How to pass the inspectors' exam

The inspectors' exam (the NPPF Step Two legal exam for inspector) tests your knowledge of the 2027 Blackstone's Police Manuals through 150 multiple-choice questions in three hours. The pass mark is 65%, which is 91 of the 140 marked questions. That is 10 percentage points higher than the sergeants' exam, so there is less room for gaps. This page sets out a practical revision plan you can fit around a supervisory role.

Exam facts on this page are from the College of Policing 2027 candidate handbook, checked on 30 September 2026. The revision plan is suggested guidance, not official College advice.

Before you start

• Check you are eligible. You must hold the rank of sergeant and meet your force's Step One criteria. When you can sit it depends on whether you qualified through the NPPF or OSPRE. See the inspectors' exam guide.
• Pick your exam and register on time. Registration closes about a month before each exam, and your force may close it earlier. See the 2027 exam dates.
• Get the right manuals. Questions come only from the 2027 edition of the Blackstone's Police Manuals. If you passed the sergeants' exam with an older edition, do not rely on it. The law and guidance may have changed since.
• Read the candidate handbook. It sets out the rules for the online exam, including what you can and cannot have with you.

A suggested revision plan

Give yourself as long as you can. The free revision planner has dated 8, 12 and 16-week versions. Adjust the stages to the time you have before your exam.

Stage 1: Map the syllabus

List every chapter you need to cover. The syllabus is the same as the sergeants' exam except chapter 1.8, which is for the sergeants' exam only. Use a revision tracker so you can see what is left at a glance.

Stage 2: Find your gaps

If you sat the sergeants' exam, some areas will feel familiar and others will not. Do a quick self-test on each area before you start reading, so you can spend more time where you are weakest rather than re-reading what you already know.

Stage 3: Read, then condense

Read each chapter of the 2027 manuals, then condense it into short notes on points to prove, powers, time limits and definitions, or work through a set of revision notes. Test yourself from memory rather than re-reading. Tick "Read" and "Notes" on your tracker as you go.

Stage 4: Practice questions

Answer multiple-choice questions under time pressure. The exam gives you about 72 seconds per question. At a 65% pass mark, aim to score comfortably above it in practice. The College provides free practice questions on its Candidate Online Examination Guidance group on the Knowledge Hub. Tick "Self-test" once you can answer a topic's questions reliably.

Stage 5: Final weeks

Revisit your weakest topics, re-test the areas that carry the most marks, and sit at least one full timed paper. In the last few days, review your notes rather than starting anything new.

Making it work as a sergeant

• Supervisory work can be unpredictable. Book revision time in your diary and treat it like any other commitment.
• Short, regular sessions usually work better than occasional long ones. Set a target number of topics per week.
• Keep flashcards or notes on your phone for quieter moments.
• Tell your inspector and family your exam date early, so you can protect time in the final weeks.

Common mistakes

• Relying on memory from the sergeants' exam or an older edition of the manuals.
• Aiming only to scrape the pass mark in practice.
• Only re-reading, without testing yourself.
• Skipping topics because they have come up less often in the past. Any part of the syllabus can be tested.
• Missing your force's registration deadline.

On the day

• You can sit the exam on any day in the three-day window, between 8am and 8pm. Choose the day and time you are most alert.
• Before the day, check your device and browser and complete the familiarisation exercise if the College provides one.
• Follow the handbook's rules on your room and equipment. Using AI tools during the exam is prohibited.
• Keep an eye on the clock. Three hours for 150 questions works out at 50 questions an hour.

After the exam

Results are due within three weeks, with a feedback report by subject area. If you pass, the result is valid for five years (less one day), in which time you need to reach Step Three.

All officers must complete at least two years as a substantive sergeant before they can be substantively promoted to inspector. If you do not pass, use the feedback report to target your weaker areas before your next attempt. There is no national limit on resits, but your force may set one.

Revision resources