Next inspectors' exam
November 2026
Exam window 3 to 5 November 2026, 8am to 8pm each day.
Registration
Opens 7 September 2026
Closes 6pm on 5 October 2026.
What the inspectors' exam actually takes
These are the College of Policing's own published figures from the May 2026 sitting — not an estimate, and not the "around 55 to 65%" you'll see quoted elsewhere.
Cut score
65%
absolute, applied to every candidate
Pass rate
37%
644 of 1,739 passed
The paper
150
questions in 3 hours — 72s each
Exceptional
85%+
only 2.3% of candidates managed it
How the sergeants' exam compares
Both papers are the same shape — 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, drawn from the same three areas of the same Blackstone's Manuals. The difference is the standard. The sergeants' paper is marked at 55% rather than 65%, and 58.5% of candidates pass it — against 37% here.
Sergeants'
55% to pass
58.5% success rate, March 2026
Inspectors'
65% to pass
37% success rate, May 2026
A common assumption is that the inspectors' paper is shorter. It isn't — it's the same length, marked ten points higher, and roughly six in ten candidates fail it.
Pass rate by force — May 2026
The same paper, the same cut score, the same day. Yet Bedfordshire passed 100% of its candidates and Cumbria passed 16.7%. If your force sits low on this table, that is worth knowing before you plan your study — it usually reflects how much preparation time and support candidates are given, not the calibre of the officers.
The Met is the outlier worth noting. It entered 530 candidates — 30% of everyone sitting the paper — and passed 23.8%, against a national 37%. On these numbers a Met candidate is materially less likely to pass than a colleague doing the identical exam elsewhere.
| Force | Pass rate |
|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | 100.0% |
| City of London | 100.0% |
| Lincolnshire | 100.0% |
| North Wales | 75.0% |
| Northamptonshire | 66.7% |
| Wiltshire | 61.5% |
| Cheshire | 57.6% |
| Derbyshire | 56.0% |
| Lancashire | 55.3% |
| West Yorkshire | 53.4% |
| Staffordshire | 51.6% |
| Durham | 50.0% |
| Nottinghamshire | 50.0% |
| Suffolk | 50.0% |
| Surrey | 48.7% |
| British Transport Police | 47.8% |
| Leicestershire | 47.1% |
| Cambridgeshire | 45.5% |
| Cleveland | 45.5% |
| North Yorkshire | 45.0% |
| Norfolk | 42.9% |
| Thames Valley | 42.9% |
| Gloucestershire | 41.7% |
| Devon and Cornwall | 41.4% |
| West Midlands | 40.7% |
| Merseyside | 39.3% |
| Greater Manchester | 38.7% |
| Northumbria | 37.5% |
| South Wales | 37.5% |
| Humberside | 36.4% |
| Hertfordshire | 35.5% |
| Gwent | 35.3% |
| Sussex | 35.1% |
| Kent | 35.0% |
| West Mercia | 34.8% |
| Hampshire | 30.8% |
| Dyfed-Powys | 28.6% |
| Essex | 28.6% |
| South Yorkshire | 27.8% |
| Metropolitan Police | 23.8% |
| Cumbria | 16.7% |
| Warwickshire | 16.7% |
| Dorset | 38.5% |
Candidate counts are withheld by the College where a cohort is small enough that individuals could be identified; those forces show the published percentage only. 35 of 43 forces published full counts. Green means at or above the 37% national rate.
Who passed in May 2026
By sex
Women passed at 43.5%, men at 34.4% — a gap of 9.1 percentage points in women's favour.
By ethnicity
White candidates passed at 38.1%, candidates from an ethnic minority background at 29.7% — a 8.4 point gap.
Published by the College of Policing in its results and analysis overview. We report it because it is a real feature of the exam that candidates are rarely shown, not because it predicts anything about any individual.
What you're actually examined on
Three areas: crime, evidence and procedure, general police duties. Questions are drawn solely from the 2026 edition of the Blackstone's Police Manuals — not the previous edition, and not from anything else.
- The Manuals are endorsed. The Q&As are not. The College states plainly that it endorses only the Blackstone's Police Manuals, and that other products including the Blackstone's Q&As are not affiliated with it.
- There is a 30% discount on the Manuals for police officers and staff in England and Wales, via College Learn. A lot of candidates pay full price without realising.
- You are not tested on recalling tables. The College says candidates will not be examined on information contained solely within the tables in the Manuals — but where the text cites a PACE Code paragraph, that provision is examinable.
- The question balance is not random. Subject weighting comes from a national survey of serving inspectors' officers, so the paper leans towards what officers at that rank actually encounter.
Figures on this page come from the College of Policing candidate handbook (updated 13 August 2026) and its published results and analysis for the May 2026 sitting. Always check the handbook for the sitting you are entering — it supersedes everything else, including this page.
Inspector Exam
Explained (UK)
NPPF Step Two: what it tests, how it’s marked, and how to prepare properly
Police Pay (UK) provides independent explanatory guidance. We are not affiliated with the College of Policing, any police force, or any staff association. This guide is educational and does not guarantee outcomes.
Executive Summary
The Inspector exam (commonly referred to as the NPPF Step Two legal exam) is the national knowledge gate for promotion from Sergeant to Inspector. It is designed to test whether you can apply law and policy at the level expected of an Inspector: not just “what is the rule”, but “what decision is lawful, proportionate, defensible, and properly authorised”.
Most candidates underestimate Step Two because they approach it like Step One. Step Two is different. It expects Inspector-level judgement, oversight, and accountability.
Direct Answer
The Inspector exam in the UK is the NPPF Step Two legal exam. It tests advanced operational law and decision-making at supervisory level, including authorisation thresholds, PACE application, public order, professional standards, and human rights. Passing Step Two usually qualifies you to enter a local selection process, but it does not automatically result in promotion.
The Inspector
Exam Context
In most UK forces, the “Inspector exam” refers to the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) Step Two legal examination. Once you reach Inspector, the decisions you make have wider consequences for organisational risk and public legitimacy. Step Two exists to verify your technical reliability at this level.
Who this is for
- Sergeants preparing for promotion
- A/T Sergeants planning ahead
- Promotion coaches
- Progression stakeholders
What this guide is not
- An assessment of character
- A guarantee of promotion
- A technical cheat-sheet
- Official force policy
Step One vs
Step Two Diffs
Step One (Sergeant)
Focused on accurate recall of core law, recognising clear thresholds, and correct procedural sequencing.
Step Two (Inspector)
Focused on application under complexity, oversight responsibilities, and decision making that survives scrutiny.
NPPF Step Two
Topic Map
Advanced application of arrest necessity, detention clock consequences, and procedural fairness.
Supervisory accountability for proportionality and challenging force justifications.
Risk balancing between assembly rights and public safety thresholds.
Early management actions, conduct risk recognition, and integrity processes.
Applied logic of necessity, legality, and proportionality interferance.
Vulnerability decision metrics and balancing enforcement with duty of care.
Realistic
Question Patterns
Pattern A: The "Two Rights" Trap
Two answers look correct. One is correct because it meets the threshold properly or accounts for the specific oversight step that the other omits.
Pattern B: The Defensible standard
The correct option is often slower and more procedurally careful. The "hero" option usually fails to meet legal proportionality at the Inspector level.
Why Strong
Sgts Struggle
Revision Method
Revising facts/recall instead of application patterns. Shallow study fails on Step Two logic.
Operational Bias
Assuming operational success equals legal correctness. Habit often overrides statutory requirement.
Instinct Dependence
Step Two is designed to expose over-confidence. It rewards structured reasoning, not 'gut feeling'.
Topic Avoidance
Ignoring blind spots like Civil Law or Conduct Regs. Step Two always finds the gap.
Readiness
Self-Check Tool
Readiness Diagnostic
Inspector Exam Check
Complete all checks for readiness band
The Revision
Strategy Matrix
Rank weak areas. Start with what you avoid.
Convert law into 'If this, then that' patterns.
Timed blocks: move from 10 to 50+ questions.
Track why you miss marks. Not just the score.
Exam Day
Battle Tactics
- 01Read like a report, not a story
Don't invent missing details or operational assumptions. Sticky to the facts presented in the stem.
- 02Find the missing safeguard
Step Two often rewards choices including proper authorisation, documentation, or welfare considerations.
Exam FAQS
Is the Inspector exam the same as NPPF Step Two?
Yes. In most UK forces, the Inspector promotion exam refers to the NPPF Step Two legal exam.
Does passing Step Two guarantee promotion?
No. Passing Step Two usually makes you eligible to enter a local selection process, but promotion depends on vacancies and local assessment.
How hard is Step Two compared to Step One?
Most candidates find Step Two harder because it tests applied judgement, oversight and proportionality, not just recall.
What should I revise first for Step Two?
Start with your weakest domain, then build decision patterns and timed practice. Step Two rewards consistency.
What if I fail Step Two?
Many candidates fail at least once. Treat it as diagnostic feedback: identify your weak domains, change your revision method, and return with timed practice.
Knowledge Web
Exam Cluster: What's Next?
Psychologically honest analysis of recent cycle difficulty and pass rates.
Deep dive into the structural and psychological failure patterns of high performers.
Sources & Methodology
This is an independent guide based on publicly available descriptions of the National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) and general UK policing legal principles. Local force processes vary significantly in application. Always confirm your specific force's promotion policy and official exam guidance for the current cycle.
All guides on this platform undergo periodic review to ensure alignment with current NPPF standards. However, passing the legal exam is subject to individual performance and candidate preparation depth.