Free Police Exam Practice Test 2026
200 questions on reading, grammar, report writing, math and judgment, the skills every police written exam tests. Four 50-question practice tests. Tuned for mobile. No account needed.
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The Police Exam exam at a glance
There is no single national police exam. Most US agencies start hiring with a multiple-choice written test, from a testing company, a state board such as California POST (the PELLETB) or a civil service commission, that checks reading comprehension, writing and grammar, report writing, basic math and judgment. Each agency sets its own passing score, often 70 percent, and many rank candidates by score. Passing leads to a physical ability test, an oral board, a background investigation and psychological and medical exams.
Tigertest has 200 Police Exam practice questions with explanations, all free with no account required.
- Format
- Multiple choice, by agency
- Sections
- Reading, writing, math, judgment
- Passing score
- Set by the agency (often 70%)
- Given by
- Agency, civil service or state board
- Next steps
- Physical test, oral board, background
Updated by the Tigertest team. Practice questions follow common police entrance test formats and California POST's PELLETB guide, checked October 2026. Exam rules change, so confirm current details with California POST: PELLETB.
How It Works
Train by Skill
Five training sets: reading, grammar and spelling, report writing, math, and judgment and reasoning. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
Full Practice Tests
Four practice tests of 50 questions mixing every section, scored against a 70 percent line. No question appears in more than one test, and every one comes with an explanation.
Built on What Police Exams Share
Police written tests differ by agency, but they all lean hardest on reading and writing, so those get the most questions here, followed by report writing, math and judgment. Criminal justice and academy prep instructors can set Tigertest as practice at tigertest.io/teach and see which skills the class misses most.
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Share FeedbackHow to Pass the Police Written Exam
1. Answer from the passage, not from what you know
Reading questions describe a procedure and ask what it says. The right answer is the one the passage states or supports, even when your own agency or a TV show does it differently. Read the question first, then find the sentence that answers it.
2. Learn the words reports get wrong
Spelling items use words officers write every day: separate, receive, lieutenant, harass, occurred, surveillance. Pair that with its and it's, their and there, and lie and lay, and you will pick up easy points.
3. Write reports like a witness, not a judge
The best report sentence names who did what, in time order, and describes what the officer saw instead of what the officer concluded: "his speech was slurred", not "he was drunk".
4. Put safety, honesty and policy first
In judgment questions the best answer protects life first, then follows the law and policy, and never covers up a mistake or a coworker's misconduct. Take a full practice test, fix your misses, and aim for 80 percent or better before test day.
Police Exam Frequently Asked Questions
What is on a police officer written exam?
Most police entrance exams test the skills an officer uses every day: reading comprehension, grammar, spelling and vocabulary, writing clear incident reports, basic math, and judgment or reasoning, such as choosing the best action in a situation or applying a rule to facts. Some versions also include a memory or observation section. The exact test depends on the agency.
Which police exam does my department use?
There is no single national police exam. Departments use a test from a testing company, a state test such as California's PELLETB, a city or county civil service exam, or their own. The job posting or the recruiting office will name it. These practice questions cover the skills those tests share, so they help whichever one you take.
What score do I need to pass the police exam?
Each agency or civil service board sets its own passing score, and many rank candidates by score rather than simply passing them. 70 percent is a common cut-off, so the practice tests here use it, but aim well above it: a higher score can move you up the hiring list.
What happens after the written exam?
Passing the written exam is usually the first step. Most agencies then hold a physical ability test, an oral board interview, a background investigation, and psychological and medical exams before a conditional offer and the academy. The order and the standards vary by agency and state.
Are these real police exam questions?
No. Every question is original, written by Tigertest to practice the same skills, and no testing company's questions are copied. It is free practice, not an official test, and it does not replace your agency's own study guide.
I teach a criminal justice or police exam prep course. Can my students use Tigertest?
Yes, for free. Make a class at tigertest.io/teach, post one link, and students join with just their name. You see who practiced, their test scores and the topics your class misses most.
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