own test for finalists. The employer tool lets you do the second part with an invite link, hidden results and integrity flags, free during early access. If identity assurance is critical, pair it with a video call or in-person session; we do not offer webcam proctoring.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official typing test?
No. There is no single body that certifies typing speed, and no test is official for every employer. A test is official only in the sense that a particular employer or agency has decided to accept it. Always check the job posting for who must administer the test.
Is the TechTypo typing test official?
It is a verifiable online test. It is accepted when the employer accepts online certificates or when the employer sent you a TechTypo invite link themselves. It is not a proctored test and does not meet requirements, such as many government ones, that call for a proctored or agency-administered test.
What does proctored mean on a typing test?
A proctored test is administered by a person who verifies your identity and watches you take it, in person or over a monitored video session. Its purpose is to confirm the named person actually typed the result.
What should a typing certificate include to be accepted?
Most policies ask for the candidate's name, the date, the test length in minutes, gross and net words per minute or the error count, and the name of the issuing organisation or administrator. Some public agencies add rules about test length, minimum WPM and how recently it was issued.