How Long Is the Beep Test?
Each shuttle is 20 metres (65.6 feet). Finish all 20 levels and you have run 231 shuttles, 4,620 metres, in 20:55. Most people stop long before that: a score of 8.8 is 1,380 metres in about 8:06.
Run the Beep Test Free →Beep Test Distance
The course is two lines 20 metres apart, about 65.6 feet. One shuttle is one run from line to line. Going there and back counts as two shuttles, which is where a lot of people's distance maths goes wrong.
The whole 20-level test adds up to 4,620 metres: 4.62 km, 2.87 miles, or about 15,157 feet. To get your own distance, multiply the shuttles you completed by 20. Stop at the end of level 6 and it's 1,020 metres. Get through level 10 and it's 1,880.
Beep Test Times
A full run takes 20:55, but the test stops when you miss the beep, so its length is really how long you last. Each level is built to take roughly a minute: the shortest runs 59.3 seconds and the longest 66.0. As the speed rises, more shuttles are packed into that minute. That makes the level you reach a fair guess at the minutes you were running.
The run itself isn't the whole session. Marking out the course, warming up and cooling down add to it, so book more time than your score suggests. The guide to doing the beep test covers the setup.
How Long Common Scores Take
| Score | Shuttles | Distance | Time | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.4 | 36 | 720m · 2,362 ft | 4:36 | Often confused with the 15m police standard |
| 7.1 | 52 | 1,040m · 3,412 ft | 6:22 | |
| 8.8 | 69 | 1,380m · 4,528 ft | 8:06 | Pass mark at 9 of 10 UK fire services we checked |
| 10.1 | 84 | 1,680m · 5,512 ft | 9:33 | |
| 13.10 | 128 | 2,560m · 8,399 ft | 13:24 | Above this rates "excellent" for men 18-25 (Topend Sports) |
A score is the last level and shuttle you completed, so 8.8 is level 8, shuttle 8. On the 20m test, 5.4 is only 4:36 of running. UK police candidates who ask about 5.4 usually mean the 15-metre test, covered below, which is a different table. The firefighter page lists which fire services use 8.8, and the levels chart has a lookup for any other score.
20 Meter Beep Test: Distance and Time by Level
Totals are cumulative, counted from the first beep to the end of each level. Every figure is worked out from the 20-level schedule the app on this site runs.
| Level | Shuttles | Level time | Total shuttles | Total distance | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | 59.3s | 7 | 140m459 ft | 0:59 |
| 2 | 8 | 64.0s | 15 | 300m984 ft | 2:03 |
| 3 | 8 | 60.6s | 23 | 460m1,509 ft | 3:03 |
| 4 | 9 | 64.8s | 32 | 640m2,100 ft | 4:08 |
| 5 | 9 | 61.7s | 41 | 820m2,690 ft | 5:10 |
| 6 | 10 | 65.5s | 51 | 1,020m3,346 ft | 6:15 |
| 7 | 10 | 62.6s | 61 | 1,220m4,003 ft | 7:18 |
| 8 | 11 | 66.0s | 72 | 1,440m4,724 ft | 8:24 |
| 9 | 11 | 63.4s | 83 | 1,660m5,446 ft | 9:27 |
| 10 | 11 | 60.9s | 94 | 1,880m6,168 ft | 10:28 |
| 11 | 12 | 64.0s | 106 | 2,120m6,955 ft | 11:32 |
| 12 | 12 | 61.7s | 118 | 2,360m7,743 ft | 12:34 |
| 13 | 13 | 64.6s | 131 | 2,620m8,596 ft | 13:39 |
| 14 | 13 | 62.4s | 144 | 2,880m9,449 ft | 14:41 |
| 15 | 13 | 60.5s | 157 | 3,140m10,302 ft | 15:41 |
| 16 | 14 | 63.0s | 171 | 3,420m11,220 ft | 16:44 |
| 17 | 14 | 61.0s | 185 | 3,700m12,139 ft | 17:46 |
| 18 | 15 | 63.6s | 200 | 4,000m13,123 ft | 18:49 |
| 19 | 15 | 61.7s | 215 | 4,300m14,108 ft | 19:51 |
| 20 | 16 | 64.0s | 231 | 4,620m15,157 ft | 20:55 |
Shuttle counts and timings follow the 20m multi-stage fitness test schedule from Léger et al. (1988). Speeds for each level are on the levels chart.
How Many Feet Is the PACER Test?
The standard PACER course is 20 meters, about 65.6 feet, the same as the beep test. Gyms without room for that use the 15-meter PACER, about 49.2 feet. A lap is one run from line to line.
The PACER score sheet prints 15 levels, ending at 157 laps. On the 20-meter course that's 3,140 meters, about 10,302 feet or 1.95 miles. The recording itself runs 21 levels at one a minute, so about 21 minutes if anyone ever heard it out.
The laps per level match the beep test table up to level 20, so the distance column above works for a 20-meter PACER lap count too. The times don't match exactly, because the PACER's first level is slower. The PACER vs beep test comparison goes through the differences.
PACER figures from the Cooper Institute's FITNESSGRAM/ACTIVITYGRAM Test Administration Manual (2010). PACER® and FitnessGram® are registered trademarks of The Cooper Institute. beeptest.net is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Cooper Institute.
How Long Is the 15m Beep Test?
The 15-metre version used for the UK police Job Related Fitness Test is run to one standard, level 5, shuttle 4. That's 35 shuttles of 15 metres, 525 metres in all, and it takes 3:35. The 15m beep test page has the full level table and the College of Policing source.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is the beep test?
Each shuttle is 20 metres. The full 20-level test is 231 shuttles, which adds up to 4,620 metres (4.62 km, or 2.87 miles). Your own distance is shuttles completed times 20: a score of 8.8 is 69 shuttles, so 1,380 metres.
How long does the beep test take?
Running every level takes 20:55, but hardly anyone gets there. The test ends when you miss the beep, so it lasts as long as you do. Each level runs about a minute, so your level number is close to the minutes you were running: 8.8 takes 8:06.
How many feet is the PACER test?
The 20-meter PACER course is about 65.6 feet between the lines, and the 15-meter version is about 49.2 feet. The 15 levels on the PACER score sheet come to 157 laps, which on the 20-meter course is 3,140 meters or about 10,302 feet.
Is the beep test 20 metres there and back?
No. The 20 metres is the gap between the two lines, and one shuttle is one run from one line to the other. Going there and back is two shuttles, or 40 metres.
How many shuttles are in the beep test?
231 across all 20 levels on the 20m table this site uses. Level 1 has 7 and level 20 has 16. The full per-level breakdown is in the table on this page.
How long is the 15m beep test?
The UK police version is run to a single standard, level 5, shuttle 4. That is 35 shuttles of 15 metres, so 525 metres, and it takes 3:35.
By Tim · Last updated September 25, 2026