NPPF Results,
Validity and Resits
NPPF Step Two results reach candidates within three weeks of the exam through a link to AIMS. A pass is valid for five years less one day, and you must take part in the final stage of your force's Step Three selection inside that time. There is no national limit on resits, but sitting again while your pass is still valid forfeits it, even if you fail. This guide covers results dates, the feedback report, the validity rules, Steps Three and Four, and what to do after a fail.
Independent information, not advice · Sources checked 4 October 2026 · England and Wales unless stated
Results come within three weeks: the 2027 results dates are 8 April, 3 June, 28 October and 25 November 2027. You get a feedback report with your grade, total percentage and subject area breakdown, and there are no remarks or appeals on marks. A pass is valid for five years less one day for Step Three. You can resit as often as your force allows, but a resit while your pass is still valid wipes the old pass at the moment you sit.
After the exam at a glance
This page starts where the exam ends. If you are still preparing, the format, syllabus and pass mark are in the Step 2 exam explained and the pass mark explained. Everything below comes from the College of Policing's 2027 candidate handbook (updated 10 September 2026), the 2026 handbook for the October and November 2026 sittings, its online examinations candidate guide (updated 5 August 2026), the NPPF operating manual (July 2026) and the College's published results PDFs, all checked on 4 October 2026.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| When results arrive | Within three weeks of the exam. October and November 2026 sittings: 29 October and 26 November 2026. 2027 dates: 8 April, 3 June, 28 October and 25 November 2027 |
| How | Email link to AIMS; you verify email, date of birth and national insurance number |
| What you get | A feedback report: final grading, total percentage, broken down by subject area. No certificate |
| Who else sees it | Your force exams contact sees a pass or fail list, not your feedback report |
| Grades | Exceptional, pass, fail, low-band fail (sergeants: 75%+, 55%+, below 55%, below 30%; inspectors: 85%+, 65%+, below 65%, below 35%) |
| Remarks and appeals | None on marks. Unscheduled incident reports and question queries only, within three days of the exam |
| Validity of a pass | Five years less one day from the exam; you must take part in the final stage of Step Three inside it |
| Resit while valid | Allowed, but your old validity is forfeited the moment you sit, even if you fail |
| Extensions | College only, for listed leave and long-term sickness; never for lack of vacancies |
| Resits after a fail | No national limit; forces may set one. You return to Step One |
| Next sittings | Sergeants: March and October. Inspectors: May and November |
Sitting the exam again while your pass is still valid forfeits what is left of that pass from the moment you sit, "regardless of the result" (candidate handbook, Validity). A failed resit therefore leaves you with nothing. If you are thinking of resitting to "top up" an old pass, read resitting while still valid first.
Results day: passed, or not yet
Results for the October 2026 sergeants' sitting are expected by about Thursday 29 October 2026, and for the November 2026 inspectors' sitting by about Thursday 26 November 2026 (the 2026 handbook's dates; the College tells force examinations officers the actual release date). Whatever the result, save your feedback report the day it arrives. Then follow the path that fits.
If you passed
- Your pass is valid for five years less one day from the exam date. Inside that time you must take part in the final stage of your force's Step Three selection (the validity rule).
- Do not sit the exam again to "refresh" it: a resit while your pass is valid forfeits the pass, whatever the result (why).
- Start on the board now: turn acting up into board evidence and practise with promotion board questions, with free feedback on one answer.
If you did not pass this time
- There is no national limit on resits (your force may set one) and no remark of your paper (what you can challenge).
- Next sittings: sergeants 16 to 18 March 2027 (College registration 18 January to 6pm 18 February 2027); inspectors 11 to 13 May 2027 (registration 15 March to 6pm 15 April 2027). Both use the 2027 Manuals, and your force may close earlier.
- Plan from your report, not from scratch: the sergeants' resit plan or the inspectors' resit plan.
- For a baseline, the free 20-question timed mock (one attempt per browser) is scored at your rank's pass mark: sergeant or inspector.
Our paid practice toolkit (£69.99 for 6 months, one payment, 14-day refund, no reason needed) is there if you want a timed 150-question sitting and spaced review for a resit. It is optional, it is not real exam content and it cannot promise a pass.
When NPPF exam results come out
The handbook says all results and feedback reports will be available to candidates within three weeks of the examination, and that the College tells force examinations officers the release date in advance. Each year's handbook publishes the dates. This is the table for the six sittings from October 2026 to November 2027.
| Sitting | Exam window | Results by | Syllabus edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeants, October 2026 | Tue 6 to Thu 8 October 2026 | Thursday 29 October 2026 (2026 handbook) | 2026 Manuals |
| Inspectors, November 2026 | Tue 3 to Thu 5 November 2026 | Thursday 26 November 2026 (2026 handbook) | 2026 Manuals |
| Sergeants, March 2027 | Tue 16 to Thu 18 March 2027 | Thursday 8 April 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
| Inspectors, May 2027 | Tue 11 to Thu 13 May 2027 | Thursday 3 June 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
| Sergeants, October 2027 | Tue 5 to Thu 7 October 2027 | Thursday 28 October 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
| Inspectors, November 2027 | Tue 2 to Thu 4 November 2027 | Thursday 25 November 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
Where the 2026 dates come from
The 2027 handbook replaced the 2026 one on the College's handbook web page on 10 September 2026, but the 2026 handbook PDF (September 2025) is still on the College's site and gives the October and November 2026 dates. They fit a consistent pattern: in every sitting in the 2025, 2026 and 2027 handbooks, the results date is exactly three weeks after the last day of the exam window, always a Thursday.
| Sitting | Last day of exam window | Results by | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2025 sergeants | Thu 20 March 2025 | Thu 10 April 2025 | 21 days |
| May 2025 inspectors | Thu 15 May 2025 | Thu 5 June 2025 | 21 days |
| October 2025 sergeants | Thu 16 October 2025 | Thu 6 November 2025 | 21 days |
| November 2025 inspectors | Thu 13 November 2025 | Thu 4 December 2025 | 21 days |
| March 2026 sergeants | Thu 19 March 2026 | Thu 9 April 2026 | 21 days |
| May 2026 inspectors | Thu 14 May 2026 | Thu 4 June 2026 | 21 days |
| October 2026 sergeants | Thu 8 October 2026 | Thu 29 October 2026 | 21 days |
| November 2026 inspectors | Thu 5 November 2026 | Thu 26 November 2026 | 21 days |
| March 2027 sergeants | Thu 18 March 2027 | Thu 8 April 2027 | 21 days |
| May 2027 inspectors | Thu 13 May 2027 | Thu 3 June 2027 | 21 days |
| October 2027 sergeants | Thu 7 October 2027 | Thu 28 October 2027 | 21 days |
| November 2027 inspectors | Thu 4 November 2027 | Thu 25 November 2027 | 21 days |
So October 2026 sergeants' results are due by Thursday 29 October 2026 and November 2026 inspectors' results by Thursday 26 November 2026. Your force examinations officer is told the release date in advance and is the person to ask if anything changes. Full sitting and registration dates are in NPPF exam dates 2026 and NPPF exam dates 2027.
The exam is marked by computer, so people often ask why they wait three weeks. The candidate guide gives the reason: the College has to analyse the results and have them ratified by the debrief panel before release. In that time the 10 worst-performing questions are removed, question queries and incident reports are considered, and the panel checks the sitting was delivered fairly. The panel ratifies results before they are released to anyone.
How results are communicated
- An email with a link. On results day you receive an email with a link to your result and feedback report in AIMS, the registration platform. It is not the Civica Assess platform you sat the exam on (candidate guide).
- Identity checks. You must enter through that link and verify your email address, date of birth and national insurance number. The candidate guide says that if you do not enter via the link and verify your details, your result will not be released to you.
- Registration errors cause delay. If any of those details were entered wrongly when you registered, access to your result is delayed (handbook, Feedback reports). If you already suspect a typo, tell your force examinations officer now rather than on results day.
- What your force sees. Force examinations officers can access a full list of results in AIMS. The candidate guide says force exams contacts get a pass or fail list of their officers' results but do not have access to individual feedback reports. Your score and subject breakdown are yours unless you share them.
- No certificate. The handbook says candidates are not issued with certificates. The feedback report is your proof of result, must be kept for future reference, and cannot be reissued.
Download or print the feedback report and save it somewhere you control, not only on a force system you could lose access to on transfer. If you pass, you may need it for a Step Three application up to five years from now. If you fail, it is the starting point for your next attempt.
Results can also be voided or removed. The handbook says anyone who sat when not eligible (for example, not yet substantive in rank) has their result voided with no right of appeal, and a candidate found to have breached the rules (including using AI, copying a question or pausing the timer) can have the result removed and be barred for two years or more. The rules are covered in NPPF online exam rules and exam day.
Sitting it again?
There is no national limit on resits (your force may set one). Start with a plan for your rank: sergeants' exam resit plan or inspectors' exam resit plan.
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.
The first three days after the exam
The window that matters most is not results day, it is the three days after you sit. Two routes close then and never reopen.
| When | What happens | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Exam day (any day in the window, 8am to 8pm) | You sit the 150 questions | Do not copy, photograph or discuss any question, before or after |
| Up to three days after | Deadline for unscheduled incident reports and question queries (incident reports: 8pm on the Sunday after each window, for example Sunday 11 October 2026 for the October 2026 sergeants' exam) | Your only chance to raise a problem; nothing later is considered |
| Marking | 10 worst-performing questions removed; queries reviewed, with legal review if needed | You are scored on 140 |
| Debrief panel | Reviews the delivery, considers unscheduled events, ratifies results | Can alter the pass mark only in exceptional circumstances, for everyone |
| Results day (within three weeks) | Email link to AIMS; force sees pass or fail list | Verify your details to unlock the report |
| After results | Reports and disqualifications panel considers any reports from unsuccessful candidates | It cannot turn a fail into a pass |
Unscheduled incident reports
An unscheduled incident is a disruption that was unforeseen, outside your control and likely to have had a direct and substantial impact on your result. You send a written report or email yourself, copying in your force examinations officer, and it must reach the College's exams team (NPPF.enquiries@college.police.uk) no later than three days after the exam. The handbooks give exact deadlines: Sunday 11 October 2026 by 8pm for the October 2026 sergeants' exam, Sunday 8 November 2026 by 8pm for the November 2026 inspectors' exam, and, for example, Sunday 21 March 2027 by 8pm for the March 2027 sergeants' exam. The College will not accept reports about:
- your own or a force-provided testing environment, local connection, device or setup;
- lack of preparation or a heavy workload;
- illness or injury before or during the exam, including a family member's, since sitting was your choice;
- issues you knew about when you chose to sit;
- not following guidance or not contacting the College at the time;
- reasonable adjustments you agreed to.
Question queries
If you think a question was legally wrong or unfair, raise it with your force exams contact within three days. The candidate guide says to describe the question, never copy it: the College can find it from a description, and copying any part of a question is itself a breach. Questions found to be unfair are removed from marking for every candidate.
Special consideration
Where an accepted incident report shows a significant problem outside candidates' control, the marking and debrief panels can award an allowance of 1% of the total raw marks available to all affected candidates, not just those who reported it. The handbook stresses this is for very exceptional circumstances only, and is never given for anything on the excluded list above.
Questions remain College intellectual property and the College reserves the right to reuse them. The candidate guide says discussing any part of the questions or answers with anyone, before, during or after the exam, including on social media, is a breach that can lead to results being removed, a ban and referral to professional standards. A "how did you find question 40?" message in a group chat is exactly what it means.
What the feedback report shows
The handbook says the candidate feedback report "can be used by the candidate to identify any strengths and developmental needs" and that it includes:
- Your final grading. The College's results PDFs sort every candidate into one of four bands, set out in the table below.
- Your total percentage score on the 140 scored questions.
- A breakdown into subject areas. The handbook does not say at what level. The College's published subject breakdowns use three "courses" (crime, evidence and procedure, and general police duties), each split into skills and subjects.
| Band | Sergeants' exam | Inspectors' exam | What follows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional | 75% or more (our calculation: 105 or more of 140) | 85% or more (119 or more of 140) | Pass. The operating manual says chief officers are notified of exceptional scores via the force examinations officer |
| Pass | 55% to under 75% (77 to 104 of 140) | 65% to under 85% (91 to 118 of 140) | Pass. Validity starts from the exam |
| Fail | 30% to under 55% (42 to 76 of 140) | 35% to under 65% (49 to 90 of 140) | Return to Step One |
| Low-band fail | Under 30% (41 or fewer) | Under 35% (48 or fewer) | Return to Step One |
The report does not show which questions you got wrong, and the handbook says you are never told where the 10 removed questions were or how you did on them. The pass marks above are the published standard, but the debrief panel "reserves the right to alter the pass mark in exceptional circumstances" if it sees a significant deviation in the success rate or has evidence that a change would be fairer. Any change applies to the whole sitting.
The College's candidate guide says its "Candidate Online Examination Guidance" Knowledge Hub group (login needed) includes feedback report guidance to help candidates interpret results and focus on weaker areas, alongside free practice questions and revision timetable templates. If you have not joined, it is the first thing to do after results day.
How to read your report and what to do with it
Turn percentages into marks
Because everyone is scored on 140 questions, a percentage is easy to turn back into marks, and marks are easier to plan around.
| Marks | Percentage | What it tells you | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeants' pass mark | 77 | 55.0% | 76 marks is 54.3% |
| Inspectors' pass mark | 91 | 65.0% | 90 marks is 64.3% |
| One mark | 1 | about 0.7 percentage points | So 'I got 53%' is about three marks short for a sergeant |
| Five marks | 5 | about 3.6 percentage points | The gap between 51.4% and 55% on the sergeants' paper |
Weight each subject area by its size
A low percentage in a small area costs fewer marks than a middling one in a big area. In the March 2026 sergeants' paper, our count of the College's subject breakdown gives 60 scored questions in crime, 31 in evidence and procedure and 49 in general police duties (the 10 removed questions were 6 crime, 3 evidence and procedure and 1 general police duties). The College warns that the breakdown shows what was covered in that exam and should not be used to work out what will be tested in future, but the three areas have been present in every paper, and the share is a fair rough guide.
Five things to do with the report
- Write down, the same day, what you remember about the paper. Not the questions (that is a breach), but your own experience: where you ran short of time, which topics felt unfamiliar, where you changed answers. Memory fades within days and the report alone will not tell you this.
- Convert each area to marks lost, using the area sizes above, and rank the areas by marks, not by percentage.
- Compare with your practice scores. If you were scoring well on practice questions in an area where you scored badly on the day, the problem may be question style, timing or nerves rather than knowledge.
- Take it to your line manager. After a fail the operating manual (para 4.7) says unsuccessful candidates must be supported with a development plan agreed with their line manager. The report is the evidence for that plan, including any study time you ask for.
- Check the edition before you start again. If your next sitting uses a different Blackstone's edition, rebuild your notes from the new Manuals. See which Blackstone's edition.
What the published results show
After each sitting the College publishes a results and analysis overview. These are the three most recent we could read, with the performance bands exactly as published.
| Sitting | Sat | Passed | Exceptional | Pass | Fail | Low-band fail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeants, March 2026 | 3,215 | 1,882 (58.5%) | 387 (12.0%) | 1,495 (46.5%) | 1,288 (40.1%) | 45 (1.4%) |
| Inspectors, May 2026 | 1,739 | 644 (37.0%) | 41 (2.3%) | 603 (34.7%) | 1,068 (61.4%) | 27 (1.6%) |
| Inspectors, November 2025 | 1,693 | 413 (24.4%) | 11 (0.6%) | See note | 1,255 (74.1%) | 25 (1.5%) |
Note on November 2025: the PDF's chart prints 502 (23.8%) for the pass band, which does not reconcile with its own totals (413 passed, 11 of them exceptional), so we have left it out. The other figures add up.
What the numbers tell you, and what they do not
- Failing is common. In March 2026, 1,333 sergeant candidates did not pass. In May 2026 it was 1,095 inspector candidates, and in November 2025, 1,280. You are not an outlier.
- Low-band fails are rare. Only 1.4% of sergeant candidates in March 2026 and 1.6% of inspector candidates in May 2026 scored under 30% or 35%. Most people who fail are in the main fail band.
- The College does not publish score distributions. The PDFs give bands, not marks, so nobody can say from published data how many candidates missed by one mark or by twenty, or what a "typical" score is. Treat any claim otherwise with caution.
- The inspectors' rate moves a lot between sittings. 24.4% in November 2025, 37.0% in May 2026. A single sitting tells you little about the next one.
One force changes the national figure
The Metropolitan Police supplies about a third of candidates and its pass rate has been well below the rest of England and Wales. Removing it from the College's force tables (our calculation) changes the picture:
| Sitting | Metropolitan Police | All other forces combined |
|---|---|---|
| Sergeants, March 2026 | 1,148 sat, 468 passed (40.8%) | 2,067 sat, 1,414 passed (about 68.4%) |
| Inspectors, May 2026 | 530 sat, 126 passed (23.8%) | 1,209 sat, 518 passed (about 42.8%) |
| Inspectors, November 2025 | 518 sat, 73 passed (14.1%) | 1,175 sat, 340 passed (about 28.9%) |
The College says comparisons between forces should be made with caution because candidate numbers differ, and some small forces' figures are suppressed. The table explains the national figure; it says nothing about you. What it does suggest is that forces differ in who they put forward and how they support them, which is worth raising when you agree your development plan.
The 5-year validity rule, explained
The handbook says a Step Two pass "is valid for five years (less one day) from the date of taking the examination", and that for you to be eligible to complete Step Three, "the date of the step three process must fall within this period". The operating manual adds the detail that matters:
- The deadline is your participation date. You must be within validity on the date you physically take part in the final part of your force's Step Three process. If the result is published later, after your validity has run out, that no longer affects you (para 5.5).
- It is not a deadline to be promoted. Validity is about taking part in Step Three, not about finishing. There is one catch: if you are still in the promotion pool after the maximum 36 months, or fail Step Four, you go back to Step Three, which needs a valid pass (paras 5.8.1 and 6.5).
- Calendar days. The period is counted in calendar days, not working days (para 9.11.2).
- If it runs out, you go back to Step One. You must re-confirm eligibility and pass the exam again (handbook; operating manual 2.6 and 5.4). An expired pass is not treated as a previous pass that stops you sitting again (operating manual 3.13).
- Forces should plan around it. The operating manual tells forces to take the five-year anniversary into account when timing Step Three, because a process held just after it may unnecessarily exclude people in their final year (para 5.5).
If you appeal a Step Three decision and your force accepts the appeal, the operating manual (9.11.1 to 9.11.3) says validity is calculated from your participation date, and the time between participation and the appeal decision is added to your validity (if the appeal is accepted but not upheld) or banked (if it is upheld). If your force does not accept the appeal, the clock is treated as having run without a break. While an appeal is live you cannot take part in a new Step Three process unless you withdraw it.
Validity deadlines for every recent sitting
The handbook publishes one deadline per sitting, which is the last date on which you can take part in the final stage of Step Three. The tables below reproduce it. By our arithmetic each deadline is five years less one day from the last day of that sitting's window, and because the handbook gives one date per sitting, everyone in a sitting has the same deadline whichever day they sat.
| Sergeants' exam passed | Must have undertaken the final stage of Step Three by |
|---|---|
| 8 to 10 March 2022 | 9 March 2027 |
| 14 to 16 March 2023 | 15 March 2028 |
| 3 to 5 October 2023 | 4 October 2028 |
| 12 to 14 March 2024 | 13 March 2029 |
| 1 to 3 October 2024 | 2 October 2029 |
| 18 to 20 March 2025 | 19 March 2030 |
| 14 to 16 October 2025 | 15 October 2030 |
| 17 to 19 March 2026 | 18 March 2031 |
| 6 to 8 October 2026 | 7 October 2031 |
| Inspectors' exam passed | Must have undertaken the final stage of Step Three by |
|---|---|
| 12 October 2021 | 11 October 2026 |
| 4 to 6 October 2022 | 5 October 2027 |
| 9 to 11 May 2023 | 10 May 2028 |
| 7 to 9 November 2023 | 8 November 2028 |
| 14 to 16 May 2024 | 15 May 2029 |
| 5 to 7 November 2024 | 6 November 2029 |
| 13 to 15 May 2025 | 14 May 2030 |
| 11 to 13 November 2025 | 12 November 2030 |
| 12 to 14 May 2026 | 13 May 2031 |
| 3 to 5 November 2026 | 4 November 2031 |
Inspector candidates who passed on 12 October 2021: your deadline is 11 October 2026. If you will not take part in a Step Three by then, registration for the November 2026 inspectors' exam closed at 6pm on Monday 5 October 2026, so the next sitting is May 2027, with registration from 15 March to 15 April 2027. Sergeant candidates who passed in March 2022: your deadline is 9 March 2027, before the March 2027 sitting (16 to 18 March), so if no Step Three falls before then, plan to register between 18 January and 18 February 2027.
Resitting while your pass is still valid
Some officers want to resit before their pass runs out, either to restart the clock or to get a better grade. The handbook allows it, with a sting:
"Any remaining time on their validity period will be forfeited from the time that they sit the examination regardless of the result."
So if you pass the resit, you get a fresh five years from the new exam date. If you fail it, you have no valid pass at all and go back to Step One. There is no "best of two".
The safer route: register, then decide
- You can register near the end of your validity without losing anything. The handbook lets you enter while still valid, so that if your force announces a Step Three process between registration and the exam you are not stuck either way.
- If you are selected at Step Three, withdraw. You must withdraw at the earliest opportunity and tell your force examinations officer.
- Withdrawal is final for that sitting. The handbook says that once a candidate has withdrawn, they cannot be re-entered.
- If you do not register and then fail Step Three, you will not be allowed to register late for that sitting.
- Be fair to your force. The handbook says forces are charged for all candidates still registered two weeks before the exam, and for absent candidates, and forces may apply their own penalties for absence. Withdraw early if you know you will not sit.
If your validity has a year or two left, your force runs Step Three rarely, and you are confident (for example because your practice scores are well above the pass mark on the current Manuals), a resit can buy five more years. If you are anywhere near the pass mark, the risk of losing a pass you already hold usually outweighs the benefit. This is a judgement only you can make; your force examinations officer can tell you when the next Step Three is likely.
Extending your validity
Your force cannot extend your validity. The handbook says forces have no discretion "in any circumstances" and all requests go to the College through your force examinations officer.
| Reason | Considered? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental leave, maternity support, maternity-related sickness | Considered | Operating manual 2.8: maternity, paternity, maternity-related sickness and adoption leave do not count against validity |
| Career break for the purposes of care | Considered | Other career breaks are not on the list |
| Long-term sickness absence, or a long-term substantial adverse impact on day-to-day activities | Considered | Needs dated evidence confirmed by your force |
| Part-time working or limited duties | Only with a clear explanation | You must show why it stopped you applying for Step Three or gathering evidence |
| No Step Three process held, or no vacancies | Never | The handbook rules this out in any circumstances |
| Not promoted within five years | Never | Same rule |
| A Step Three appeal accepted by your force | Time may be added | Operating manual 9.11.3: time between participation and the appeal decision can be added or banked |
How to apply
- Apply through your force examinations officer with full details of each absence, including specific dates and reasons, confirmed as correct by someone in your force such as your line manager or HR.
- The College's exams team considers requests and, in exceptional circumstances, sends them to the reports and disqualification panel, which receives them every two months (the first of February, April, June, August, October and December). Submit at least two weeks before a panel date with all evidence, or you miss that round.
- You cannot apply for Step Three without a valid pass, and you cannot apply before an extension is officially granted. A response can take several weeks, so apply well ahead of any Step Three you are aiming for.
The operating manual (para 2.8) adds that maternity, paternity, maternity-related sickness, adoption leave and a career break for caring do not count towards a reduction of your validity: with three years left and a year's maternity leave, you return with three years left. You still need the College to record it, so apply.
How a pass feeds into Steps Three and Four
A Step Two pass does not promote you. The College's NPPF page says promotion is only attained once you have completed all four steps. This is how the pass carries through, from the operating manual (July 2026).
| Step | What it is | How the exam pass matters |
|---|---|---|
| Step One | Competence in current rank, confirmed by your line manager: PDR, no live warnings or written improvement notices, attendance | Re-confirmed each time you register, including after a fail |
| Step Two | The legal knowledge exam | A pass starts the five-year clock |
| Step Three | Your force's local selection process against rank-specific competencies, matched to expected vacancies | You must take part in its final stage inside your validity. If unsuccessful you can try again while still valid |
| Promotion pool | Selected candidates wait for a vacancy | Forces should aim for no more than 12 months; up to a further 24 in exceptional cases (36 in total) |
| Step Four | Temporary promotion for a mandatory 12 months plus a work-based assessment (RQF units) | Extendable by up to 12 months in extenuating circumstances. Fail it and you go back to Step Three |
| Substantive promotion | Force considers service length, PDR, attendance, conduct and a commander's recommendation | For inspector, two years as a substantive sergeant is also required |
- Step Three is run by your force. Forces decide its structure and techniques, must advertise the method and the competencies tested in advance, and are encouraged to tell candidates the expected number of vacancies (paras 5.2, 5.6 and 5.6.2). Preparation is covered in common promotion board mistakes.
- If you are unsuccessful at Step Three, you stay in the NPPF and can take part in the next Step Three while your pass is valid, with a development plan agreed with your line manager (paras 5.7 and 5.7.1). See what happens if you fail the promotion board.
- The pool. If no vacancy is immediately available you go into a pool. Forces should aim not to keep anyone there longer than 12 months, with up to a further 24 months in exceptional cases; after 36 months you must reapply at Step Three if your pass is still valid (paras 5.8 and 5.8.1).
- Step Four is 12 months minimum. Temporary promotion with a work-based assessment against RQF units, plus your performance and attendance across the full 12 months. It can be extended by up to 12 months in extenuating circumstances, and if you do not reach a satisfactory assessment you return to Step Three (paras 6.4.1 and 6.5).
For the wider picture, see how to get promoted to sergeant and the promotion hub.
Passing at one rank and moving to the next
A sergeants' pass and an inspectors' pass are separate qualifications with separate clocks. Nothing carries over from one to the other.
- To sit the inspectors' exam you must be a substantive sergeant by the exam date. For an NPPF sergeant that means completing the mandatory 12-month Step Four, which the handbook says cannot be reduced in any circumstances. You can apply at Step One during temporary promotion if your force supports you and you will be substantive by the exam date; if you are not, you cannot sit, and a result obtained before you were substantive is voided with no right of appeal.
- OSPRE-qualified sergeants are substantive from day one and can sit the inspectors' exam at any time after promotion to sergeant (handbook, OSPRE parts I and II qualified sergeants).
- Two years as a substantive sergeant is needed before substantive promotion to inspector. The operating manual (3.18.2) says some sergeants may complete the inspector process before they have two years, in which case they cannot be promoted until they do. Your inspectors' validity is running during that time, so it can be worth timing the exam with this in mind.
- You cannot resit a rank you already hold a full qualification for. The sergeants' exam is closed to anyone who has "previously obtained a pass" in a recognised promotion exam to sergeant. The operating manual (3.13) explains that "pass" here means completing the full process (OSPRE I and II, or NPPF Steps One to Four), not a Step Two pass whose validity has expired.
- Reduced in rank. An officer previously reduced from sergeant or inspector starts again at Step One but does not need to resit Step Two if still within five-year validity (operating manual 3.8).
- Rejoiners to sergeant or inspector rejoin at that rank but must sit Step Two at the earliest opportunity. The handbook gives them two opportunities to pass (one resit, taken at the earliest opportunity), and says failing may give grounds for regulation 13 of the Police Regulations 2003. This is the one group with a national limit on attempts.
How the two papers differ is in sergeant vs inspector exam.
Resits after a fail
The handbook is short on this: "There is no national restriction on the number of resits that a candidate can have for the exams. Any restrictions regarding the number of resits is a local force decision."
- You go back to Step One. The operating manual (4.7) says unsuccessful candidates return to Step One and must be supported with a development plan after discussion with their line manager. Your eligibility (competence, no live warnings or written improvement notices, attendance) is confirmed again when you re-register.
- Your force may limit attempts. Some forces set a maximum number of attempts or a gap between them. We found no national list, so read your force's promotion policy or ask the force examinations officer before you plan.
- There is no national waiting period, but there are only two sittings a year for each rank, so the earliest resit is the next sitting, if your force will register you.
- Register in time. Late registration is only considered for exceptional circumstances outside your control; heavy workload or not knowing the window are not accepted (handbook).
| Failed sitting | Next sitting | Registration window | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 sergeants | March 2027 (16 to 18 March) | 18 January to 18 February 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
| March 2027 sergeants | October 2027 (5 to 7 October) | 3 August to 9 September 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
| November 2026 inspectors | May 2027 (11 to 13 May) | 15 March to 15 April 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
| May 2027 inspectors | November 2027 (2 to 4 November) | 6 September to 4 October 2027 | 2027 Manuals |
The October and November 2026 sittings examine the 2026 Blackstone's Police Manuals. Every 2027 sitting examines the 2027 edition, and the handbook says the exam tests the law as it appears in that edition. If you resit in 2027, budget for the 2027 Manuals (the College's handbook page, checked 4 October 2026, says a 30% discount is available to police officers and staff in England and Wales, with the code on College Learn) and check every note you made against them. Details in which Blackstone's edition.
A practical point on timing: a failed October 2026 sergeant has about 16 weeks from late-October results to the March registration deadline (18 February 2027), and about 20 weeks to the exam itself. That is enough for a structured plan such as the 12-week timetable in the sergeant exam revision plan, or the inspector exam revision plan for the May inspectors' sitting.
Appeals, remarks and what you can actually challenge
The handbook is unusually blunt. There is "no provision for candidates to contest their result once results have been released, or to request to have their examination remarked", and "marginal fail results will not be reassessed or awarded a pass mark under any circumstances". It explains why: unlike a university, the College has no coursework or portfolio to weigh against the exam, so it will not reconsider marks against other information.
| You want to | Possible? | How and limits |
|---|---|---|
| Ask for a remark | No | Results are final once released; there is no remarking |
| Argue a near miss should be a pass | No | No marks added for candidates just below the pass mark, under any circumstances |
| Report an unscheduled incident | Yes, within three days | Only for disruption outside your control; not for your own device, connection, room, illness or workload |
| Query a question's legal accuracy | Yes, within three days, through your force exams contact | Describe it; never copy it. Unfair questions are removed for everyone |
| Get special consideration | Rarely | 1% of raw marks to all affected candidates, only in very exceptional circumstances |
| Get another attempt where your force limits resits | Possibly | After an incident report, the panel may recommend your force disregards that attempt |
| Appeal a reports and disqualifications panel decision | Yes, narrowly | Only if the panel did not follow its rules or there is fresh evidence; within 21 days, countersigned by your line manager |
Promotion decisions at Steps One, Three and Four are different: the operating manual (9.5) says forces must have an appeals procedure at each step for unsuccessful candidates. The exam is the one step where the only remedies are the College's incident and query routes.
What to do after a fail
In order, over the first few weeks:
- Give it a few days. Do not decide anything about your career on results day.
- Save the feedback report and write your own notes on the paper (not the questions) while you remember it.
- Find the cause, not just the gap. The common patterns, from reading the Manuals without enough practice questions to running out of time, are set out in why good officers fail the sergeant exam and why good officers fail the inspector exam.
- Agree a development plan with your line manager. Your force should do this (operating manual 4.7). Use it to ask for what would actually help: protected study time, a mentor who passed recently, or a place on any Federation or force study group.
- Check your force's resit policy and the next registration window in the table above.
- Rebuild around the current Manuals and practice under time. Our free sergeant exam mini mock and exam study planner are a quick way to see where you stand and lay out the weeks to your next sitting.
If you want a larger bank of practice questions and timed full-length sittings, our exam prep toolkit (paid: one payment of £69.99 for 6 months' access) has hundreds of checked questions and a 150-question timed sitting weighted like the real paper. It is not a substitute for the Manuals, which are the syllabus, and it is not College material. OUP's Blackstone's Police Q&As Online also offers quarter, half and full mock exams with feedback and a user history (from £75 for 3 months, tax added where applicable, checked 4 October 2026), and the College's free practice questions sit in the Knowledge Hub group. Other options are compared in revision resources compared and free resources.
If you missed by a few marks
This is the hardest result to take, and the rules give it no special treatment. It is worth being straight about both of those things.
- It will not be changed. No rounding, no marks added, no remark, no appeal on marks. The College says so in several places in the handbook. Spending weeks hoping otherwise only delays your next attempt.
- It is still a fail, and the consequences are the same as any fail: back to Step One, a new registration, possibly a new edition of the Manuals.
- But the gap is genuinely small. On the sergeants' paper one mark is about 0.7 percentage points; 52% is about four marks short. On a 150-question paper that is a handful of questions, the kind of margin that better timing, a second pass through the area you scored lowest in, or more practice questions can close. It is a different problem from scoring 35%.
- Do not assume next time will be easier. The questions change, the edition may change, and a near miss can mean you were on the edge in several areas at once. Treat the next attempt as a fresh exam, not a formality.
- You are in large company. 1,333 sergeant candidates did not pass in March 2026 and 1,095 inspector candidates in May 2026. The College does not publish how close they came, so we cannot tell you how many missed by a few marks, and we will not guess.
A practical note on whether to go again. At 1 September 2026 scales, top of constable to top of sergeant is about £6,160 a year more, and top of sergeant to top of inspector (outside the Met and City of London) about £13,220 (our reading of the England and Wales pay scales). Pay is only part of the decision; the workload, shift pattern and supervisory role matter as much. The promotion and work-life balance guide covers that side.
Failing a promotion exam after months of study, often around shifts and family, can be a real blow. If it is affecting your sleep, mood or work, confidential support is listed in the police mental health support directory.
If your force is testing SIPP
The Sergeant and Inspector Promotion and Progression (SIPP) process is the College's alternative to the NPPF, tested in a small number of forces. Its stage 2 selection process is licensed to Avon and Somerset, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Northumbria. What we could verify about results and resits:
- A separate legal exam. SIPP candidates take a SIPP legal knowledge exam with role-specific questions, held at the same time as the NPPF exams. The College's subject breakdowns describe an 80-question SIPP sergeants' paper in March 2026 and a 40-question SIPP inspectors' paper in May 2026, against 150 for NPPF.
- No published results data. The College's exam hub publishes NPPF results and analysis PDFs, but we found no equivalent for SIPP.
- The NPPF rules above may not apply. The 5-year validity, the forfeit-on-resit rule and the results dates on this page come from the NPPF Step Two handbook. We found no published SIPP equivalent, so ask your force how SIPP results, validity and resits work for you.
- The future is undecided. The College's May 2024 announcement described a test phase running to March 2026 and said no decision had been made about the future process. We have not verified any national rollout decision since.
More in SIPP explained.
Worked scenarios
Illustrative examples, not real cases, showing how the rules combine.
Common myths about NPPF results and resits
Your after-the-exam checklist
- Within three days: email any genuine unscheduled incident report, with evidence, to the College (NPPF.enquiries@college.police.uk), copying in your force examinations officer, and raise any question query through your force exams contact. Describe questions; never copy them.
- Do not discuss questions with anyone, online or off.
- Check with your force examinations officer that your AIMS details (email, date of birth, national insurance number) are correct.
- On results day: enter AIMS through the emailed link, verify your details, download the feedback report and store it safely.
- If you passed: note your Step Three deadline from the validity table, diarise it a year and six months ahead, and ask your force when its next Step Three is planned.
- If you passed exceptionally: your chief officer is told via the force examinations officer. Mention it in your Step Three application.
- If you failed: convert your subject areas into marks lost, agree a development plan with your line manager, check your force's resit policy, and note the next registration window.
- If you will resit in 2027: get the 2027 Manuals (a 30% discount code for officers and staff in England and Wales is on College Learn, per the College's handbook page) and rebuild your notes from them.
- If you have had qualifying leave or long-term sickness during a validity period: apply for an extension through your force examinations officer, ahead of the next panel date.
- If your force is in the SIPP test: ask which rules apply to your result, validity and resits.
What we could not verify
- The exact layout of the feedback report. The handbook says it shows final grading, total percentage and a subject area breakdown. We have not seen a real report, so we cannot say whether the subject areas are the three broad areas, chapters or skills, or how the grade is worded.
- Differences between the handbook and the operating manual. The July 2026 operating manual describes the forfeit-on-resit rule as applying to a retake "a year or more" before validity expires, and still calls the exam paper-based. The September 2026 handbook says any resit before expiry forfeits remaining validity. We have followed the handbook, which is newer and specific to the exam; ask your force examinations officer if you are in your last year.
- Force resit limits and waiting periods. These are local. We did not survey force policies.
- SIPP results, validity and resits. We found no published SIPP rules on these, no SIPP results data, and no confirmed decision on the future of SIPP after the test phase.
- November 2025 pass-band figure. The College's PDF prints a pass-band number that does not reconcile with its own totals, so we have not quoted it.
- Score distributions. The College publishes bands, not mark distributions, so nobody can say from published data how close unsuccessful candidates came.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the sergeants' exam results come out?
The College of Policing says all results and feedback reports are available within three weeks of the exam. For 2027 the candidate handbook gives Thursday 8 April 2027 for the March sergeants' exam and Thursday 28 October 2027 for the October sergeants' exam. For the October 2026 sitting (6 to 8 October) the 2026 candidate handbook gives Thursday 29 October 2026, and your force examinations officer is told the release date in advance.
When do the NPPF inspectors' exam results come out?
Within three weeks of the exam. The 2027 handbook gives Thursday 3 June 2027 for the May inspectors' exam and Thursday 25 November 2027 for the November exam. For the November 2026 sitting (3 to 5 November) the 2026 candidate handbook gives Thursday 26 November 2026.
How will I receive my NPPF exam result?
By email with a link to AIMS, the platform you registered on (not the Civica exam platform). You must enter through that link and verify your email address, date of birth and national insurance number before the result is released. Your force exams contact can see a pass or fail list for the force but not your individual feedback report.
What does the NPPF feedback report show?
According to the candidate handbook, it shows your final grading and the total percentage you scored, broken down into subject areas. There is no certificate: the feedback report is your proof of the result, and the College says it cannot reissue it, so save a copy somewhere you control.
How long is an NPPF sergeants' or inspectors' exam pass valid?
Five years less one day from the date of the exam. Within that time you must take part in the final stage of your force's Step Three selection process. The handbook publishes a deadline for each sitting: for example, after a pass in the 6 to 8 October 2026 sergeants' exam you must have taken part in the final stage of Step Three by 7 October 2031.
What happens if my NPPF pass expires before Step Three?
You return to NPPF Step One and must pass the Step Two exam again. The College's operating manual says an expired pass does not count as a previous pass that would bar you from sitting the same rank's exam again, so you can re-enter once your force confirms Step One eligibility.
If I resit the exam while my pass is still valid, do I keep my old pass?
No. The 2027 handbook says any remaining validity is forfeited from the moment you sit the exam, whatever the result. If you fail the resit, you have lost the old pass as well. You can register as a precaution and withdraw if you are selected at Step Three, but you cannot re-enter after withdrawing.
Can I get my NPPF validity extended?
Only by the College, not your force. Extensions are considered for maternity, paternity, maternity-related sickness, maternity support, adoption and shared parental leave, a career break for caring, and long-term sickness or a long-term substantial impact on day-to-day activities. They are never given because of a lack of promotion opportunities. Apply through your force examinations officer with dated evidence confirmed by your force.
How many times can you resit the sergeants' exam?
There is no national limit. The handbook says any restriction on the number of resits is a local force decision, so check your force's promotion policy. Rejoiners at sergeant or inspector are the exception: they get two opportunities to pass.
How soon can I resit after failing?
We found no national waiting period. In practice the calendar sets the gap: the sergeants' exam runs in March and October and the inspectors' exam in May and November, and you must register through your force in each window (for March 2027, 18 January to 18 February 2027). Your force must confirm Step One eligibility again.
Can I appeal my result or have my paper remarked?
No. The handbook says there is no provision to contest a result once released or to request a remark, and results are final. The only routes are an unscheduled incident report or a question query, both of which must reach the College within three days of the exam.
I missed the pass mark by one mark. Can it be rounded up?
No. The handbook says there is no provision to add marks for candidates just below the pass mark and that marginal fails will not be reassessed under any circumstances. The pass mark is set for the whole cohort, and the debrief panel can only alter it in exceptional circumstances for everyone, not for individuals.
Does a sergeants' exam pass count towards the inspectors' exam?
No. They are separate exams with separate 5-year validity periods. To sit the inspectors' exam you must be a substantive sergeant by the exam date, which for NPPF sergeants means completing the 12-month Step Four temporary promotion and work-based assessment first.
Is the SIPP legal exam the same as the NPPF exam?
No. Forces testing the Sergeant and Inspector Promotion and Progression process use a separate SIPP legal knowledge exam. The College's published subject breakdowns describe an 80-question SIPP sergeants' paper in March 2026 and a 40-question SIPP inspectors' paper in May 2026, against 150 for NPPF. We could not find published SIPP rules on validity or resits, so ask your force.
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: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook (2027 version, updated 10 September 2026) — resits (Dates); Blackstone's discount (30% for police officers and staff in England and Wales, code via College Learn); eligibility and voided results; rejoiners; removed questions; debrief panel; pass mark, exceptional and low-band grades; feedback reports and 2027 results dates; validity, the validity tables, resitting while valid, extensions; unscheduled incidents, special consideration, question queries, no remarks; disqualification. The College's main site blocked our reader, so we read the same page on the College's own production mirror (production.copweb.aws.college.police.uk) and the PDF below (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2027 (PDF, September 2026) — pages 30 to 33: feedback reports, results dates, validity and extensions (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2026 (PDF, September 2025) — still on the College's site on 4 October 2026: results by Thursday 29 October 2026 (October sergeants') and Thursday 26 November 2026 (November inspectors'); unscheduled incident deadlines Sunday 11 October 2026 and Sunday 8 November 2026, by 8pm; 2026 sittings examine the 2026 Manuals (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: NPPF step two legal examinations candidate handbook 2025 (PDF, September 2024) — 2025 results dates (10 April, 5 June, 6 November and 4 December 2025), used only to show the three-week pattern (accessed 4 October 2026)
- Oxford University Press: Blackstone's Police Q&As Online (product page) — checked 4 October 2026: quarter, half or full mock exams, feedback and a user history; personal subscriptions £105 (12 months), £90 (8 months), £75 (3 months), with tax added where applicable; states it is not endorsed by the College of Policing (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Online examinations candidate guide (updated 5 August 2026) — Results and feedback: AIMS link and identity checks, force exams contacts see pass or fail only, why results are not instant; Knowledge Hub feedback report guidance; three-day deadlines for incidents and question queries (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Sergeants' and inspectors' NPPF step two legal exams (exam hub) — 2026 and 2027 sitting and registration dates; SIPP legal tests held at the same time; links to results and subject area PDFs (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Results and analysis overview, NPPF sergeants' step-two legal exam, March 2026 (PDF) — 3,215 sat, 1,882 passed (58.5%); bands: exceptional 387, pass 1,495, fail 1,288, low-band fail 45; force table including Metropolitan 1,148 sat, 468 passed (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Results and analysis overview, NPPF inspectors' step-two legal exam, May 2026 (PDF) — 1,739 sat, 644 passed (37.0%); bands: exceptional 41, pass 603, fail 1,068, low-band fail 27; Metropolitan 530 sat, 126 passed (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Results and analysis overview, NPPF inspectors' step-two legal exam, November 2025 (PDF) — 1,693 sat, 413 passed (24.4%); exceptional 11, fail 1,255, low-band fail 25; Metropolitan 518 sat, 73 passed. The pass-band figure printed in the chart (502) does not reconcile with the totals, so we do not quote it (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Subject area breakdown, NPPF sergeants' step-two legal exam, March 2026 (PDF) — scored questions by area (our count: crime 60, evidence and procedure 31, general police duties 49); questions removed: crime 6, evidence and procedure 3, general police duties 1; warning not to use it to predict future papers (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: National Police Promotion Framework operating manual (July 2026, PDF) — validity and the Police (Promotion) Regulations 1996 (2.6, 2.8); expired pass is not a previous pass (3.13); officers reduced in rank (3.8); inspector eligibility (3.17 to 3.18.2); fail returns you to Step One with a development plan (4.7); exceptional scores notified to chief officers (4.8); Step Three and validity (5.4, 5.5); promotion pool (5.8 to 5.10); Step Four (6.4.1, 6.5); appeals and validity (9.8, 9.11.1 to 9.11.3) (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: National police promotion framework (NPPF) page — the four steps; Step Four is 12 months' temporary promotion and a work-based assessment; promotion only after all four steps (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: SIPP (stage 2) selection process, licensed product PL-M-107 — forces listed as licensed: Avon and Somerset, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Northumbria (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Testing a new process for promotion and progression for sergeants and inspectors (news, 23 May 2024) — test phase from April 2024 to March 2026; SIPP includes a legal knowledge exam with role-specific questions; no decision made on the future process (accessed 4 October 2026)
- College of Policing: Subject area breakdowns, SIPP sergeants' legal knowledge exam March 2026 and SIPP inspectors' exam May 2026 (PDFs) — SIPP sergeants' paper: 80 questions in full; SIPP inspectors' paper (separate PDF on the exam hub): 40 questions in full (accessed 4 October 2026)
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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.