NIE Syllabus
2026
The syllabus for the National Investigators' Exam is parts 1 to 4 of Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual 2026, and nothing else. This guide walks through what each part covers, what is not examined, how the College says the law is tested, and how the September 2026 paper actually split between the parts according to the College's own published breakdown.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 11 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Parts 1 to 4 of Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual 2026: general principles, police powers and procedures; serious crime and other offences; property offences; and sexual offences. Parts 5 and 6 are not examined. Questions test applying the law to scenarios, not recalling tables, but PACE Code paragraphs the Manual refers to are examinable. In September 2026 the 70 scored questions split 30, 19, 11 and 10 across the four parts. The Tuesday, 17 November 2026 sitting uses the 2026 edition.
The NIE syllabus at a glance
Everything on this page comes from the College of Policing's NIE candidate handbook 2026 (published November 2025), its online exams candidate guide, and its own published results and subject breakdown for September 2026. Where we have added our own analysis, such as counting sub-sections, we say so. For the full picture of the exam, start at the NIE hub.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| The syllabus | Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual 2026 (Oxford University Press), parts 1 to 4 only |
| Not examined | Parts 5 and 6 of the Manual (Appendix A of the 2026 candidate handbook) |
| The four parts | 1. General principles, police powers and procedures 2. Serious crime and other offences 3. Property offences 4. Sexual offences |
| Size of the syllabus | 43 chapters and 361 numbered sub-sections in Appendix A (our count) |
| How it is tested | 80 multiple-choice application questions in 2 hours; 10 removed at marking, scored on 70 |
| Pass mark | 39 of 70 (55.7%); exceptional grade at 60 (85.7%) |
| Tables | Not tested as pure recall of information that appears only in a table |
| PACE Codes | Where the Manual's text refers to a paragraph of a PACE Code, you are expected to know it |
| Question split, September 2026 | Part 1: 30, Part 2: 19, Part 3: 11, Part 4: 10 of 70 scored (College subject area breakdown) |
| Edition for Tuesday, 17 November 2026 | 2026 edition. A 2027 edition does not apply to 2026 sittings |
| 2027 syllabus | Not published when we checked (11 October 2026) |
The handbook says the examinable content is cross-referenced to, and only contained within, the 2026 edition of the Manual, and that questions are drawn solely from it. Appendix A of the handbook is a planning aid; the Manual is the definitive source. If something is not in parts 1 to 4 of the 2026 Manual, it is not on the NIE.
The four examinable parts
The handbook says questions test knowledge and understanding of four areas, which match the first four parts of the Manual. Appendix A breaks each part into chapters and numbered sub-sections. We counted them to give you a sense of scale: 43 chapters and 361 sub-sections in total. Sub-sections vary a lot in length in the printed Manual, so this is a rough guide to breadth, not page count.
| Part | Name | Chapters | Sub-sections | Share of sub-sections | Scored questions, September 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | General principles, police powers and procedures | 12 | 157 | 43.5% | 30 (42.9%) |
| Part 2 | Serious crime and other offences | 14 | 101 | 28.0% | 19 (27.1%) |
| Part 3 | Property offences | 9 | 52 | 14.4% | 11 (15.7%) |
| Part 4 | Sexual offences | 8 | 51 | 14.1% | 10 (14.3%) |
One pattern stands out. Each part's share of the September 2026 questions is close to its share of the syllabus headings. Part 1 is about two fifths of both; parts 3 and 4 are each about a seventh. That is our observation from one sitting, not a College rule, but it is a useful reminder that no part is small enough to drop. The College says any part of the syllabus can be examined.
How the parts connect
- Part 1 is the toolkit. Mens rea, actus reus, accessories and causation are the building blocks every offence in parts 2 to 4 uses. The procedure chapters (PACE, bail, disclosure, RIPA) are what an investigator does with a suspect and the evidence.
- Part 2 is the widest range of offences. Fourteen chapters from homicide to driving, each with its own statute and vocabulary.
- Part 3 is the most self-contained. Theft's elements feed robbery, burglary and handling, so a strong grasp of theft pays off across the whole part.
- Part 4 is detailed. Ages, relationships and the consent presumptions decide which offence fits a scenario.
Part 1: General principles, police powers and procedures
Part 1 is the largest part of the syllabus by some distance, with 12 chapters and 157 sub-sections in Appendix A. In September 2026 it supplied 30 of the 70 scored questions. The table summarises each chapter in our own words; the chapter numbers follow Appendix A of the 2026 handbook.
| Chapter | What it covers (our summary) | Revision note |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Diversity, equality and inclusion | Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the protected characteristics, the forms of discrimination, how equality law applies to police officers, employees and applicants, liability for discrimination at work, and the public sector equality duty | Often skimmed as 'HR'. It is examinable like any other chapter |
| 1.2 Mens rea (state of mind) | Intent, recklessness, malice, 'wilfully', dishonesty, knowing, belief, negligence, strict liability and transferred mens rea | Every offence in parts 2 to 4 leans on these words. Learn them first |
| 1.3 Actus reus (criminal conduct) | Voluntary acts and automatism, coincidence of act and intent, omissions, causation and intervening acts, principals and accessories, joint enterprise, corporate and vicarious liability | Causation and accessories turn up inside scenario questions about other offences |
| 1.4 Instituting criminal proceedings | Written charge and requisition, serving a summons, written charge or requisition (including outside England and Wales), and issuing and executing warrants | Short chapter; easy marks lost if skipped |
| 1.5 Court procedure and witnesses | Pleading guilty by post, automatic online conviction, the single justice procedure, mode of trial, non-appearance, witnesses and anonymity, live links, special measures, refreshing memory, the Victims' Code, oaths, examination-in-chief and cross-examination | Know who qualifies for special measures and what each measure is |
| 1.6 Entry, search and seizure: PACE Code B | Code B sections 1 to 10: warrants and production orders, warrants for indictable offences, executing them, entry without warrant, searching with consent, conducting a search, seizure and retention, action afterwards, search registers, and searches under the TPIM and National Security Act schedules | Code B paragraphs cited in the Manual are examinable |
| 1.7 Detention and treatment of persons | Custody officers, designated persons and stations, Code C sections 1 to 9 and 13 to 17, detention time limits, reviews and extensions, charging, cautions as a disposal, drug testing, and Code C Annexes A, B, E, G, H, K, L, M and N | The longest chapter in the syllabus by sub-sections. Time limits and who authorises what are classic application points |
| 1.8 Identification: PACE Code D | Witness identification, fingerprints and footwear impressions, examinations and photographs, body samples and impressions, and Annexes A to G (video identification, parades, group identification, confrontation, photographs, destruction and speculative searches, attending for samples) | Learn when an identification procedure must be held and the safeguards in each annex |
| 1.9 Interviews | Code C section 10 (cautions), sections 11 and 12 (interviews generally and in police stations), Annex C (restriction on adverse inferences), Annex D (written statements under caution), Code E audio recording, Code F visual recording, and interviews involving Scottish forces | The caution wording and when the restricted caution applies are core investigator knowledge |
| 1.10 Release of person arrested | Release after arrest away from a police station, pre-charge release and bail, bail after charge, restrictions and grounds for refusal, sureties and security, arrest for breaking bail, absconding, and remands in police custody | A heavily procedural chapter where details matter |
| 1.11 Disclosure of evidence | Failure to comply, initial details of the prosecution case, and the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 Code of Practice paragraphs 1 to 10 (definitions, responsibilities, recording, retention, schedules, revelation, continuing duty, certification, disclosure to the accused) | Roles (investigator, disclosure officer, officer in charge) and duties are the usual focus |
| 1.12 The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 | Surveillance and covert human intelligence sources (CHIS): the definition of a CHIS, authorisations, criminal conduct authorisations and the safeguard for juveniles, covert surveillance, directed and intrusive surveillance | Know the difference between directed and intrusive surveillance and what makes someone a CHIS |
Part 1 gives you the language of every other part. A question about burglary, assault or a sexual offence can turn on whether the suspect was reckless, whether an omission counts, or whether a secondary party is liable. Learning chapters 1.2 and 1.3 early makes parts 2 to 4 faster to learn and easier to apply.
The procedure chapters (1.6 to 1.12) are where much of the PACE Code detail sits. They are long, so spread them across several weeks rather than reading them in one go. Our part 1 guide, PACE Codes guide and disclosure, RIPA and CHIS guide go deeper on these chapters.
Part 2: Serious crime and other offences
Part 2 has 14 chapters, more than any other part, though fewer sub-sections than part 1. In September 2026 it supplied 19 of the 70 scored questions. It covers the most serious offences an investigator deals with and a broad spread of everyday ones.
| Chapter | What it covers (our summary) | Revision note |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 Homicide | Murder, voluntary manslaughter and the special defences, involuntary manslaughter, causing or allowing the death or serious harm of a child or vulnerable adult, encouraging or assisting suicide, solicitation of murder | Partial defences and the elements of each manslaughter route |
| 2.2 Misuse of drugs | Classification, possession, supply and possession with intent, supplying articles, production, cultivation of cannabis, the section 28 defence, occupiers, offences abroad, incitement, travel restriction orders, police powers, psychoactive and intoxicating substances | Possession and the statutory defences are a rich source of scenario questions |
| 2.3 Firearms and gun crime | Definitions (firearm, ammunition, imitation), categories and section 1 firearms, transfer restrictions, imitation firearm offences, prohibited weapons, exemptions, criminal use of firearms, further offences, police powers, convicted persons | Definitions drive the answers. Do not try to memorise tables of categories |
| 2.4 Terrorism and associated offences | The definition of terrorism, Terrorism Act 2000 financial measures, the duty of disclosure and tipping off, Terrorism Act 2006 offences, police powers and cordons, explosive substances | |
| 2.5 Cybercrime | Computer Misuse Act 1990 offences, the Data Protection Act 2018, and malicious communications | |
| 2.6 Racially and religiously aggravated offences | Which offences can be aggravated and what 'racially or religiously aggravated' means | Links to assaults, harassment, public order and criminal damage elsewhere in the syllabus |
| 2.7 Non-fatal offences against the person | Assault, battery, the difference between them, consent, the assault offences, other assault offences, threats to kill, strangulation or suffocation | Consent and the boundary between offences are application favourites |
| 2.8 Hatred and harassment offences | Stirring up racial, religious or sexual orientation hatred, harassment and stalking offences, putting people in fear of violence, and police directions to prevent intimidation or harassment | |
| 2.9 Domestic violence and abuse | The statutory definition of domestic abuse, controlling or coercive behaviour, domestic violence protection notices and orders, the disclosure scheme, court orders | Who counts as 'personally connected' and what each notice or order does |
| 2.10 Child protection | Child abduction, child cruelty, police powers under the Children Act 1989 | Police protection powers are core for investigators |
| 2.11 Offences involving the deprivation of liberty | False imprisonment, kidnapping, slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour | |
| 2.12 Protecting citizens and the community | Injunctions to prevent gang-related violence and drug dealing activity, and injunctions under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 | |
| 2.13 Public order offences | Breach of the peace, riot, violent disorder, affray, fear or provocation of violence, intentional harassment, alarm or distress, harassment, alarm or distress, and intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance | Numbers of people, presence of others and the mental element separate these offences |
| 2.14 Offences involving standards of driving | Causing death or serious injury by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, causing death by careless driving under the influence, causing death or serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving, causing death by unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured driving, careless and inconsiderate driving, the Highway Code |
Breadth is the challenge here. Each chapter is its own statute with its own definitions, and several chapters overlap with each other: racially or religiously aggravated offences build on assaults, harassment, public order and criminal damage, and domestic abuse links to coercive control, protection notices and the harassment offences. Learn the base offence first, then the variations. More in our part 2 guide.
Part 3: Property offences
Part 3 has 9 chapters and 52 sub-sections and supplied 11 of the 70 scored questions in September 2026. It runs from theft to criminal damage, including fraud and money laundering.
| Chapter | What it covers (our summary) | Revision note |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Theft and related offences | The elements of theft: dishonesty (with the case law), appropriation, property, what is not property, belonging to another, obligations about another's property, and intention of permanently depriving | The foundation for robbery, burglary and handling. Learn each element separately |
| 3.2 Robbery | Theft with force or the threat of force, before or at the time of stealing, in order to steal | |
| 3.3 Blackmail | Unwarranted demands with menaces, gain and loss, and when a demand is 'unwarranted' | |
| 3.4 Burglary | Section 9(1)(a) and 9(1)(b), what is a building, intentions at the time of entry, conditional intent | The timing of the intent decides which limb applies |
| 3.5 Aggravated burglary | Burglary while having a firearm, imitation firearm, weapon of offence or explosive | |
| 3.6 Handling stolen goods | Goods and stolen goods, the ways of handling, the mental element, the power to search for stolen goods, evidence and procedure, proof that goods were stolen | |
| 3.7 Fraud | The Fraud Act 2006: false representation, failing to disclose, abuse of position, gain and loss, articles for use in fraud (possessing, making, supplying), obtaining services dishonestly, and false accounting | |
| 3.8 Proceeds of crime | The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 money laundering offences: criminal conduct, criminal property, concealing, arrangements, and acquisition, use and possession | |
| 3.9 Criminal damage | Simple and aggravated damage, arson, threats to destroy or damage, having articles with intent, contamination of or interference with goods | Lawful excuse and the aggravated offence's 'endangering life' element |
The logic of part 3 rewards structured learning. Theft has five elements; robbery is theft plus force; burglary is entry as a trespasser with a particular intent or followed by particular conduct; handling is dealing with goods that are already stolen. If you can test each element against a scenario, most part 3 questions become a checklist. See our part 3 guide.
Part 4: Sexual offences
Part 4 has 8 chapters and 51 sub-sections and supplied 10 of the 70 scored questions in September 2026. Almost all of it is the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and related legislation.
| Chapter | What it covers (our summary) | Revision note |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 Sexual offences: introduction | How the chapter fits together, and anonymity for complainants | |
| 4.2 Rape | The offence, the conduct element, consent and conditional consent, and the evidential and conclusive presumptions in sections 75 and 76 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 | When each presumption applies is a classic application point |
| 4.3 Sexual assault | Assault by penetration, the meaning of 'sexual' and 'touching', sexual assault, causing sexual activity without consent, and offences against children under 13 | |
| 4.4 Sexual offences against children | Sexual activity with a child, causing or inciting, activity in a child's presence, causing a child to watch, offences by under 18s, arranging or facilitating, meeting after grooming, sexual communication, abuse of position of trust, familial offences, indecent images, sexual exploitation, possession of a paedophile manual, offences abroad | The widest chapter in part 4. Ages and relationships change which offence applies |
| 4.5 Offences against people with a mental disorder | The definition of mental disorder and the offences involving a person whose mental disorder impedes choice | |
| 4.6 Preparatory offences | Administering a substance with intent, committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence, trespass with intent | |
| 4.7 Offences relating to prostitution | Definition, causing, inciting or controlling prostitution, paying for sexual services of a person subjected to force, brothels and disorderly houses, soliciting | |
| 4.8 Other sexual offences | Exposure, sending a photograph or film of genitals, sharing or threatening to share an intimate photograph or film, voyeurism and the additional voyeurism offences, outraging public decency, sexual activity in a public lavatory |
Part 4 is smaller than parts 1 and 2 but dense with detail: the age of the child, the age of the suspect, the relationship between them, and whether a consent presumption applies can each change the right answer. It is also the part people most often leave to the end. Give it its share of time early enough to come back to it. See our part 4 guide.
What is not examined
Appendix A of the handbook says plainly that parts 5 and 6 of the Investigators' Manual are not outlined because they are not examined in the NIE. The handbook does not say what those parts contain, so we have not named them here: check the contents page of your own copy.
- Parts 5 and 6 of the Manual. Not examined. Useful background for the job, but not exam revision.
- Material outside the 2026 Manual. Questions are drawn solely from the Manual. Case law or guidance that is not in it is not examinable, however relevant to your work.
- Recall of tables alone. The handbook says candidates will not be examined on simply recalling information that is contained solely in the tables.
- Law changes after publication. Not examined unless the College gives notice in exceptional circumstances.
- The sergeants' and inspectors' Manuals. The NIE has its own Manual. The Crime, Evidence and Procedure, and General Police Duties Manuals are the syllabus for the NPPF promotion exams, not the NIE.
The handbook expects you to keep up with new law for your own professional development even where it is not tested, and says forces should make sure candidates know about it. Parts 5 and 6 may still help you as a trainee investigator. They just are not where your exam marks come from.
How the syllabus is tested
The handbook and the College's online exams candidate guide together say a good deal about the style of the paper. None of it changes what you study, but it should change how you study it.
Application, not recall
The handbook says the exam is not aimed at testing pure factual recall of the syllabus, which would be readily available for reference in the workplace. The candidate guide describes the questions as multiple-choice application questions. In practice that means a short scenario and a choice of answers, where you have to decide which offence is made out, whether a power is available, or what a Code requires in those facts. You need to know the law well enough to use it, not just to recognise it.
Tables are not tested as recall
Candidates will not be examined on their ability simply to recall information contained solely in the tables in the Manual. Two cautions. First, many tables summarise law that is also explained in the text, and that law is examinable. Second, the rule is about recall of the table itself; a scenario question can still require you to understand the rule behind it.
PACE Code paragraphs are examinable where the Manual cites them
Where the Manual's text directly refers to a paragraph of one of the PACE Codes, the handbook says you will be expected to know the relevant provision of that Code. The next section lists which Codes appear in the syllabus headings.
A blueprint, but anything can come up
The subject content comes from a nationwide survey of operational investigators, with input from the PIP board. The survey produces a blueprint of areas considered important and frequently encountered, and the balance of questions reflects it. The handbook is clear that candidates may still be asked about any part of the syllabus, including areas less relevant to their own force or region.
Questions are quality assured and some are removed
Questions are written by trained question writers and checked for legal accuracy by the College's legal services team and independent legal experts. After the sitting, the 10 questions that performed least well are removed and everyone is scored on the remaining 70. You are not told which ones. See the NIE pass mark explained.
Recall versus application: an original example
To show the difference, here is the same point of law asked two ways. Both questions are our own, written from the Theft Act 1968. They are not real or recalled NIE questions.
A. No burglary: he intended no offence when he entered, so this is theft only.
B. Burglary under section 9(1)(a).
C. Burglary under section 9(1)(b).
D. Aggravated burglary.
The answer is C. Section 9(1)(a) needs the intent (here, to steal) at the moment of entry as a trespasser, and Sam had none. Section 9(1)(b) applies where a person, having entered as a trespasser, steals or attempts to steal (or inflicts or attempts to inflict grievous bodily harm). He entered as a trespasser and then stole, so 9(1)(b) is made out. Option A is the trap: it is true that he had no intent on entry, but that only rules out 9(1)(a). Option D needs a firearm, imitation firearm, weapon of offence or explosive at the time.
Notice what the second question needs: the elements of both limbs, the timing of the intent, and the ability to spot a statement that is true but does not answer the question. That is why reading alone is not enough and why practice questions with explanations matter. Try more in our free NIE practice questions.
A sensible order to learn the parts
- Part 1, chapters 1.2 and 1.3 (mens rea and actus reus). Short, and used everywhere else.
- Part 3 (property offences). Self-contained and builds directly on dishonesty and intent.
- Part 2 (serious crime), starting with non-fatal offences, homicide and public order.
- Part 1 procedure chapters (1.6 to 1.12) in short daily doses alongside parts 2 and 3, because they are long and detailed.
- Part 4 (sexual offences), early enough to review it at least twice before the exam.
- Part 1 chapters 1.1, 1.4 and 1.5 (equality, instituting proceedings, court and witnesses), slotted in wherever you have a short session.
This order is our suggestion, not a College recommendation. Any order works if every chapter gets covered, reviewed after a gap, and tested with questions.
PACE Codes on the NIE syllabus
Appendix A lists Codes B, C, D, E and F by name and section. Because the Manual's cited Code paragraphs are examinable, investigators need to read the Codes themselves, not only the Manual's commentary. The current versions are published free on GOV.UK.
| Code | Where it appears | What to focus on |
|---|---|---|
| Code B (searching premises, seizure) | Chapter 1.6 | Warrants, entry without warrant, consent searches, conduct of searches, seizure, records |
| Code C (detention, treatment, questioning) | Chapters 1.7 and 1.9 | Custody rights and conditions, reviews, charging, intimate and strip searches, vulnerable people, cautions, interviews, written statements |
| Code D (identification) | Chapter 1.8 | Witness identification procedures, fingerprints, footwear, photographs, samples and the annexes |
| Code E (audio recording of interviews) | Chapter 1.9 | What must be audio recorded and how, on removable media or secure digital networks |
| Code F (visual recording with sound) | Chapter 1.9 | When interviews may be visually recorded and how they are conducted and recorded |
| Code A (stop and search) | Not a heading in Appendix A | Check whether your Manual's listed chapters refer to it |
| Code G (arrest) | Not a heading in Appendix A | Check whether your Manual's listed chapters refer to it |
| Code H (terrorism detention) | Not a heading in Appendix A | Terrorism police powers appear in chapter 2.4 |
Code C is the heaviest: it runs through both the detention chapter (1.7, with nine annexes) and the interviews chapter (1.9). The listing of Codes A, G and H as "not a heading" is our reading of Appendix A only. The Manual is the definitive reference, so if a listed chapter refers to one of them, treat that passage as part of the syllabus. Our PACE Codes for the NIE guide works through B, C, D, E and F.
The College's own question split, September 2026
After each sitting the College publishes a subject area breakdown: one row for each scored question, showing its part and topic area, plus how many questions were removed in each part. We use it here at part level only. We do not reproduce topic lists, and nothing on this site comes from candidates' recollections of the paper, which the College's rules forbid sharing.
| Part | On the paper | Removed at marking | Scored | Share of scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Powers and procedures | 32 | 2 | 30 | 42.9% |
| Part 2: Serious crime | 25 | 6 | 19 | 27.1% |
| Part 3: Property offences | 12 | 1 | 11 | 15.7% |
| Part 4: Sexual offences | 11 | 1 | 10 | 14.3% |
| Total | 80 | 10 | 70 | 100% |
Two things are worth noticing. Part 1 carried 30 of the 70 scored questions, about 42.9%, so it deserves the biggest share of your time. And part 2 had 6 of the 10 removed questions, meaning 25 part 2 questions were on the paper you would have sat. The College does not explain why particular questions were removed beyond saying they performed least well.
The same document gives the length of the paper: approximately 12,727 words for all 80 questions, about 159 words a question on average.
The breakdown says it is only useful and valid for the September 2026 NIE and should not be used to try to work out what will be tested in future exams. Treat the part-level split as a sensible guide to how to divide your time, not as a forecast. Every chapter in parts 1 to 4 remains examinable.
Our own practice mocks use the same proportions scaled to 80 questions (part 1: 34, part 2: 22, part 3: 13, part 4: 11). That is a design choice by us, not a prediction of the next paper.
Turning the syllabus into study time
The handbook recommends a minimum of 14 weeks of independent study using the Manual. It does not give hours. The table below divides two example totals (60 and 90 hours) in proportion to the September 2026 split. These are our planning figures, not official ones.
| Part | Share of scored questions | 60 hour plan | 90 hour plan | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1: Powers and procedures | 42.9% | About 26 hours | About 39 hours | Start here. Mens rea and actus reus first, then PACE and procedure chapters in short daily doses |
| Part 2: Serious crime | 27.1% | About 16 hours | About 24 hours | Second biggest block. Homicide, assaults, drugs, firearms and public order reward early attention |
| Part 3: Property offences | 15.7% | About 9 hours | About 14 hours | Compact and logical. Theft elements first, then build robbery, burglary and handling on them |
| Part 4: Sexual offences | 14.3% | About 9 hours | About 13 hours | Smaller but dense with ages and relationships. Do not leave it to the final week |
Two adjustments make the split work better in practice. First, start with part 1's general principles even though the procedure chapters are longer, because they make everything else easier. Second, move time towards whichever part your practice scores show is weakest. A proportional plan is a starting point, not a rule. Our NIE revision plan turns this into week-by-week timetables, and the free revision timetable tool builds one around your own date and hours.
Which edition, and what happens when the law changes
The 2026 handbook covers all four 2026 sittings and names the 2026 edition of the Manual. Candidates are examined on the law only as it appears in that edition. So for Tuesday, 17 November 2026 (registration closes at 6pm on Wednesday, 21 October 2026), the 2026 Manual is the syllabus, even if a 2027 edition is on sale by then.
- Older editions. The handbook advises candidates not to rely on previous editions, which may contain out of date material, and strongly recommends the 2026 edition.
- Updates during the year. Usually none. In exceptional circumstances, such as a major change that makes a significant part of the syllabus obsolete, the College may issue an amended syllabus or supplement through its NIE pages and NIE liaison contacts, well before the exam.
- Law that changes without notice. Unless the College gives notice, all of the syllabus remains examinable regardless of changes in the law. Answer from the Manual.
- Discount. The College's candidate guide says officers and staff in England and Wales can get 30% off the NIE and NPPF Manuals through College Learn.
Our guide to which Blackstone's Investigators' Manual edition you need covers the Workbook and Q&A as well.
What changes with the 2027 Manual
The honest answer is that nobody outside the College and the publisher knows yet. When we checked on 11 October 2026:
- The College had not published a 2027 candidate handbook, 2027 sitting dates or a 2027 Appendix A.
- The 2027 Manual and Workbook and the 2027 Q&A are listed by booksellers for November 2026 (pre-publication). We could not confirm the publication date with Oxford University Press.
- The 2026 handbook was published in November 2025. A 2027 handbook on a similar timetable is our inference, not something the College has announced.
- We found no announced change to the four-part structure, the 80-question format or the 55.7% pass mark for 2027.
Wait for the 2027 handbook before buying, then buy the edition it names. Until then, studying part 1's general principles and the main offences from the 2026 Manual is unlikely to be wasted, because core definitions rarely change from one year to the next, but check every point against the edition your sitting uses. Anyone who claims material is "aligned to the 2027 syllabus" before the College has published it is guessing.
Scenarios
Myths about the NIE syllabus
Syllabus checklist
- I have the 2026 edition of Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual (or the edition my sitting's handbook names).
- I have downloaded the NIE candidate handbook and read Appendix A.
- I know parts 5 and 6 are not examined and I am not spending revision time on them.
- I have a plan that covers all 43 chapters in parts 1 to 4, weighted towards part 1.
- I am learning the rules behind the tables, not the tables themselves.
- I have the current PACE Codes B, C, D, E and F and read the paragraphs the Manual cites.
- I practise with scenario questions that make me apply the law, from week one.
- I have checked the College's NIE page for any syllabus update or supplement.
- I know my sitting date and registration deadline, and my force's internal deadline if it is earlier.
- I have joined the College's Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub for its free practice questions and revision guides.
Next: how to pass the NIE, or test yourself across all four parts with the free NIE mini mock.
What we could not verify
- What parts 5 and 6 contain. The handbook does not say and we did not have a copy of the 2026 Manual to check, so we have not named them.
- Page counts. Our chapter and sub-section counts come from Appendix A, not the printed Manual. Sub-sections vary in length, so they are a guide to breadth only.
- References to PACE Codes A, G and H. We did not check every page of the Manual for passages that cite Codes not named in Appendix A.
- The 2027 edition. Pre-publication bookseller listings suggest November 2026. We could not confirm the date, contents or changes with Oxford University Press, and the College had published nothing on a 2027 syllabus.
- Splits for other sittings. This page uses the September 2026 breakdown only. We have not compared it with earlier sittings' breakdowns, and the College warns against using any of them to predict a future paper.
- Any syllabus supplement for Tuesday, 17 November 2026. We found none on 11 October 2026. Check the College's NIE page and your NIE liaison contact closer to the date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the syllabus for the National Investigators' Exam in 2026?
Parts 1 to 4 of Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual 2026, published by Oxford University Press. The College of Policing's 2026 candidate handbook says the examinable content is cross-referenced to, and only contained within, the 2026 edition, and Appendix A of the handbook lists the chapter headings for each part. Questions are drawn solely from the Manual.
Are parts 5 and 6 of the Investigators' Manual examined?
No. Appendix A of the 2026 candidate handbook says parts 5 and 6 are not outlined because they are not examined in the NIE. The four examinable parts are general principles, police powers and procedures; serious crime and other offences; property offences; and sexual offences.
Do I need to memorise the tables in the Manual?
Not for their own sake. The handbook says candidates will not be examined on their ability simply to recall information contained solely in the tables in the Manual, and that the exam is not aimed at testing pure factual recall. The law a table summarises is still examinable where it also appears in the text, so learn the rule, not the table layout.
Do I need to know PACE Code paragraphs for the NIE?
Yes, where the Manual's text directly refers to a paragraph of a PACE Code of Practice. The handbook says candidates will be expected to know the relevant provision of that Code. In practice that means reading the Code B, C, D, E and F paragraphs the Manual cites, not just the Manual's summary of them.
How many NIE questions come from each part?
There is no fixed split. In the September 2026 sitting, the College's own published subject area breakdown shows 30 of the 70 scored questions from part 1, 19 from part 2, 11 from part 3 and 10 from part 4. The College says that breakdown is only valid for that sitting and should not be used to predict future papers.
Can the NIE ask about anything in parts 1 to 4?
Yes. The handbook says the balance of questions follows a blueprint drawn from a national survey of operational investigators, so frequently encountered areas are more likely to be tested, but candidates may be asked about any part of the syllabus. All areas are examinable even if they are less relevant to your force or role.
Does the November 2026 NIE use the 2026 or the 2027 Manual?
The 2026 edition. The 2026 candidate handbook covers all four 2026 sittings, including Tuesday, 17 November 2026, and says candidates are examined on the law only as it appears in the 2026 edition. A 2027 edition does not change what is examined at a 2026 sitting.
What happens if the law changes after the Manual is published?
Usually nothing changes for the exam. The handbook says changes to legislation or case law after publication are only examined in exceptional circumstances and only with prior notice through the College's NIE pages and NIE liaison contacts. Unless that notice is given, everything in the syllabus stays examinable even if the law has changed.
Can I revise from an older edition of the Investigators' Manual?
The College advises against it. The handbook says candidates should not rely on previous editions, which may contain out of date material, and strongly recommends the 2026 edition. Officers and staff in England and Wales can get 30% off the Manuals through College Learn, according to the College's online exams candidate guide.
Are Blackstone's Q&A and the Mock Examination Paper part of the syllabus?
No. The handbook says they were developed outside the College, cannot be presumed to represent the style or difficulty of real NIE questions, and are not endorsed by or affiliated with the College. They are study aids; the Manual is the syllabus.
Is PACE Code A or Code G on the NIE syllabus?
Neither appears as a heading in Appendix A of the 2026 handbook, which lists Codes B, C, D, E and F. The Manual itself is the definitive source of examinable material, so if a listed chapter refers to another Code, treat that passage as examinable. We have not checked every page of the Manual for such references.
What will change in the 2027 NIE syllabus?
Not known yet. When we checked on 11 October 2026 the College had not published a 2027 candidate handbook, dates or syllabus. The 2026 handbook was published in November 2025, so a 2027 version may follow on a similar timetable, but that is our inference, not a College statement.
Where is the official NIE syllabus published?
In Appendix A of the College of Policing's NIE candidate handbook 2026, a free PDF linked from the College's NIE page. Appendix A lists every chapter and sub-section heading in parts 1 to 4. The handbook calls it an aid to planning and says the Manual itself is the definitive reference.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 11 October 2026. Rules and figures change, so check the source for the date you are reading this. Where we could not confirm something from an official or independent source, the page says so rather than guessing. Spotted something out of date? See our corrections policy.
- College of Policing: National investigators' examination (NIE) candidate handbook 2026 (November 2025, PDF) — four areas and the 2026 edition as sole syllabus; previous editions; Q&A and Mock Paper not endorsed; syllabus updates only in exceptional circumstances; 10 questions removed; blueprint from a national survey of investigators; no testing of recall of tables; PACE Code paragraphs referred to in the text are examinable; Appendix A (parts 1 to 4, parts 5 and 6 not examined); 14 weeks minimum recommended study (accessed 11 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NIE subject area breakdown, September 2026 (PDF, filed under a June 2026 path) — one row per scored question, which we counted by part (30, 19, 11, 10); questions removed by area (2, 6, 1, 1); paper approximately 12,727 words; the College's warning that the breakdown is only valid for the September 2026 sitting (accessed 11 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NIE results and analysis overview, September 2026 (PDF) — cut score of 55.7% and exceptional grade at 85.7% applied at that sitting (accessed 11 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online exams candidate guide (updated 5 August 2026) — applies to the NIE; questions are multiple-choice application questions; the College endorses only the Blackstone's Manuals; 30% Manual discount through College Learn; practice questions on the Knowledge Hub group; read on the College's production mirror because the main site blocked our reader (accessed 11 October 2026)
- College of Policing: National investigators' exam page — where the handbook, results overviews and subject breakdowns are linked (accessed 11 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) codes of practice — the current Codes A to H; read the paragraphs the Manual cites in Codes B, C, D, E and F (accessed 11 October 2026)
- Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 Code of Practice (GOV.UK) — the disclosure Code paragraphs 1 to 10 that chapter 1.11 of the Manual follows (accessed 11 October 2026)
- Theft Act 1968, sections 9 and 10, legislation.gov.uk (latest revised text) — the two limbs of burglary (s 9(1)(a) and (b)) and aggravated burglary (s 10) used in our original worked example (accessed 11 October 2026)
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Disclaimer
PolicePay.co.uk is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or produced by the College of Policing or Oxford University Press (Blackstone's). Exam rules, dates, the syllabus and prices change, so check the College of Policing's current NIE candidate handbook and exam page before you register or buy. Practice material on this site is original and is not real or recalled exam content. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 11 October 2026.