Police Officer Written Exam: What Happens If You Fail & How to Retest

While the exact mix depends on the agency, most written exams focus on core skill areas such as: 

• Reading comprehension: understanding a passage, identifying key details, and choosing conclusions supported by the text (not assumptions).  

• Writing skills: grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and clarity—because report writing and documentation matter. 

• Math (basic): practical word problems and calculations where accuracy is key.  

• Reasoning / decision-making: selecting the most logical answer based on evidence, plus situational judgment in some exams.  

Depending on where you apply, you might be taking a specific named test, like NPOST, PELLETB, or the FrontLine National (NTN) exam—each with its own structure and timing expectations. 

If you fail the police written exam, you are typically disqualified from the current hiring cycle, but most departments allow you to reapply after a mandatory waiting period  

How to Retest 

To retest, you must wait for the department's specific 'cool-off' period (often 3 to 6 months) and then submit a new application or schedule a new testing slot through the agency's portal. 

Retake policies vary by agency, so always check the department’s official recruitment guidelines. Still, many agencies follow patterns like: 

• Agency Policies Vary: Each department sets its own retake rules. 

• Waiting periods: Many require a set of wait (commonly listed as 30/60/90 days in some agencies, or longer in others). 

• Attempt limits: Some cap the number of attempts in a year or across a longer timeframe. 

Because of cool-off periods and attempt caps, it’s smart to treat every test sitting as if it “counts.” 

Most candidates don’t fail because the content is impossible. They fail because of timing, misreading, and unfamiliarity with the question style. 

• Practice under time limits. Timed practice trains you to stay accurate while moving quickly—especially important on longer reading passages and multi-step questions. 

• Use a pacing rule. Don’t let one question drain your time. Make your best choice, move on, and return only if time remains. 

• Eliminate wrong answers first. On reading and reasoning questions, cross out choices that don’t match the text or add assumptions. 

• Treat instructions like part of the question. Words like best, most supported, except, and least likely can completely change what the test is asking. 

• Target your weakest section. If your issue is grammar, drill grammar; if it’s reading, drill reading strategy; if it’s math, drill word-problem setup and accuracy. 

Because police written exams vary, the most effective preparation focuses on the shared building blocks: reading comprehension, writing skills, and critical thinking. JobTestPrep offers a tiered approach to ensure you don’t walk into the exam room unprepared: 

Start with the Free Practice Test: Visit our police written exam sample questions page for a free 11-question set, detailed answers, and section-specific tips to gauge your current level.  

General Police Exam Practice: If your department hasn't specified an exam name yet, use our General Police PrepPack to cover the core skills required by almost every agency in the U.S.  

Exam-Specific PrepPacks: Once you know your test provider, switch to targeted practice. We offer specialized prep for the NPOST, PELLET B, and FrontLine National (NTN). These packs mirror the specific structure, question styles, and timing of the actual exam. 

If you fail the police officer written exam, the most important step is to understand your agency's specific retest policy and respect the mandatory cool-off period. Use that time to move beyond "studying" and start "training." By using structured, timed practice with JobTestPrep, you can turn a previous failure into a roadmap for success. Whether you are taking a state-specific test or a national standard like the NPOST or PELLETB, targeted preparation ensures you walk into your retest with the confidence and accuracy needed to pass.