College of Policing · PIP Level 2 · Trainee Detective Constable (TDC)
National Investigators' Exam (NIE) 2026/27: Format, Pass Mark, Dates & Syllabus
The National Investigators' Exam (NIE) is the mandatory College of Policing legal examination for trainee Detective Constables (DC) and police staff investigators entering PIP Level 2in England & Wales. Here are the verified rules from the official College of Policing handbook: the 80-question / 2-hour format, the 55.7% (39/70) pass mark, the four syllabus areas, and all four annual sitting dates.
Questions & Time
80 MCQs · 2 hours
70 scored (10 removed)
Pass Mark
55.7% (39 / 70)
Exceptional: 85.7% (60/70)
Recommended Study
Min. 14 weeks
Blackstone's Investigators' Manual
Sittings per Year
4 Online Dates
Mar · Jun · Sep · Nov
1. The 4 NIE Syllabus Areas & How the 70-Question Scoring Works
Every NIE paper contains 80 multiple-choice questions to be completed in two hours (90 seconds per question). During post-exam marking, the College of Policing debrief panel removes the 10 least well-performing questions from the paper, so your final score is marked out of 70 questions (pass mark 39/70 = 55.7%; Exceptional grade 60/70 = 85.7%). Questions are drawn exclusively from the Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual across four syllabus areas:
PACE 1984 · Codes A–H · CPIA · Evidence
1. General Principles, Police Powers & Procedures
PACE powers of entry, search, seizure and arrest; detention, custody time limits and reviews; investigative interviewing of suspects and witnesses; identification procedures (Code D); adverse inferences (CJPOA 1994); CPIA 1996 disclosure, hearsay, bad character and special measures (YJCEA 1999).
Homicide · Assaults · Weapons · Drugs · Public Order
2. Serious Crime and Other Offences
Homicide and Offences Against the Person Act 1861 (assaults, GBH/wounding, strangulation); kidnapping and false imprisonment; Domestic Abuse Act 2021, stalking and harassment; firearms, knives and offensive weapons; Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; Public Order Act 1986; modern slavery and child cruelty.
Theft Act 1968 & 1978 · Fraud Act 2006 · Criminal Damage
3. Property Offences
Theft, robbery, burglary, aggravated burglary, taking without consent (TWOC), abstracting electricity, blackmail and handling stolen goods; Fraud Act 2006 (false representation, failing to disclose information, abuse of position); Criminal Damage Act 1971 (including racially/religiously aggravated damage and arson).
Sexual Offences Act 2003
4. Sexual Offences
Rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault and causing sexual activity without consent; conclusive and evidential presumptions about consent; offences against children under 13 and under 16; familial child sex offences, abuse of position of trust, indecent photographs of children, voyeurism and exposure.
2. NIE Exam Dates, Registration Cutoffs & Results Schedule
Candidates register through the College of Policing AIMS portal via their force NIE liaison contact. Results and individual feedback reports are released exactly three weeks after each sitting:
| Sitting | Online Exam Date | AIMS Registration Window | Results Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2026 | Wednesday 4 March 2026 (8am–8pm) | 8 Jan – 4 Feb 2026 (6pm) | Wednesday 25 March 2026 |
| June 2026 | Tuesday 2 June 2026 (8am–8pm) | 1 Apr – 6 May 2026 (6pm) | Tuesday 23 June 2026 |
| September 2026 | Tuesday 8 September 2026 (8am–8pm) | 15 Jul – 12 Aug 2026 (6pm) | Tuesday 29 September 2026 |
| November 2026 | Tuesday 17 November 2026 (8am–8pm) | 16 Sep – 21 Oct 2026 (6pm) | Tuesday 8 December 2026 |
Note: Force internal registration deadlines are often 1–2 weeks earlier than the national AIMS closing dates above. The 2027 NIE Candidate Handbook is published by the College of Policing in November.
From our sister brand Join The Cops
Join The Cops — National Investigators' Exam (NIE) Question Bank
Our sister brand Join The Cops (already live for the NPPF Step 2 Sergeants' Exam) is building a dedicated NIE mock exam & scenario question bankmapped to the four Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual syllabus areas. Leave your email below to get early access when it opens.
What do Detective Constables, DS, DI and DCI earn after qualifying?
See full 2026/27 gross and net monthly detective pay tables, the £1,800 PIP2 detective allowance, and on-call/overtime rules.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for the National Investigators’ Exam (NIE)?
Under the College of Policing NIE Candidate Handbook, the pass mark is 55.7% — which equals 39 correct answers out of the 70 scored questions. Candidates who score 85.7% or above (60+ out of 70) are awarded an Exceptional grade. During marking, the debrief panel removes the 10 least well-performing questions from the 80-question paper so candidates are not unfairly penalised.
How many questions are in the NIE and how long does it last?
The NIE is a single 80-question multiple-choice paper with a duration of two hours (120 minutes), giving you 90 seconds per question. It is taken online in a single sitting within the 8am–8pm examination window. Because 10 questions are removed during post-exam marking and you are not told which 10 they are, you must answer all 80 questions.
What are the four syllabus areas tested in the NIE?
All questions are drawn solely from the current year's edition of the Blackstone's Police Investigators' Manual across four areas: (1) General principles, police powers and procedures, (2) Serious crime and other offences, (3) Property offences, and (4) Sexual offences. The College of Policing recommends a minimum of 14 weeks of independent study before sitting the exam.
Does passing the NIE increase my police salary?
Passing the NIE is the legal prerequisite for PIP Level 2 (serious and complex crime investigation). Once you also complete your PIP2 workplace portfolio and qualify as a substantive Detective Constable (DC), your basic pay remains on the Constable pay scale (£32,256 to £52,014 in 2026/27). However, forces that operate a targeted payment — such as the Metropolitan Police — pay PIP2-accredited detectives a £1,800/year non-pensionable detective allowance, and PIP2 accreditation opens specialist CID, Major Crime and Counter Terrorism roles plus promotion to Detective Sergeant (£55,443+).
What happens if you fail the NIE?
Subject to your force policy, you can resit the NIE at the next quarterly sitting. Under the College of Policing rules, if a candidate fails the NIE a second time, a formal development meeting must take place with the force to agree a written development plan before deciding whether to enter a third sitting.
Sources: College of Policing, National Investigators' Examination (NIE) Candidate Handbook 2026 (published November 2025); Professionalising Investigation Programme (PIP) Level 2 policy.