Inspector Exam
Revision Plan
The inspectors' NPPF step two exam is 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, scored on 140, with a pass mark of 65% (91 correct). Only 24.4% of candidates passed in November 2025 and 37.0% in May 2026. This guide shows the real results, what is genuinely different from the sergeants' paper, why the pass rate is low (separating fact from inference), and gives 4, 8 and 12 week plans built around shifts and a supervisor's workload.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 4 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Treat 65% as the target, not 55%: you can afford only 49 wrong answers out of 140. Revise from the correct Blackstone's Police Manuals edition, test yourself from the first week rather than rereading, keep a log of why you get questions wrong, and sit full timed papers until you score 70% or more on unseen questions. The sitting on 3 to 5 November 2026 had College registration that closed at 6pm on Monday 5 October 2026 (your force may have closed earlier), so if you are not registered, the next sitting is 11 to 13 May 2027.
Next inspector sitting
Inspector exam: Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 November 2026
Registration closed on 5 October 2026 at 6pm. If you are registered, you are in the final 4 weeks: practise under timed conditions and fix the areas you keep missing.
Results for this sitting are expected by about 26 November 2026 (the College's handbook date).
Dates as we last checked them against the College of Policing. Always confirm yours with the College.
The inspector exam at a glance
Every fact in this table comes from the College of Policing's candidate handbooks and results documents, checked on 4 October 2026. For the full format, rules and grading in one place, see the NPPF step 2 legal knowledge exam explained.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Format | 150 multiple-choice questions in a single 3-hour exam, sat online |
| Questions scored | 140: the 10 that performed least well are removed after the sitting, and you are not told which |
| Pass mark | 65%, which is 91 correct out of 140 (sergeants: 55%, 77 of 140) |
| Exceptional grade | 85% or more (sergeants: 75%) |
| Low-band fail | Below 35% (sergeants: below 30%) |
| Can the pass mark change? | Yes, the NPPF debrief panel can alter it in exceptional circumstances; it is never lowered for individuals |
| Syllabus | Blackstone's Police Manuals only: 2026 edition for November 2026, 2027 edition for 2027 sittings |
| Inspector-only difference | Chapter 1.8 (Weapons) in the Crime Manual is not examined for inspectors |
| Last two pass rates | 24.4% (November 2025) and 37.0% (May 2026) |
| 2026 sitting (as at 6 October 2026) | Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 November 2026; registration closed at 6pm on Monday 5 October 2026 |
| 2027 sittings | 11 to 13 May and 2 to 4 November 2027 |
| Who can sit | Substantive sergeants only; promotion to inspector also needs two years as a substantive sergeant |
| Validity | Five years less one day from the date you sit |
Some pages online describe the sergeants' exam as "step one" and the inspectors' exam as "step two". That is wrong. The NPPF has four steps for each rank: step one is competence in your current rank (the eligibility check), step two is the legal knowledge exam, step three is assessment against rank-specific competencies and matching to vacancies (usually your force's board), and step four is temporary promotion and a work-based assessment. Sergeant and inspector candidates both sit a step two exam.
November 2026: registration closed on 5 October 2026
That is the College's final date for forces to verify and allocate candidates. The handbook says forces and agencies may have earlier closing dates, and late registrations are only considered where exceptional circumstances outside your control can be shown. A heavy workload or not knowing about the registration period is expressly not accepted. If you intended to sit on 3 to 5 November and are not registered, contact your force examinations officer, but do not assume you can still be entered; plan for May 2027.
- How you register. Through the College's AIMS platform, using the link your force examinations officer sends when registration opens (for May 2027, from 15 March 2027). Your line manager signs a step one eligibility form, and your force verifies you and allocates you to the exam.
- Reasonable adjustments. The 2026 handbook gives the same closing date, Monday 5 October 2026, for adjustment and accommodation requests for the November sitting. Late requests may limit what can be put in place.
- Which Manuals. The November 2026 paper examines the law only as it appears in the 2026 edition of Blackstone's Police Manuals. Do not switch to the 2027 edition for this sitting. More in which Blackstone's edition.
- Results. By Thursday 26 November 2026, according to the 2026 handbook.
- Withdrawing. If you register and then decide not to sit, tell your force examinations officer immediately. Forces are charged for everyone still registered two weeks before the exam, and for absent candidates, and some forces apply their own penalties for absence.
If you are registered and reading this in early October 2026, you have about four weeks until the first exam day, Tuesday 3 November. Use the 4-week plan below. If you miss this sitting, the next is 11 to 13 May 2027, with registration from 15 March to 15 April 2027, and the 12-week plan starts in mid February. The step-by-step admin is in the NPPF exam registration checklist.
The real inspector exam pass rates
The College publishes a results and analysis overview after each sitting. These are the two most recent inspectors' sittings, with the most recent sergeants' sitting for comparison. The "rest of the country" column is our own calculation: the national total minus the Metropolitan Police figures in the same document.
| Sitting | Sat | Passed | Pass rate | Metropolitan Police | Everyone else (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, November 2025 | 1,693 | 413 | 24.4% | 518 sat, 73 passed (14.1%) | 1,175 sat, 340 passed (about 28.9%) |
| Inspectors, May 2026 | 1,739 | 644 | 37.0% | 530 sat, 126 passed (23.8%) | 1,209 sat, 518 passed (about 42.8%) |
| Sergeants, March 2026 (for comparison) | 3,215 | 1,882 | 58.5% | 1,148 sat, 468 passed (40.8%) | 2,067 sat, 1,414 passed (about 68.4%) |
- In both inspectors' sittings, roughly 3 in 10 candidates were from the Met (518 of 1,693, then 530 of 1,739).
- Outside the Met, about 29% passed in November 2025 and 43% in May 2026. That is still well below the sergeants' 68% outside the Met.
- The College's force tables show wide variation, but it warns that comparisons between forces "should be done with caution" because cohort sizes differ, and it redacts small cohorts. Several forces show 100% where the candidate numbers are small enough to be redacted. Force tables are in inspector exam explained.
Who passed: the demographic breakdown
| Group | November 2025 | May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Female candidates | 24.0% | 43.5% |
| Male candidates | 24.5% | 34.4% |
| White candidates | 24.7% | 38.1% |
| Ethnic minority candidates | 18.9% | 29.7% |
| Exceptional grade (85%+) | See note below | 41 (2.3%) |
| Low-band fail (below 35%) | See note below | 27 (1.6%) |
Two things stand out. Female candidates passed at a clearly higher rate than male candidates in May 2026 (43.5% against 34.4%), but not in November 2025 (24.0% against 24.5%). Ethnic minority candidates passed at a lower rate than white candidates in both sittings. The College publishes these figures without explanation, and so do we. The November 2025 document's performance band chart does not add up as extracted (the "pass" figure printed does not reconcile with the 413 total), so we have not quoted its band numbers.
For what the pass mark means in detail, see the pass mark explained.
Why the inspector pass rate is low: what the evidence supports
Search results and forums are full of confident explanations. Most of them are not backed by anything the College publishes. The table separates what is verified from what is our inference, so you can weigh each one.
| Reason | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| The bar is 10 points higher on almost the same syllabus | Fact | Handbook: 65% against 55%, and every chapter except 1.8 Weapons is common to both papers |
| The Met's cohort is large and passes at a much lower rate | Fact | About 30% of inspector candidates in both sittings; 14.1% and 23.8% pass rates against about 28.9% and 42.8% elsewhere (our calculation) |
| The pass rate swings between sittings | Fact | 24.4% to 37.0% at the same 65% cut score. The College applies an absolute cut score, so the pass rate is not fixed in advance |
| Papers vary in difficulty, so the cohort result moves | Inference | The 12.6 point swing is consistent with a harder November 2025 paper, a different cohort, or both. The College does not say which |
| Candidates sit before they need to | Inference | Sergeants can sit from day one of substantive rank (OSPRE qualified) or once substantive under the NPPF, but promotion needs two years as a substantive sergeant. Some candidates may sit early to bank a five-year pass. No data on preparation is published |
| Knowledge from the sergeants' exam has faded and the law has changed | Inference | Most candidates sat the sergeants' paper at least a year or two earlier, on an older edition. We have no published data on this |
| Revising by rereading rather than testing | Inference, with research support | Practice testing and spaced practice outperform rereading in the research literature (Dunlosky and others, 2013). We have no data on how inspector candidates revise |
| Repeat candidates are in the figures | Not published | There is no national limit on resits, but the College does not publish first-attempt and resit pass rates separately |
What the evidence does not support
- "The inspector exam tests judgement, not law." The handbook says questions are drawn solely from the Manuals, and both ranks share the same syllabus apart from Weapons. The questions are written to be relevant to the rank, and the handbook says the exam is not aimed at testing pure factual recall, but the content is legal knowledge. There is no separate "inspector-level reasoning" syllabus.
- "One in three fail." At the last two sittings, roughly two in three (May 2026) and three in four (November 2025) failed.
- "Most people who pass failed once or twice first." The College does not publish first-attempt pass rates, so nobody can say this from data.
- "The pass mark is moved to hit a quota." The results documents say an absolute cut score of 65% was applied to all candidates. The debrief panel can change the pass mark only in exceptional circumstances, and the handbook describes that power as a response to a significant deviation in the success rate or evidence of a fairer outcome, not a quota.
The verified causes are mostly outside your control (the bar, the paper, your force's cohort). The inferred ones are the ones you can act on: start early enough, revise the current edition rather than your memory of the old one, and prepare by testing yourself rather than rereading. That is what the rest of this page is built on.
What is actually different from the sergeants' paper
The handbook says that although the syllabus content is similar in many respects for both ranks, some rank-specific areas are different. Appendix A of the 2026 and 2027 handbooks names only one such area: Crime chapter 1.8, Weapons, which is examined for sergeants only. Everything else in the three Manuals is examinable for inspectors. What differs is the bar, the grading bands and the balance of questions.
| Sergeants | Inspectors | |
|---|---|---|
| Pass mark | 55% (77 of 140) | 65% (91 of 140) |
| Wrong answers you can afford (of 140) | 63 | 49 |
| Exceptional grade | 75% and above | 85% and above |
| Low-band fail | Below 30% | Below 35% |
| Syllabus | All three Manuals | All three Manuals except Crime chapter 1.8 (Weapons) |
| Who sits | Substantive constables who meet step one | Substantive sergeants who meet step one |
| Subject mix of scored questions, most recent sitting | March 2026: crime 60, evidence and procedure 31, general police duties 49 (140) | May 2026: about 52, 29 and 55 (the published list has 136 rows) |
| Questions removed after marking, most recent sitting | Crime 6, evidence and procedure 3, general police duties 1 | Crime 4, evidence and procedure 1, general police duties 5 |
| Approximate word count of the 150 questions | 24,606 (March 2026) | 24,309 (May 2026) |
| Most recent pass rate | 58.5% (March 2026) | 37.0% (May 2026) |
Why the subject mix differs
The College builds each paper from a "blueprint" produced by a nationwide survey of operational sergeants and inspectors, so candidates are more likely to be tested on law that officers at the target rank find important and meet often. That is why the same syllabus produces a different balance of questions. In the two most recent papers, general police duties made up about 40% of the inspectors' scored questions against 35% for sergeants, and crime about 38% against 43%.
Treat those numbers as approximate. The College's May 2026 inspectors' list has 136 rows rather than 140, and it says plainly that each breakdown is only valid for that sitting and "should not be used to try to work out what will be tested in future examinations". Use them to understand the shape of the paper, not to drop topics. For a fuller treatment, see what comes up in the exam and sergeant vs inspector exam.
How to reach 65%, not 55%: the arithmetic
Moving the bar from 55% to 65% sounds like ten points. In mistakes, it is bigger than that. A sergeant candidate can get 63 of the 140 scored questions wrong and still pass. An inspector candidate can get 49 wrong. You need to make about a fifth fewer mistakes than the sergeants' standard allows.
| Sergeants | Inspectors | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Correct answers needed | 77 of 140 | 91 of 140 | +14 |
| Wrong answers allowed | 63 | 49 | 22% fewer mistakes allowed |
| Exceptional grade from | 105 of 140 | 119 of 140 | +14 |
| Correct of 150 needed if all 10 removed questions were ones you got wrong (best case) | 77 | 91 | |
| Correct of 150 needed if all 10 removed questions were ones you got right (worst case) | 87 | 101 | |
| Time per question across 3 hours | 72 seconds | 72 seconds | |
| Reading speed needed just to read the paper once (words in the most recent paper / 180 minutes) | About 137 words a minute | About 135 words a minute |
The 10 removed questions
The marking panel removes the 10 questions that "performed least well" and scores you on the other 140. You are not told which. If the removed questions were ones you got wrong, you need 91 correct answers out of 150; if they were all ones you got right, you need 101. The real figure for most people is somewhere between. That is the first reason to build a margin above 65%.
Answer every question
The pass mark is stated as a number of correct answers and the handbook describes no penalty for a wrong answer. On that wording a guess can only help you, so never leave a question blank. With 72 seconds a question on average, a sensible rule is: if you are stuck after about 90 seconds, pick the best remaining option, flag it, and move on.
What your practice score means
Practice questions from any provider, including ours, are not the real paper, and a score on one bank does not convert exactly to another. Use these bands as a guide to what to do next, not as a prediction.
| Average on full timed, unseen papers | What it suggests | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Below 55% | Not yet ready for the inspectors' paper | Content first: work through weak chapters with short topic tests before more full papers |
| 55% to 61% | Would pass the sergeants' bar, fails this one | Error log and targeted chapters; one full paper a fortnight |
| 62% to 66% | Borderline: a normal bad day takes you under | Fix your top three error causes; full paper weekly |
| 67% to 70% | Likely pass on a normal day, thin margin | Keep going; spaced review of every miss |
| Above 70% on unseen papers | A margin that can absorb a harder paper | Maintain; do not cram new material in the final week |
Three things push your real score below your practice average: the 10 removed questions, a paper that may be harder than the last (November 2025's pass rate was 12.6 points lower than May 2026's at the same cut score), and an ordinary off day. Aiming for 70% (98 of 140) gives you seven questions of headroom over the 91 needed. It is not a guarantee; it is a margin.
Extra focus areas for inspectors
All of the syllabus is examinable, so this is about where to put extra time once you have covered everything, not what to skip (apart from Weapons). The table shows selected topics, mostly ones that had more rows in the May 2026 inspectors' list than in the March 2026 sergeants' list, with a few that had fewer for contrast. These are single papers, counted by us from the College's PDFs, so the differences are small and indicative only.
| Topic | Inspectors May 2026 | Sergeants March 2026 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unsatisfactory performance and attendance | 5 | 1 | Applicability, other regulations and all three stages appeared in the inspectors' paper |
| Complaints and misconduct | 3 | 2 | Misconduct procedures, proceedings and the appropriate authority |
| Release of person arrested (bail, refusal, remands) | 6 | 5 | Bail is a heavy area on both papers |
| PACE Code C, detention and treatment | 5 | 4 | Inspectors' list included Code C-15, reviews and extensions of detention |
| PACE Code D, identification | 4 | 3 | Identification by witnesses, body samples, video identification, showing photographs |
| Firearms and gun crime | 5 | 3 | Criminal use, exemptions, imitation firearms, prohibited weapons, transfers |
| Protection of people suffering from mental disorders | 3 | 2 | Including use of force in mental health units |
| Weapons (Crime chapter 1.8) | 0 | 5 | Not on the inspectors' syllabus |
| Child protection | 3 | 5 | |
| Public order offences | 4 | 5 |
Where the law gives inspectors a specific role
Some of the areas above are ones where the legislation or the PACE Codes name the inspector rank. These are natural places for questions written to be "relevant to the rank", and you should know every condition, time limit and exception in them:
- Reviews of detention. For a person arrested but not charged, the review officer is an officer of at least the rank of inspector who has not been directly involved in the investigation (PACE section 40(1)(b)). Learn the timings, the representations, and when a review can be postponed or done by telephone or video.
- Identification procedures. The identification officer for eye-witness procedures must be not below inspector rank and not involved with the investigation (Code D paragraph 3.11).
- Search after arrest. A section 18 search needs an inspector's written authorisation, unless section 18(5) applies, in which case an inspector must be told as soon as practicable (section 18(4) to (6)).
- Performance and misconduct. The unsatisfactory performance and attendance procedures and the complaints and misconduct chapter are areas an inspector manages directly. Many sergeants know the outline but not the stages, time limits and who holds each meeting.
For the supervisory law tested on both papers, see PACE 1984 for supervisors, the use of force legal test and misconduct vs gross misconduct. Always check the detail against your Manual, which is the only source the exam follows.
Using a sergeant's experience, and where it misleads
You have something a first-time sergeant candidate does not: years of applying much of this law, and a pass on the sergeants' paper. That is a real advantage. It is also the source of a specific kind of error: choosing the answer that matches what your force does, rather than what the Manual says.
| Area | Does experience help? | The trap |
|---|---|---|
| Custody and detention (Code C, reviews, bail) | Helps, often a lot | Force custody software and local policy can differ from the Code as written. The exam tests the Code and the Act as they appear in the Manual |
| Use of powers on the street (stop and search, arrest, entry) | Helps | You know what you do; the paper asks about the exact conditions, ranks and time limits, including the ones you never use |
| Supervising misconduct and performance | Helps if you have done it | Many sergeants rely on HR or PSD for the procedure. The Manual tests the regulations' stages and who decides what |
| Investigation and evidence (disclosure, identification, interviews) | Mixed | Specialist roles see these in depth; response sergeants often see them second hand |
| Areas you never deal with (football, licensing, terrorism, some road policing) | No help | These are examinable for every candidate: the handbook says all areas are examinable because the exam reflects the rank nationally |
| What you remember from the sergeants' exam | Helps as a base | It was a different edition. Law changes between editions, and the exam tests only the current edition |
Three habits that turn experience into marks
- Ask "what does the Manual say?", not "what do we do?". When you get a question wrong, check whether you answered from practice. If so, log it as a "practice not law" error.
- Read the whole stem. Experienced officers fill in missing facts from real life. Exam questions are written so that one fact, such as the rank of the officer, the time, or whether the person has been charged, decides the answer. Use only the facts given.
- Relearn the areas you think you know. Your confidence is highest in the topics you use daily, which is exactly where outdated or local knowledge hides. Test those chapters early rather than leaving them until last.
The practice method behind every plan
All three plans use the same method. It is based on two techniques that a widely cited review of learning research (Dunlosky and others, 2013) rated as high utility: practice testing and spaced (distributed) practice. The same review rated rereading and highlighting as low utility. They are also the easiest habits to fall into.
- Read a chapter actively, then test it the same day. Read with a question in mind, then answer 15 to 25 questions on that chapter without the book.
- Log every miss with a cause. Use four causes: did not know it; knew it but confused it with something similar; misread the stem; answered from practice not law. The causes tell you what to fix: content, comparison tables, reading discipline or relearning.
- Revisit misses on a schedule. Re-test each missed point after about 2 days, 1 week and 3 weeks. If you miss it again, the clock resets.
- Mix topics after week one. Once you have covered a few chapters, mix questions from different areas, as the real paper does.
- Sit full timed papers. 150 questions at 72 seconds each, in one sitting, scored against 65%. Review every question afterwards, including the ones you guessed right.
- Build comparison tables for near misses. If the error log shows you mixing up two powers, two time limits or two offences, write one table that puts them side by side. Keep the tables short.
The College says free practice questions, exam tips and a learning style and revision technique guide are in the Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub (login needed). Use them: they come from the body that sets the exam. The College also says it does not examine pure recall of information contained solely in the Manuals' tables, but does expect you to know the PACE Code paragraphs the text refers to.
The 4-week plan (for the November 2026 sitting)
Four weeks is short for a 65% bar. It works if you passed the sergeants' exam fairly recently, your baseline practice score is already near 62% or better, and you can find 12 to 15 hours a week. If your baseline is well below that, the honest options are to make the most of these four weeks and treat the sitting as a serious attempt, or to withdraw promptly and prepare properly for May 2027. Do not withdraw without speaking to your force examinations officer first.
Exam week (2 to 5 November): light review only. Choose your exam day and start time in advance. If your rota allows, sit on the day you are freshest rather than the first day.
The 8-week plan
Eight weeks at 8 to 10 hours a week suits most sergeants who sat the sergeants' exam in the last few years. For the May 2027 sitting, start on Monday 15 March 2027, the day registration opens.
| Week | Main work | Testing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline full paper. Evidence and procedure: Code C, detention reviews, release and bail | Chapter tests the same day; start the error log |
| 2 | Evidence and procedure: Code D, interviews (Codes C, E and F), disclosure, exclusion of evidence, court procedure | Chapter tests; spaced review of week 1 |
| 3 | General police duties: unsatisfactory performance and attendance, complaints and misconduct, diversity, powers of arrest, stop and search, entry and search | Chapter tests; first mixed 50-question test |
| 4 | General police duties: public order, processions, mental health, domestic abuse, harassment, information offences, land and premises, alcohol | Full timed paper 2 at the end of the week |
| 5 | Crime: mens rea, actus reus, incomplete offences, defences, homicide, non-fatal offences, deprivation of liberty | Chapter tests; error log review |
| 6 | Crime: theft and fraud, criminal damage, sexual offences, child protection, drugs, firearms. Skip Weapons | Full timed paper 3 |
| 7 | Remaining general police duties (road policing, terrorism, football, administration of justice); top three error causes | Mixed tests; comparison tables |
| 8 | No new material. Error log, comparison tables, familiarisation exercise | Full timed paper 4 early in the week, then short mixed tests only |
The 12-week plan
Twelve weeks at 7 to 9 hours a week is the plan we would choose for a first attempt, a long gap since the sergeants' exam, or a demanding rota. For May 2027, start on Monday 15 February 2027. For November 2027, start on Monday 9 August 2027. Both start dates fall before registration opens, so you are revising before you commit.
| Week | Main work | Testing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baseline full paper. Read the handbook's syllabus list and mark your weakest chapters. Code C and detention | Chapter tests; start the error log |
| 2 | Release and bail; detention reviews and extensions | Chapter tests; first spaced review |
| 3 | Code D identification; interviews (Codes C, E and F) | Chapter tests |
| 4 | Disclosure; exclusion of evidence; instituting proceedings; court procedure and witnesses | Mixed 50-question test (evidence and procedure) |
| 5 | Unsatisfactory performance and attendance; complaints and misconduct; diversity, equality and inclusion | Chapter tests |
| 6 | Powers of arrest; stop and search; entry, search and seizure; mental health | Full timed paper 2 |
| 7 | Public order; processions and assemblies; domestic abuse; hatred and harassment; injunctions and orders | Chapter tests; error causes review |
| 8 | Information offences; land and premises; alcohol; football; terrorism; administration of justice; road policing | Mixed 50-question test (general police duties) |
| 9 | Crime: state of mind, conduct, incomplete offences, defences, homicide, non-fatal offences | Full timed paper 3 |
| 10 | Crime: theft, fraud, criminal damage, sexual offences, child protection, drugs, firearms, deprivation of liberty, aggravated offences | Chapter tests |
| 11 | Weakest ten chapters from the error log; comparison tables | Full timed paper 4 |
| 12 | No new material. Error log and tables only; familiarisation exercise; device check | Full timed paper 5 early in the week, then short mixed tests |
The order puts evidence and procedure and general police duties first because together they made up most of the recent inspectors' paper and include the areas where the inspector rank has named roles. If your baseline shows crime as your weakest area, swap blocks. The free exam study planner counts a plan back from your exam date if you want the dates worked out for you. The sergeant exam revision plan uses the same method at the 55% bar.
Revising around shifts and a supervisor's workload
Most inspector candidates revise while running a team. The handbook is blunt about this: lack of preparation or a heavy workload is not grounds for an appeal, and heavy workload is not accepted as a reason for late registration. Plan for the rota you actually work.
| Plan | Hours a week | Total | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 weeks | 12 to 15 hours | 48 to 60 hours | Only if your recent practice scores are already near 62% or better |
| 8 weeks | 8 to 10 hours | 64 to 80 hours | Enough for most candidates who sat the sergeants' exam in the last few years |
| 12 weeks | 7 to 9 hours | 84 to 108 hours | The safest option, and the one to choose if this is your first attempt or you are on a demanding rota |
| Shift | What works |
|---|---|
| Earlies | 45 to 60 minutes after the shift, before you are tired; a short review on the way in if you are not driving |
| Lates | 60 to 90 minutes in the morning before work: often the best study slot of the whole rota |
| Nights | Light spaced review only (15 to 20 minutes of flashcards or 10 questions); do not attempt full papers |
| Rest days | Full timed papers and longer chapter sessions; keep at least one rest day a fortnight completely free |
| Acting inspector or heavy supervisory week | Protect two short slots a day rather than one long one; carry the error log on your phone |
- Ask about study time and support. We found no national entitlement to study leave for the exam. Arrangements are local, so ask your line manager, your force examinations officer and your Federation branch early what support, if any, is available.
- Short and often beats long and rare. Spaced practice works with a rota: 20 minutes of questions on a break counts.
- Protect the last fortnight. If you can, avoid booking overtime or extra duties in the two weeks before your sitting.
- Look after yourself. Revising on top of supervisory pressure is a strain. See promotion and work-life balance.
Exam day: the rules and a time plan
- When and where. Online, on any day of the exam period, starting between 8am and 8pm. You must start before 8pm, and the College provides candidate support from 8am to 8pm on exam days, so it recommends finishing before 8pm in case something goes wrong. There is no requirement to sit at a test centre.
- One sitting. Comfort breaks are allowed but the clock keeps running, unless you have an agreed reasonable adjustment for scheduled breaks. Attempting to pause or restart the timer is logged and is a rule breach.
- No AI, no copying. AI tools are strictly prohibited. Copying, photographing, screenshotting or sharing any part of a question, or discussing topic areas afterwards, including on social media, can lead to disqualification, a ban of two years or more and referral to professional standards.
- Use the platform tools. The College's candidate guide mentions navigation, question flagging and note making within the exam platform. Practise with them in the familiarisation exercise.
- If you are unwell. If you are off sick or on limited duties, you need a certificate of fitness from your force medical examiner at registration. On the day, it is your decision whether to sit, and sickness is not grounds for an appeal.
- If something goes wrong. Report an unscheduled incident through your force examinations officer within three days. For the November 2026 sitting, the 2026 handbook deadline is 8pm on Sunday 8 November 2026.
A simple time plan
72 seconds a question gives 30 minutes for every 25 questions. Check your position at 50 questions (about 60 minutes) and 100 questions (about 120 minutes). Aim to reach question 150 with 15 to 20 minutes to spare for flagged questions. The rules and practicalities are covered in full in NPPF online exam rules and exam day.
Inspector exam dates for 2026 and 2027
| Sitting | Exam | College registration | Manuals edition | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | Tue 3 to Thu 5 November 2026 | Opened Mon 7 September 2026; closed 6pm Mon 5 October 2026 | 2026 edition | By Thu 26 November 2026 |
| May 2027 | Tue 11 to Thu 13 May 2027 | Mon 15 March to 6pm Thu 15 April 2027 | 2027 edition | By Thu 3 June 2027 |
| November 2027 | Tue 2 to Thu 4 November 2027 | Mon 6 September to 6pm Mon 4 October 2027 | 2027 edition | By Thu 25 November 2027 |
Your force may close registration earlier than the College. Results and a feedback report broken down by subject area come through AIMS; keep the report, as the College cannot reissue it and it is your proof of the result. A pass is valid for five years less one day from the date you sat. There is no national limit on resits, but your force may set one. If you resit while a previous pass is still valid, you lose the remaining validity whatever the result. More in results, validity and resits, NPPF exam dates 2027 and NPPF exam dates 2026.
The May 2027 paper uses the 2027 edition of the Manuals, not the 2026 edition you revised from. Plan to switch editions after your result, and look first at the chapters where your feedback report was weakest.
Passing the exam is step two of four. The board and work-based assessment follow; see inspector promotion process, common board mistakes and if you fail the board. The pay difference is substantial: from the top of the sergeant scale (£58,175) to the top of the inspector scale (£71,396 outside London; £74,206 in the Met and City of London) on the 1 September 2026 scales.
Worked scenarios
Illustrative examples, not real candidates, showing how the facts and the plans fit together.
Common myths about the inspector exam
Inspector exam preparation checklist
- Confirm whether you are registered for November 2026 (College registration closed at 6pm on Monday 5 October 2026). If you are not, plan for May 2027 unless your force examinations officer confirms otherwise.
- Check you meet step one: substantive sergeant, competence shown in your PDR, adherence to the attendance management policy, no live written improvement notice (and no reduction in rank under the performance procedures in the last 12 months), and no live written warning, final written warning or extended final written warning.
- Get the right Manuals: 2026 edition for November 2026, 2027 edition for May or November 2027. Use the College's 30% discount through College Learn.
- Join the College's Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub for its free practice questions and revision guide.
- Take a timed baseline paper before you revise, so you know your real starting score.
- Choose a 4, 8 or 12 week plan and put the sessions in your diary against your rota.
- Start an error log on day one and record the cause of every miss, not just the topic.
- Do full timed papers at 72 seconds a question and score them against 65%, not 55%.
- Drop Crime chapter 1.8 (Weapons) from your plan; it is not on the inspectors' syllabus.
- If you need a reasonable adjustment, ask your force exams contact before the registration closing date.
- Complete the College's familiarisation exercise as soon as the link arrives (about a week before the exam; you can access it only once) and check your device and connection well before exam day.
- Plan your exam day: start time, quiet room, water, and nobody due to interrupt you for three hours.
Resources and tools
- Blackstone's Police Manuals. The syllabus itself, and the only resource the College endorses. Officers and staff in England and Wales get 30% off through College Learn. Nothing replaces them.
- The College's Knowledge Hub group. Free practice questions, exam tips and a revision technique guide, from the body that sets the exam. See free sergeant and inspector exam resources.
- Commercial question banks and courses. Several are good, including Blackstone's own Q&A books and online service, which offered quarter, half and full-length mock exams and progress tracking when we checked on 4 October 2026. Prices and features are compared, with dates, in revision resources compared and are Blackstone's Q&A and Mock worth it.
- Free from us. Inspector sample questions with explanations, the study planner, and a free mini mock has a sergeant and an inspector mode (set with the rank toggle), which is useful for practising the format and timing. It is original practice material, not the real exam.
- Our toolkit. Disclosure: the promotion exam prep toolkit is our product. It has hundreds of checked, original practice questions, a timed 150-question sitting that you can score against the 65% inspector bar, spaced review of what you got wrong, progress tracking and 16 board scenarios, for £69.99 (or £99.99 with an AI tutor and AI board assessor) as a one-off payment for 6 months. What it does not do: it is not the syllabus and does not replace the Manuals; one bank serves both ranks, so it does not reproduce the inspectors' paper's own subject mix; its questions are not real exam questions; and we have no data on whether users pass.
Results day: what to do next
Leave your email and we will email you ourselves around results day with what to do next, whether you passed or not: the resit plan and dates if you need them, the next steps if you passed. Also exam dates and rule changes as they happen. No automatic emails.
What we could not verify
- Why the Met's pass rate is lower. The College publishes the figures but no explanation, and we found no official analysis.
- Why the pass rate moved from 24.4% to 37.0%. Paper difficulty, cohort and preparation could all play a part. The College does not say.
- First-attempt and resit pass rates. Not published, so we cannot say how many successful inspectors failed first.
- The exact May 2026 inspectors' subject mix. The College's list has 136 rows for 140 scored questions (52, 29 and 55 by our count). We do not know whether some subjects carried more than one question.
- November 2025 performance bands. The figures printed in the band chart do not reconcile with the 413 total as extracted, so we have not quoted them.
- Negative marking. The handbook does not state in terms that wrong answers carry no penalty; our advice to answer every question is based on the pass mark being expressed as correct answers.
- Force registration deadlines and study leave. These are set locally. Check with your force examinations officer.
- The Knowledge Hub materials. They sit behind a login, so we have not reviewed what the College's practice questions cover for inspectors.
- How long successful candidates revise. No official or reliable data exists. The hours in our plans are our recommendation, not a measured figure.
- The 2026 handbook link. The College now shows the 2027 handbook online. We read the 2026 version (September 2025) for the November 2026 rules but could not find a current public link to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the pass mark for the police inspector exam?
65%, which is 91 correct answers out of the 140 questions that are scored (College of Policing candidate handbook, updated 10 September 2026). The sergeants' pass mark is 55% (77 of 140). The College's NPPF debrief panel can alter the pass mark in exceptional circumstances, but it states there is no provision to add marks for anyone who falls just short.
What is the inspector exam pass rate?
In the November 2025 sitting, 413 of 1,693 candidates passed (24.4%). In May 2026, 644 of 1,739 passed (37.0%). Both figures are from the College of Policing's results and analysis overviews. For comparison, 58.5% passed the March 2026 sergeants' exam.
Why is the inspector exam pass rate so low?
The verified reasons are a pass mark 10 points higher than sergeants' on a near identical syllabus, and a very large Metropolitan Police cohort with a much lower pass rate (14.1% in November 2025 and 23.8% in May 2026). Leaving the Met out, our calculation from the College's figures gives about 28.9% and 42.8%. The College does not publish reasons, so anything beyond that is inference.
Is the inspector exam harder than the sergeant exam?
The syllabus is the same Blackstone's Police Manuals with one exception: chapter 1.8 (Weapons) is examined for sergeants only. The difference is the pass mark (65% against 55%), the exceptional grade (85% against 75%) and the subject mix, which is set from a survey of serving officers at each rank. In practice the higher bar is what makes it harder: you can afford 49 wrong answers out of 140 rather than 63.
How long should I revise for the inspector exam?
There is no official figure, and we have no data on how long successful candidates revised. Most of the inspectors' syllabus is the same as the sergeants' you already passed, but the bar is higher and the law has moved on since you sat it. This page gives 4, 8 and 12 week plans; 12 weeks at 7 to 9 hours a week is a realistic target for most working sergeants, and 4 weeks only suits someone who already scores close to the pass mark.
When is the next inspector exam?
Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 November 2026. College registration closed at 6pm on Monday 5 October 2026, and forces may have set an earlier internal deadline. If you are not entered, the 2027 sittings are 11 to 13 May 2027 and 2 to 4 November 2027.
Which Blackstone's edition do I need for the November 2026 inspector exam?
The 2026 edition. The 2026 candidate handbook says the 2026 sittings examine the law only as it appears in the 2026 Blackstone's Police Manuals. The 2027 edition (published August 2026) is the syllabus for the May and November 2027 sittings.
What score should I aim for in practice to pass at 65%?
Aim to score 70% or more consistently on full, timed, unseen practice papers before the real exam. The reasons are that 10 questions are removed after the sitting and you do not know which, practice banks differ from the real paper, and your score on a real day varies. A practice average of 66% leaves almost no margin.
Are wrong answers penalised in the inspector exam?
The handbook expresses the pass mark as a number of correct answers (91 out of 140) and describes no deduction for wrong answers. On that wording, a blank answer and a wrong answer score the same, so you should answer every question. The handbook does not say this in terms, so treat it as our reading.
Can I sit the inspector exam as a temporary or acting sergeant?
No. Only candidates who hold the substantive rank of sergeant can sit it. If you are near the end of a temporary promotion, you can register only if your force supports it and you will be substantive by the exam date. A result obtained before you are substantive is voided, and the handbook says there is no right of appeal.
How long does an inspector exam pass last?
Five years less one day from the date you sat it. For the November 2026 sitting, the final stage of step three must take place by 4 November 2031 (handbook validity table). Resitting before your validity runs out forfeits the remaining time, whatever the result of the resit.
Can I use AI or my notes during the exam?
No. The handbook says the use of artificial intelligence tools is strictly prohibited and treats using one as gaining assistance from another person. Copying, photographing or sharing questions, or putting them into an AI tool or search engine, is a rule breach that can lead to disqualification, a ban of two years or more and referral to professional standards.
Do I have to sit the inspector exam at a test centre?
No. The handbook says there is no national requirement to sit at a testing centre or under supervision. You sit online at a time you choose between 8am and 8pm on any day of the exam period, and you are responsible for a suitable environment. Some forces provide a centre, but they do not have to.
Sources and how we checked them
Every factual claim on this page was written from the sources below, read on 4 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: Sergeants' and inspectors' NPPF step two legal exams (exam hub) — 2026 and 2027 exam and registration dates, including the November 2026 inspectors' registration closing at 6pm on Monday 5 October 2026; links to the results and subject area PDFs. Read on the College's production mirror because the main site blocked our reader (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook (2027 version, updated 10 September 2026) — four NPPF steps; inspectors' eligibility and the two-year substantive sergeant rule; 150 questions in 3 hours, 10 removed, scored on 140; 2027 edition of the Manuals as the only syllabus; subject content set by survey of serving sergeants and inspectors; not aimed at pure factual recall; pass marks 55% and 65%, exceptional 75% and 85%, low-band fail below 30% and 35%; debrief panel can alter the pass mark; AI ban; question copying rules; 12-hour window; testing environment; comfort breaks; withdrawals; sickness; results within three weeks; validity table; unscheduled incident deadlines; Appendix A (chapter 1.8 Weapons, sergeants only) (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2027 (PDF, September 2026) — Appendix A: the full chapter list of the 2027 Crime, Evidence and Procedure and General Police Duties Manuals (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2026 (PDF, September 2025) — the 2026 rules that govern the November 2026 sitting: 2026 edition of the Manuals; registration and adjustments closing date Monday 5 October 2026; results by Thursday 26 November 2026; unscheduled incident reports by 8pm on Sunday 8 November 2026; chapter 1.8 Weapons for sergeants only. The College has replaced this handbook online with the 2027 version, so the link is to the exam hub (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF inspectors' step two legal exam, results and analysis overview, May 2026 (PDF) — 1,739 sat, 644 passed (37.0%); 41 exceptional (2.3%), 603 pass, 1,068 fail, 27 low-band fail; female 43.5%, male 34.4%; white 38.1%, ethnic minority 29.7%; Metropolitan Police 530 sat, 126 passed (23.8%); force table (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF inspectors' step two legal exam, results and analysis overview, November 2025 (PDF) — 1,693 sat, 413 passed (24.4%); female 24.0%, male 24.5%; Metropolitan Police 518 sat, 73 passed (14.1%); force table (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF sergeants' step two legal exam, results and analysis overview, March 2026 (PDF) — 3,215 sat, 1,882 passed (58.5%); 387 exceptional (12.0%); Metropolitan Police 1,148 sat, 468 passed (40.8%) (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF inspectors' step two legal exam, subject area breakdown, May 2026 (PDF) — subject list by area (we count 52 crime, 29 evidence and procedure and 55 general police duties rows, 136 in all); questions removed (crime 4, evidence and procedure 1, general police duties 5); about 24,309 words across 150 questions; the College's warning not to use it to predict future papers (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF sergeants' step two legal exam, subject area breakdown, March 2026 (PDF) — 60 crime, 31 evidence and procedure, 49 general police duties rows (140); questions removed (6, 3 and 1); about 24,606 words (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online examinations candidate guide — start any time between 8am and 8pm and before 8pm; platform navigation, question flagging and note making; familiarisation exercise; reasonable adjustments process (accessed 4 October 2026)
- Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, sections 18 and 40, legislation.gov.uk — inspector's written authorisation for a section 18 search (s 18(4)); review of detention of a person arrested but not charged by an officer of at least the rank of inspector not directly involved in the investigation (s 40(1)(b)) (accessed 4 October 2026)
- Home Office: PACE Code D, revised Code of Practice for the identification of persons by police officers — the identification officer for eye-witness procedures must be an officer not below inspector rank who is not involved with the investigation (para 3.11) (accessed 4 October 2026)
- Dunlosky, Rawson, Marsh, Nathan and Willingham (2013), Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques, Psychological Science in the Public Interest 14(1), 4 to 58 — review rating practice testing and distributed (spaced) practice as high utility, and rereading and highlighting as low utility (accessed 4 October 2026)
- PolicePay: police pay scales from 1 September 2026 — sergeant top of scale £58,175; inspector top of scale £71,396 outside London and £74,206 in the Met and City of London (accessed 4 October 2026)
On this topic elsewhere
More in this guide series
Practice and tools
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, syllabus editions and prices change, so check the College of Policing's current candidate handbook and exam pages before you register or buy. Practice material on this site is original and is not real exam content. Details apply to England and Wales unless stated. Details are as checked on 4 October 2026.