What the sergeants' exam actually takes
These are the College of Policing's own published figures from the March 2026 sitting — not an estimate, and not the "around 55 to 65%" you'll see quoted elsewhere.
Cut score
55%
absolute, applied to every candidate
Pass rate
58.5%
1,882 of 3,215 passed
The paper
150
questions in 3 hours — 72s each
Exceptional
75%+
only 12% of candidates managed it
How the inspectors' exam compares
Both papers are the same shape — 150 multiple-choice questions in 3 hours, drawn from the same three areas of the Blackstone's Manuals. The syllabus is not identical: chapter 1.8 (weapons) is examined for sergeants only, the College says some rank-specific areas differ, and the balance of questions across the three areas differs by rank. The biggest difference is the standard. The inspectors' paper is marked at 65% rather than 55%, and only 37% of candidates pass it — against 58.5% here.
Sergeants'
55% to pass
58.5% success rate, March 2026
Inspectors'
65% to pass
37% success rate, May 2026
A common assumption is that the inspectors' paper is shorter. It isn't — it's the same length, marked ten points higher, and roughly six in ten candidates fail it.
Pass rate by force — March 2026
The same exam window and the same cut score for every force. Yet Warwickshire passed 100% of its candidates and Metropolitan Police passed 40.8%. The College warns that force pass rates should be compared with caution because cohort sizes differ so much, and it does not publish the reasons for the gaps. Treat your force's figure as context, not a prediction.
The Met is the outlier worth noting. It entered 1,148 candidates — 36% of everyone sitting the paper — and passed 40.8%, against a national 58.5%. On these numbers a Met candidate is materially less likely to pass than a colleague doing the identical exam elsewhere.
| Force | Pass rate |
|---|---|
| Warwickshire | 100.0% |
| North Wales | 89.5% |
| Suffolk | 88.9% |
| Thames Valley | 85.5% |
| Dyfed-Powys | 84.6% |
| Merseyside | 83.8% |
| Staffordshire | 82.2% |
| Bedfordshire | 80.0% |
| West Mercia | 78.8% |
| Surrey | 78.6% |
| Gloucestershire | 77.8% |
| Cambridgeshire | 76.9% |
| Lincolnshire | 76.9% |
| Cheshire | 74.4% |
| Kent | 74.0% |
| Cumbria | 73.3% |
| Northamptonshire | 72.0% |
| Derbyshire | 70.6% |
| Greater Manchester | 70.5% |
| West Yorkshire | 70.5% |
| Hertfordshire | 70.3% |
| Gwent | 69.7% |
| South Wales | 69.4% |
| Norfolk | 68.2% |
| West Midlands | 68.1% |
| Nottinghamshire | 63.4% |
| City of London | 62.5% |
| North Yorkshire | 62.5% |
| Northumbria | 62.5% |
| British Transport Police | 61.9% |
| Humberside | 61.9% |
| Cleveland | 60.0% |
| Durham | 60.0% |
| Lancashire | 59.2% |
| Hampshire | 58.3% |
| Sussex | 58.3% |
| Devon and Cornwall | 57.7% |
| Essex | 56.2% |
| Dorset | 55.2% |
| South Yorkshire | 54.3% |
| Leicestershire | 53.3% |
| Wiltshire | 53.3% |
| Metropolitan Police | 40.8% |
Candidate counts are withheld by the College where a cohort is small enough that individuals could be identified; those forces show the published percentage only. 34 of 43 forces published full counts. Green means at or above the 58.5% national rate.
Who passed in March 2026
By sex
Women passed at 62.3%, men at 56.8% — a gap of 5.5 percentage points in women's favour.
By ethnicity
White candidates passed at 59.6%, candidates from an ethnic minority background at 54.1% — a 5.5 point gap.
Published by the College of Policing in its results and analysis overview. We report it because it is a real feature of the exam that candidates are rarely shown, not because it predicts anything about any individual.
What you're actually examined on
Three areas: crime, evidence and procedure, general police duties. Questions are drawn solely from the Blackstone's Police Manuals for your sitting (the 2026 edition for the October and November 2026 sittings, the 2027 edition from March 2027), not an earlier edition and not from anything else.
- The Manuals are endorsed. The Q&As are not. The College states plainly that it endorses only the Blackstone's Police Manuals, and that other products including the Blackstone's Q&As are not affiliated with it.
- There is a 30% discount on the Manuals for police officers and staff in England and Wales, via College Learn. A lot of candidates pay full price without realising.
- You are not tested on recalling tables. The College says candidates will not be examined on information contained solely within the tables in the Manuals — but where the text cites a PACE Code paragraph, that provision is examinable.
- The question balance is not random. The College sets the balance from a nationwide survey of operational sergeants and inspectors, with input from the NPPF governance board, so each paper leans towards what officers at the target rank meet most often. Any part of the syllabus can still be examined.
Figures on this page come from the College of Policing candidate handbook (updated 10 September 2026) and its published results and analysis for the March 2026 sitting. Always check the handbook for the sitting you are entering — it supersedes everything else, including this page.
Police Sergeant
Exam Explained (UK)
Syllabus, pass mark, format, results and resits for the NPPF step two sergeants' exam
Direct Answer
The Police Sergeant Exam in England and Wales is the NPPF step two legal knowledge examination, set by the College of Policing. It is one three-hour online paper of 150 multiple-choice questions on three areas: crime, evidence and procedure, and general police duties. The pass mark is 55% (77 of the 140 scored questions).
Passing the exam satisfies Step 2 of the four-step NPPF. The pass is valid for five years (less one day), during which your force's step three process must take place. It does not guarantee promotion or a step three opportunity.
The Sergeant Exam At A Glance
Core Format
- 150 multiple-choice questions, 140 scored
- 3 hours, sat online
- Any day of the exam period, 8am to 8pm
- Pass mark 55% (77 of 140)
What a Pass Gives You
- Eligibility for your force's step three
- No automatic promotion
- No override of local selection
- Valid 5 years (less one day)
Section 1:
National Standing
The Sergeant Exam is NPPF step two, the national legal knowledge examination for promotion to sergeant in England and Wales. It is set and marked by the College of Policing. The College's handbook describes the National Police Promotion Framework in four steps:
- Step one: competence in your current rank.
- Step two: the legal knowledge examination (this exam).
- Step three: assessment against rank-specific competencies and matching to vacancies.
- Step four: temporary promotion and a work-based assessment.
To enter the sergeants' exam you must meet the step one criteria and, by the exam date, have completed two years' service and your probation as a regular constable. Some forces are trialling the newer SIPP process, whose legal test runs at the same time as the NPPF exams; see our SIPP guide if your force is one of them. For the full picture of step two, read NPPF step 2 explained.
Note for Scotland & PSNI: This guide strictly covers the England & Wales NPPF. Police Scotland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland operate separate, distinct promotion frameworks with their own examination structures.
Section 2:
Structure & Scoring
The Paper
One three-hour exam of 150 multiple-choice questions, sat online on any day of the three-day exam period between 8am and 8pm. There is no national requirement to sit it at a test centre or under supervision, though your force may offer a room. You can move back and forth through the paper and flag questions to revisit.
There are no essays, no interviews and no written answers at this stage. The College says the exam is not aimed at pure factual recall, and you will not be examined on information found only in the tables of the Manuals. Where the text refers to a PACE Code paragraph, you are expected to know that provision. Our exam-day rules guide covers the online set-up.
The Pass Mark
The pass mark is published and fixed: 55%, or 77 correct answers out of 140. Ten questions (the ones that performed least well) are removed after the sitting, which is why you are scored on 140 rather than 150. 75% or more is graded exceptional; under 30% is a low-band fail. The College's March 2026 results state that an absolute cut score of 55% was applied to all candidates. The debrief panel can alter the pass mark only in exceptional circumstances, and it is never lowered for an individual.
You need 77 of 140."
More detail in the pass mark explained.
Section 3:
The Syllabus
The syllabus is cross-referenced to, and only contained within, the Blackstone's Police Manuals for your sitting: the 2026 edition for the October 2026 exam, and the 2027 edition for March and October 2027. The chapter list below is from Appendix A of the College's 2027 candidate handbook. Every chapter applies to sergeants, including chapter 1.8 (weapons), which is examined for sergeants only. Not sure which books to buy? See which Blackstone's edition you need.
Volume 1: Crime
Mens rea; actus reus; incomplete offences; general defences (including use of force); homicide; misuse of drugs; firearms and gun crime; weapons (chapter 1.8, sergeants only); racially and religiously aggravated offences; non-fatal offences against the person; deprivation of liberty; sexual offences; sexual offences against children and people with a mental disorder; child protection; theft and related offences; fraud; criminal damage.
Volume 2: Evidence & Procedure
Instituting proceedings, summons and warrants; bail; court procedure and witnesses; exclusion of admissible evidence (confessions, entrapment); disclosure and the CPIA Code of Practice; detention and treatment under PACE Code C; identification under Code D; interviews under Codes C, E and F; a summary of Code H.
Volume 3: General Police Duties
Stop and search (Code A); entry, search and seizure (Code B); powers of arrest (Code G); mental health powers; land and premises; alcohol; injunctions, orders and ASB powers; processions, assemblies and protests; public order; football; domestic abuse; hatred, harassment and stalking; information and communications offences; administration of justice; terrorism; diversity, equality and inclusion; complaints and misconduct (including the Standards of Professional Behaviour); unsatisfactory performance and attendance; road policing.
How the questions were split last time. The College's subject area breakdown for the March 2026 sergeants' exam lists 140 scored questions: 60 on crime, 31 on evidence and procedure and 49 on general police duties. The College says past breakdowns show what was covered before and do not indicate what will come up next time, and any part of the syllabus can be examined. Our what comes up in the exam guide goes through the published breakdowns topic by topic.
Section 4:
The Failure Reality
At the March 2026 sitting, 3,215 candidates sat the sergeants' exam and 1,882 passed (58.5%). That means 1,333 (41.5%) did not, including 45 low-band fails. The exam leans on applying the law to short scenarios under time pressure (about 72 seconds per question), and on legal detail that is easy to blur. See how hard is the sergeant exam for more.
Common Revision Traps
Section 5:
Dates, Results & Resits
2027 sergeants' exams
March: registration 18 January to 6pm on 18 February 2027, exam 16 to 18 March 2027. October: registration 3 August to 6pm on 9 September 2027, exam 5 to 7 October 2027. You register through your force examinations officer.
All 2027 exam dates →Results
Results and feedback reports are released within three weeks (by 8 April 2027 for March, 28 October 2027 for October). The report shows your grade, total percentage and a subject-area breakdown. There is no certificate and no remarking.
Results, validity and resits →Resits
There is no national limit on resits; any limit is a local force decision. If you resit while holding a valid pass, the rest of that validity is forfeited when you sit, even if you fail.
How resits work →Validity
A pass is valid for five years (less one day) from the exam date. Your step three process must take place within that period. Extensions are considered for certain leave and long-term sickness, not for a lack of promotion opportunities.
Registration checklist →
Section 6:
Preparation Strategy
The College does not set a revision timetable. The outline below is our suggestion for a 12-week run-in, working through the three Manuals in syllabus order and leaving time for timed practice. For a fuller week-by-week version see the sergeant exam revision plan, or build your own around your exam date with the free exam study planner.
The College also offers practice questions, exam tips and a revision technique guide through its Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub; ask your force examinations officer for access. Our round-ups of free resources and paid revision resources compared cover the rest, including whether the Blackstone's Q&A and mock are worth buying.
Section 7:
Readiness Check
Before you sit, check yourself against these points. They are not a College standard; they come from the rules and syllabus in the candidate handbook.
Want to actually test yourself against the real 55% cut score?
Start with the free sergeant mock. The paid toolkit adds hundreds of checked questions, a timed 150-question sitting, progress tracking and CVF board practice, with 6 months access from £69.99 and an AI tutor and board assessor on AI Pro. PolicePay is independent of the College of Policing.
Try The Free Mock Exam →Exam Essentials FAQ
How many questions are in the sergeant exam?
150 multiple-choice questions in a single three-hour exam. After the sitting the College removes the 10 questions that performed least well, so every candidate is scored on 140. You are not told which questions were removed.
What is the pass mark for the police sergeant exam?
55%, which is 77 correct answers out of the 140 scored questions. A score of 75% or more is graded exceptional, and below 30% is a low-band fail. The College's results for March 2026 state that an absolute cut score of 55% was applied to all candidates. The NPPF debrief panel can alter the pass mark in exceptional circumstances, but it is not lowered for individual candidates.
How long is the sergeant exam pass valid for?
Five years (less one day) from the date you sat the exam. The final stage of your force's step three process must take place within that period, or you go back to step one. Extensions are considered for things like maternity, adoption or shared parental leave, caring career breaks and long-term sickness, but not for a lack of promotion opportunities.
Can you fail and retake the sergeant exam?
Yes. The sergeants' exam runs twice a year (March and October), and the College's handbook says there is no national limit on resits. Any limit on the number of attempts is a local force decision, so check your force's policy. If you resit while an earlier pass is still valid, the remaining validity is forfeited from the moment you sit, whatever the result.
Is the sergeant exam harder than the inspector exam?
No. Both are 150-question, three-hour papers on the same three areas of the Blackstone's Police Manuals. Chapter 1.8 (weapons) is sergeants only, some rank-specific areas differ and the question balance differs. The inspectors' pass mark is higher (65% against 55%), and fewer pass: 37.0% of inspectors in May 2026 against 58.5% of sergeants in March 2026.
Does my exam score matter for promotion?
Nationally the result is a grade: exceptional, pass, fail or low-band fail. Your feedback report shows your total percentage and a breakdown by subject area. A pass lets you go forward to step three, which your force runs as an assessment against rank-specific competencies and matching to vacancies. How a force uses step two scores, if at all, is set locally, so ask your force examinations officer.
Is the sergeant exam multiple choice?
Yes. It is entirely multiple choice and sat online. There is no essay, interview or written element at step two. You can sit it on any day of the three-day exam period, between 8am and 8pm, and there is no national requirement to sit it at a test centre or under supervision.
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.
Step 2
Knowledge Grid
Checked on 4 October 2026 against the College of Policing's NPPF step two candidate handbook 2027 (updated 10 September 2026, PDF), the NPPF step two exam hub (dates, the March 2026 sergeants' results and analysis, and the March 2026 subject area breakdown) and the online examinations candidate guide. The handbook for your sitting overrides anything on this page.
PolicePay is independent and is not part of, or endorsed by, the College of Policing. We offer free practice tools and a paid practice toolkit; neither is official exam material, and the Blackstone's Police Manuals for your sitting remain the only source the exam is drawn from. Practice scores and readiness checks are indicative only.