Promotion · NPPF Step Two · England & Wales
Police Inspectors' Exam 2026 & 2027: dates, 65% pass mark & syllabus
The National Police Promotion Framework (NPPF) Step Two Inspectors' Legal Examination is the national statutory law exam every substantive Sergeant in England and Wales must pass to be promoted to Inspector or Detective Inspector. Below are the confirmed 2026 and 2027 exam dates, how the 65% pass mark works, what changes between the Sergeant and Inspector papers, and what promotion adds to your take-home pay.
Questions
150 MCQs
140 scored (10 removed)
Time limit
3 hours
180 minutes online
Pass mark
65% (91/140)
Exceptional: 85% (119/140)
Eligibility
2 yrs as Sgt
Substantive Sergeant
Inspectors' exam dates (2026 & 2027)
November 2026
Exam: Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 November 2026
Registration: Monday 7 September to 6pm Monday 5 October 2026
Results: By Thursday 26 November 2026
May 2027
Exam: Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 May 2027
Registration: Monday 15 March to 6pm Thursday 15 April 2027
Results: By Thursday 3 June 2027
November 2027
Exam: Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4 November 2027
Registration: Monday 6 September to 6pm Monday 4 October 2027
Results: By Thursday 25 November 2027
Online delivery runs from 8am to 8pm each day of the window. Individual forces often close their internal registration deadline earlier than the national College of Policing date — confirm with your force's examination unit. Source: College of Policing, checked 20 October 2026.
How the NPPF Step Two Inspectors' Exam works
| Format | 150 multiple-choice questions in a single 3-hour (180-minute) online exam |
|---|---|
| Scored questions | 140 questions (the 10 least well-performing questions are removed after psychometric review) |
| Pass mark | 65% — 91 correct answers out of 140 (compared with 55% / 77 out of 140 for the Sergeants’ exam) |
| Exceptional grade | 85% or above (119+ out of 140). Scores below 35% are recorded as Low Band Fail |
| Syllabus | Current edition of Blackstone's Police Manuals (Crime, Evidence & Procedure, General Police Duties) |
| Eligibility | Substantive Sergeant with at least 2 years’ service in the rank of Sergeant by the exam date, meeting NPPF Step 1 competence |
| Validity | 5 years from the result date to pass Step 3 force selection and enter Step 4 temporary promotion |
Syllabus & key Inspector-rank statutory powers
Like the Sergeants' exam, the Inspectors' exam is tested strictly on the three Blackstone's Police Manuals(Crime, Evidence & Procedure, and General Police Duties). However, questions are pitched at an Inspector's supervisory and authorising level:
Evidence & Procedure (PACE 1984 & Codes of Practice)
Focuses heavily on authorities reserved for the rank of Inspector or above: PACE s.40 detention reviews (at 6h, 15h and 24h), delay of right to have someone informed (s.56) or legal advice (s.58), intimate/strip search authorities, and identification procedures under Code D.
Crime
Substantive and inchoate offences, mens rea/actus reus, defences, public justice offences, homicide, serious violence, sexual offences, fraud and drugs — tested through multi-actor supervisory scenarios.
General Police Duties
Public order powers (Public Order Act 1986 & 2023), road traffic and pursuit authorities, premises entry and search warrants (PACE s.17/s.18), firearms and less-lethal authorities, mental health (s.135/s.136), and missing persons / critical incident command.
Sergeant to Inspector pay rise (2026/27) & the overtime trade-off
Moving from the top of the Sergeant pay scale to the Inspector pay scale raises your pensionable basic salary immediately — and every pound of that increase builds a higher 1/55.3th CARE pension for the rest of your service. Remember, however, that Inspectors and Chief Inspectors are salaried ranks and do not receive paid casual or pre-planned overtime under Police Regulations:
| Rank & point | Basic gross (E&W) | Net / month (E&W) | Met Police net / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sergeant — Pay Point 4 (top) | £58,176 | £3,285 | £3,752 |
| Inspector — Pay Point 0 (on promotion) | £66,000 | £3,612 (+£327/mo) | £4,192 |
| Inspector — Pay Point 3 (top) | £71,397 | £3,835 (+£550/mo) | £4,416 |
From our sister brand Join The Cops
NPPF Inspectors' Exam prep: join the waiting list
We are building NPPF Step Two Inspectors' Exam preparation with Join The Cops, our sister brand (same publisher as this site). Sergeants' exam prep is live now and Inspectors' exam prep will follow. Join the waiting list and we'll email you as soon as it opens.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Police Inspectors' Exam in 2026 and 2027?
The final sitting of 2026 runs from Tuesday 3 to Thursday 5 November 2026. In 2027, the College of Policing holds two sittings: the May 2027 sitting runs from Tuesday 11 to Thursday 13 May 2027 (registration Monday 15 March to 6pm Thursday 15 April 2027), and the November 2027 sitting runs from Tuesday 2 to Thursday 4 November 2027 (registration Monday 6 September to 6pm Monday 4 October 2027).
What is the pass mark for the Police Inspectors' Exam?
The pass mark for the NPPF Step Two Inspectors' Legal Examination is 65%, which requires 91 correct answers out of the 140 scored questions (150 questions are sat in 3 hours, with the 10 least well-performing questions removed during marking). That is 10 percentage points higher than the Sergeants' exam pass mark of 55% (77/140). Scoring 85% or above (119/140) earns an Exceptional grade.
Who is eligible to sit the NPPF Inspectors' Exam?
Under the Police (Promotion) Regulations 1996, you must be a substantive Sergeant who has completed at least two years’ service in the rank of Sergeant (excluding temporary or acting service) by the date of the examination, and have been signed off as competent in your current rank at NPPF Step 1.
How much does your pay rise when promoted from Sergeant to Inspector?
In England and Wales (outside London) on the 1 September 2026 scales, a top-of-scale Sergeant on £58,176 (£3,285/month net) promoted to Inspector Pay Point 0 moves immediately to £66,000 (£3,612/month net) and progresses over three years to £71,397 (£3,835/month net). Note that Inspectors are salaried roles and do not receive paid overtime under Police Regulations.
How is the Inspectors' exam different from the Sergeants' exam?
Both exams use the same three Blackstone's Police Manuals (Crime, Evidence & Procedure, General Police Duties) and the same 150-question, 3-hour online format. However, the Inspectors' exam has a higher pass mark (65% vs 55%) and places greater emphasis on statutory authorities exercisable at the rank of Inspector or above (such as PACE s.40 custody reviews, premises searches under s.18, and public order powers).
Related: Inspector salary & pay scale 2026/27 · Sergeants' exam 2027 & free quiz · National Investigators' Exam (NIE). Sources: College of Policing NPPF Step Two Legal Examination Candidate Handbook (checked 20 October 2026); The Police (Promotion) Regulations 1996.