Promotion · NPPF step two · England & Wales
Police sergeants' exam 2027
The NPPF step two legal exam is the knowledge test every constable in England and Wales must pass to become a sergeant. Here are the 2027 dates, how it is marked, who can sit it, and a free 10-question quiz to see where you stand. Passing is worth it: a sergeant at the top of the scale earns £58,176, against £52,014 for a constable. What you would take home as a sergeant →
2027 exam dates
March 2027
Exam: Tuesday 16 to Thursday 18 March 2027
Registration: Monday 18 January to 6pm Thursday 18 February 2027
October 2027
Exam: Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 October 2027
Registration: Tuesday 3 August to 6pm Thursday 9 September 2027
You choose your day within the window (in 2026, exams ran 8am to 8pm). Source: College of Policing, checked 19 October 2026.
How the exam works
| Format | 150 multiple-choice questions in a single three-hour online exam (140 are scored) |
|---|---|
| Areas | Crime, evidence & procedure, and general police duties |
| Pass mark | 55% (77 of 140). 75% or more earns an exceptional grade |
| Syllabus | Only the content of the Blackstone's Police Manuals edition named in the College's candidate handbook for your year |
| Results | Within three weeks of the exam |
| Validity | A pass lets you go through step three for five years |
| Resits | No national limit; your force may set one |
Free sergeants' exam quiz
10 original questions in the style of the exam, written from the legislation and case law, with an explanation after each answer. They are not past exam questions.
At 09:15, PC OSEI is briefed at a police station in Bristol about a warrant issued by a justice of the peace to arrest FOSTER in connection with an offence. The warrant is directed to PC OSEI, who is working within his police area. It is not a warrant falling within MCA 1980, s. 125A(1). The document remains at the court office, and OSEI has no copy. At 09:40, he locates FOSTER outside a café but has not yet arrested her. Before he approaches, court liaison officer Sarah ABBAS confirms that the court withdrew this warrant at 09:30. The document has not yet been removed from the court file. OSEI has no other warrant or basis for arrest. Which statement is correct?
Where the exam fits: the four NPPF steps
- Step one: Competence in your current rank (PDR or SOLAP), no live improvement notice or written warning, attendance policy met.
- Step two: The legal knowledge exam on this page.
- Step three: Your force's selection against the sergeant competencies, matched to vacancies.
- Step four: Temporary promotion with a work-based assessment.
A 14-week revision plan for March 2027
From our sister brand Join The Cops
Full sergeants' exam preparation
Crime, Evidence & Procedure and General Police Duties: 3,040 statutory-checked questions, 71 structured lessons and 8 full 150-question mock exams. Try your first exercises free.
Start free practice →Frequently asked questions
When is the next police sergeants' exam?
The next sitting is Tuesday 16 to Thursday 18 March 2027, online. Registration opens on Monday 18 January and closes at 6pm on Thursday 18 February 2027. The following sitting is Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 October 2027. You can sit on any day of the exam window.
What is the pass mark for the sergeants' exam?
55%, which is 77 correct answers out of the 140 scored questions. Candidates scoring 75% or more are given an exceptional grade. The inspectors’ exam pass mark is higher, at 65%.
Who can sit the sergeants' exam?
Regular constables who, by the exam date, have completed two years’ service and their probation, meet NPPF step one, and have not already passed a recognised promotion exam. Candidates close to the end of probation can only register with their force’s support.
How long should I revise for?
There is no official figure. A common approach is around 12 to 14 weeks of steady revision, covering the three areas in turn and finishing with full timed mock exams. For the March 2027 sitting, that means starting in early December 2026.
What happens after I pass?
A pass is valid for five years, during which you can apply through your force’s step three selection. If you are selected, step four is a period of temporary promotion with a work-based assessment.
Sources (checked 19 October 2026)
College of Policing: Sergeants' and inspectors' NPPF step two legal exams (2027 dates) · NPPF step two candidate handbook
Pay figures: England & Wales scales from 1 September 2026, see sergeant salary.