- Overview: What the Seven Domains Actually Cover
- Domain 1: Roll Call Activities
- Domain 2: Waste Collection and Removal
- Domain 3: Operation, Maintenance, and Preparation of Vehicles and Equipment
- Domain 4: Communicating Information
- Domain 5: Garage Tasks
- Domain 6: Snow Removal, Weather-Related Conditions, and Emergencies
- Domain 7: Forms, Reports, and Logs
- The Cognitive Skills Layered on Top of the Domains
- Mapping a Study Schedule to the Domains
- Registration, Fees, and Eligibility Context
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The exam is built around seven job-task domains, from Roll Call Activities to Forms and Logs.
- You need at least 70% correct on the computer-terminal multiple-choice test to pass.
- Questions also test written comprehension, problem sensitivity, and four other cognitive skills alongside the domains.
- The current notice, Exam No. 2060, charges a $61 application fee plus a 2% card fee and a $20 physical-test fee.
Overview: What the Seven Domains Actually Cover
The New York City Sanitation Worker Exam is not a generic civil service quiz - it is built directly around the daily responsibilities of a Department of Sanitation worker. The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) administers the open-competitive exam on behalf of DSNY, and the most recent public notice, Exam No. 2060, organized the multiple-choice content into seven distinct job-task areas. Understanding these seven domains before you sit down at the computer terminal is the single most useful thing you can do to prepare, because every scenario-based question on the test traces back to one of them.
If you're still getting oriented to the exam in general, our NYC-SW Study Guide 2026 walks through the full preparation process, and this article zooms in specifically on the content areas themselves. For a broader look at how the domains fit into the exam's overall difficulty, see How Hard Is the NYC-SW Exam?
Domain 1: Roll Call Activities
Roll Call Activities
This domain covers the start-of-shift routine: reporting for duty, receiving work assignments, reviewing route or truck assignments, and confirming equipment before heading out. Questions in this area test whether you understand the sequence and purpose of pre-shift procedures.
- Recognizing correct order of operations at the start of a shift
- Understanding why assignment information must be verified before departure
- Identifying what information a supervisor typically communicates at roll call
Roll call questions are often scenario-based: you're given a short situation and asked what the correct next step is. Because this domain sits at the very beginning of a shift, it also connects naturally to Domain 4 (communication) and Domain 7 (documentation), since accurate reporting at roll call feeds directly into paperwork later in the day.
Domain 2: Waste Collection and Removal
Waste Collection and Removal
This is the core, highest-visibility function of the job, and candidates should expect it to be well represented on the exam. It covers proper collection procedures for household refuse, recycling, and bulk items, along with safety practices while collecting.
- Differentiating collection procedures for various waste types
- Applying safe lifting and handling techniques
- Recognizing hazards during collection (traffic, obstructions, unsafe materials)
- Following route-based collection logic
Expect situational questions describing a collection scenario - a blocked driveway, an overloaded can, a questionable item at the curb - and asking you to choose the response that best matches DSNY procedure and safety expectations. This domain rewards practical judgment more than memorized trivia, which is part of why practicing full-length scenario questions matters; you can build that familiarity using the full practice test platform.
Domain 3: Operation, Maintenance, and Preparation of Department Vehicles and Equipment
Vehicles and Equipment
This domain tests knowledge of collection trucks, mechanical brooms, and other DSNY equipment - how to inspect it, prepare it for use, and maintain it safely during a shift.
- Pre-operation inspection steps and what to check for
- Basic maintenance responsibilities of the operator versus the garage
- Safe operating procedures around hydraulics, packing mechanisms, and compactors
- Recognizing signs of equipment malfunction
Because appointment requires a valid New York State Class A or B commercial driver license with the required tanker endorsement, questions here may also touch on the practical judgment expected of someone who will eventually operate this equipment on city streets. This domain pairs closely with Domain 5, since garage-based maintenance and on-route equipment operation overlap conceptually.
Domain 4: Communicating Information (Physical and Verbal)
Communicating Information
Sanitation work involves constant coordination - with a partner, a supervisor, other drivers, and the public. This domain tests your ability to relay accurate information clearly, both verbally and through physical signals used on the job.
- Choosing the clearest way to relay a hazard or problem to a partner or supervisor
- Interpreting hand signals and radio-style communication scenarios
- Recognizing when and how to escalate an issue
This is one of the domains where the underlying cognitive skill of written expression and information ordering becomes especially visible: the "correct" answer is often the option that communicates the necessary information in the clearest, most logical sequence, not simply the option that sounds polite or thorough.
Domain 5: Garage Tasks
Garage Tasks
This domain covers activities that happen at the garage rather than on the route - fueling, cleaning, parking procedures, and coordinating with other workers and supervisors in a shared facility.
- Proper vehicle parking and storage procedures
- Fueling and basic servicing protocol
- Shared-space safety awareness in a busy garage environment
Garage Tasks questions tend to be shorter and more procedural than the Waste Collection scenarios, but they still require you to apply logic rather than recall an isolated fact. Treat this domain as a natural pair with Domain 3 when you study, since both concern equipment handling before and after a route.
Domain 6: Snow Removal, Weather-Related Conditions, and Emergencies
Snow Removal and Emergencies
DSNY's role expands dramatically during snow events and other emergencies, and this domain tests judgment under those altered conditions - plowing procedures, salt spreading, and general emergency response behavior.
- Sequencing of snow-response duties and equipment changes
- Safety considerations unique to winter weather operations
- General emergency-response judgment (recognizing when to alert a supervisor, when to pause operations)
This domain often surprises candidates who assume the exam is only about routine trash collection. Because winter operations are a defining part of DSNY's mission, expect a meaningful share of questions to test how well you understand the shift in procedure that snow and other emergencies require.
Key Takeaway
Don't skip the less "obvious" domains like Garage Tasks or Snow Removal just because Waste Collection feels like the headline topic - DCAS built all seven domains into the same scored test, and any of them can appear in scenario form.
Domain 7: Preparation, Completion, and Review of Forms, Reports, and Logs
Forms, Reports, and Logs
Paperwork accuracy matters in this job, and this domain checks whether you can correctly fill out, review, and interpret the kinds of forms and logs DSNY workers use to document routes, incidents, and equipment status.
- Identifying what information belongs on a specific form or log
- Spotting errors or omissions in a sample entry
- Understanding why accurate logs matter for accountability and safety
Questions here frequently present a partially filled-out form or log and ask you to identify the missing or incorrect entry. This is a good domain to practice with sample scenarios rather than just reading about procedures, since the skill being tested is applied attention to detail.
The Cognitive Skills Layered on Top of the Domains
Beyond the seven job-task domains, the exam also measures general cognitive abilities that show up inside domain-specific questions rather than as a separate section. These include written comprehension, problem sensitivity, written expression, information ordering, deductive reasoning, spatial orientation, and inductive reasoning.
- Written comprehension - understanding written instructions, policies, or scenario text accurately.
- Problem sensitivity - recognizing when something is wrong or about to go wrong in a described situation.
- Written expression - choosing the clearest, most correct way to communicate information in writing.
- Information ordering - arranging steps or facts in the correct logical or procedural sequence.
- Deductive reasoning - applying a general rule to a specific situation to reach a conclusion.
- Spatial orientation - understanding direction, position, and routes described in a scenario.
- Inductive reasoning - combining separate pieces of information to form a general conclusion.
These skills are not tested in isolation; they're woven into the domain questions described above. A Waste Collection question, for example, might really be testing problem sensitivity, while a Forms and Logs question might be testing information ordering. Recognizing this overlap is part of what makes the passing score requirement of 70% achievable with the right preparation approach.
Mapping a Study Schedule to the Domains
Rather than studying generically, it helps to assign specific weeks to specific domains, especially if you're balancing prep with work or family obligations. The goal isn't to memorize a rigid schedule but to make sure all seven domains get dedicated attention before test day.
Roll Call Activities & Waste Collection
- Review pre-shift procedures and sequencing logic
- Work through waste collection scenario questions
Vehicles, Equipment & Garage Tasks
- Study inspection and maintenance procedures
- Connect garage-based tasks to equipment operation questions
Communication, Snow Removal & Emergencies
- Practice choosing clear, well-ordered responses to communication scenarios
- Review winter operations and emergency judgment questions
Forms, Logs & Full Review
- Practice spotting errors in sample forms and logs
- Take full-length practice sessions covering all seven domains together
This pacing intentionally leaves the final week for mixed review, since real exam questions rarely announce which domain they belong to - you need to recognize the underlying scenario type on the fly. Our one-page cheat sheet can help you do a fast final pass across all seven areas before test day.
Registration, Fees, and Eligibility Context
Knowing the content domains only matters if you're actually eligible to sit for the exam. Under the most recent notice, Exam No. 2060, applicants needed to be at least 17 1/2 years old by the end of the application period, though appointment itself requires being 21, holding a high school diploma or equivalent, and possessing a valid New York State Class A or B commercial driver license with the required tanker endorsement and no prohibited restrictions. Appointment also involves physical, medical, drug-and-alcohol, background, residency, and driver-license checks. For the full eligibility breakdown, see our NYC-SW Requirements guide.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $61, plus a 2% card service fee |
| Qualifying physical-test fee | $20 (separate charge) |
| Passing score | At least 70% on the computer-terminal multiple-choice test |
| Eligible list duration | Typically active for four years |
| Minimum age to apply | 17 1/2 by end of application period (21 for appointment) |
For a complete cost picture including how the card service fee is calculated, read our Certification Cost breakdown. If you're weighing whether the process and eventual role are worth pursuing, our ROI analysis and salary guide cover current DSNY pay, which starts at $47,752 and rises to $95,316 after 5 1/2 years before assignment differentials and overtime.
Once you've applied, you can start applying domain knowledge to realistic practice questions on the main practice test platform, which is the most direct way to see how these seven areas show up in an actual test-like format rather than just as a list of topics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Seven: Roll Call Activities, Waste Collection and Removal, Operation/Maintenance/Preparation of Vehicles and Equipment, Communicating Information, Garage Tasks, Snow Removal and Emergencies, and Forms/Reports/Logs.
DCAS has not published exact per-domain weighting percentages for the current notice, so it's safest to prepare all seven domains thoroughly rather than assume any single area dominates the test.
No. Written comprehension, problem sensitivity, written expression, information ordering, deductive reasoning, spatial orientation, and inductive reasoning are tested through the domain-based scenario questions, not as standalone sections.
No. Calculators and other electronic devices are prohibited at the computer terminal, so any reasoning involving numbers or logic must be done without them.
You need at least 70% correct overall on the multiple-choice test. See our passing score guide for more detail on how that threshold works in practice.