NPOST Practice Test 2026: all four parts, each on its own clock
The NPOST (National Police Officer Selection Test) is Stanard & Associates’ entry-level police test: arithmetic, reading, grammar and incident report writing, 75 items in four timed parts.1 Take a free practice test of 12 questions at the pace of each part, then train every part on its own clock in the NPOST path of Police Prep 2026.
- How the NPOST works: guide and lesson video7 min read
- Simulation 1: your diagnostic, 75 items1 h 15
- Math without a calculator3 timed drills
- Reading comprehension3 timed drills
- Written expression (grammar)3 timed drills
- Spelling3 timed drills
- Report writing3 timed drills
- Simulation 2: check your progress1 h 15
- 12 questions, all four parts
- 12:00 on the clock, the real pace
- Math by hand, five choices
- Score by part, every answer explained
Free · no account, no email · questions from the course, not Stanard’s own items
Look inside NPOST Prep 2026
Watch the course tour, then check one thing in the free test above: whether arithmetic by hand still holds up at a minute a problem.
Course trailer · the four-part NPOST path inside Police Prep 2026
What is the NPOST (National Police Officer Selection Test)?
The NPOST is an entry-level police officer test published by Stanard & Associates. It is not a state test: individual agencies choose it, and some list it as the “POST”. It checks the basic skills you need from day one at the academy, arithmetic, reading, grammar and report writing, not police knowledge.1,2
| Part | Items | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arithmetic | 20 | 20 min | Police-flavored word problems at a school level: times, distances, totals, averages, percentages, fractions. Worked by hand.1 |
| Reading comprehension | 25 | 25 min | Passages, then questions on the main point, the details and what follows from the text.1 |
| Grammar | 20 | 15 min | Correct, clear sentences: word choice, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure.1 |
| Incident report writing | 10 | 15 min | Get the facts of an incident into a report accurately and completely: who, what, when, where and how.1 |
Stanard’s current study guides (2025) do not allow a calculator in the arithmetic part.1 One agency’s 2023 version of the guide did,3 so check your test notice. Practicing by hand prepares you for both.
NPOST test facts at a glance (2026)
Checked October 23, 2026 against agency study guides- What it is
- An entry-level police officer test published by Stanard & Associates. Agencies choose it, so you meet it under slightly different names; some list it as the “POST”.1,2
- Who uses it
- Individual agencies, not a state. In Texas, for example, the state licensing body requires no written entry test; cities with civil service pick their own vendor, and Stanard is one of them.4
- Parts
- Four, each timed on its own: arithmetic, reading comprehension, grammar, incident report writing. Time left in one part does not carry over.1,2
- Items and time
- 75 items. The part times add up to 75 minutes; plan on about 1¾ hours for the whole sitting, instructions included.1
- Pace
- About 1 minute per item in arithmetic and reading, 45 seconds in grammar, 90 seconds in report writing.1
- Calculator
- Not allowed in Stanard’s current guides (2025).1 One agency’s 2023 version allowed it,3 so check your notice.
- Report writing
- Report the facts exactly as the source gives them, add no opinions, leave nothing out.1
- Passing score
- Set by the agency, not the publisher. The most common pass mark is 70 %.2,4
- Official study guide
- Agencies hand out Stanard’s study guide. Published versions: the Supreme Court of the United States Police (2025), the Montana Department of Justice (2023) and Utah POST (2009).1,2,3
- Texas example
- Civil service cities: 70 % to pass, 5 points added for veterans, one attempt per eligibility list. Ranked lists hire from the top down.4
NPOST, PELLET-B or NTN: which test is yours?
Three entry-level tests get mixed up: the NPOST, California’s PELLET-B, whose publisher is called POST, and FrontLine National from the National Testing Network (NTN). Your job posting names the test.
| Test | Who uses it | How it differs from the NPOST |
|---|---|---|
| NPOST (this page) | Agencies that choose Stanard’s test, for example Texas civil service cities4 | Four parts on their own clocks: arithmetic, reading, grammar, incident report writing1 |
| PELLET-B practice test | California agencies, through California POST | Writing and reading only, no math, scored as a T-score |
| FrontLine National (NTN) | Agencies that test through the National Testing Network, for example San Francisco and Long Beach | Video scenes, a reading passage with missing words and a report written after a video incident |
| MCOLES Reading and Writing Test | Every police academy candidate in Michigan | A state requirement, reading and writing only, no arithmetic |
Testing with more than one agency? Police Prep 2026 covers all 13 police tests, FrontLine National included.
Which NPOST part costs the most points?
The four parts lose points in different ways: arithmetic to a borrowed digit or a shift across midnight, reading to a detail read too fast, grammar to agreement and punctuation, report writing to a fact copied wrong or left out. Each part has a unit in the course with a lesson video, a written method and three timed drills.
How does NPOST Prep 2026 work?
The NPOST path follows the test’s four clocks: a full 75-item simulation first, then one unit per part in test order (math by hand, reading, grammar and spelling, report writing), then a second simulation.
3:51The lesson video from the NPOST guide · 3:51
- 1Guide with video
Four parts, four clocks
A 7-minute guide and a 3:51 lesson video: who uses the NPOST, the parts and their times, the calculator rule, the report-writing part, scoring and test day.
- 2Simulation 1
All 75 items, each part timed
Arithmetic 20 in 20 minutes, reading 25 in 25, grammar 20 in 15, then 10 written report answers in 15. The report shows your percent per part next to a 70 % example line (a practice percent, not an official score) and names the unit to open first.
- 3Units M, R, W, V, RW
Drills on NPOST clocks
Math at 60, 55 and 50 seconds a question, by hand; reading at 75, 65, 55; grammar at 40, 35, 30; spelling at 30, 25, 20; a written report sentence at 120, 100 and 90. Every answer is explained right after you click.
- 4Simulation 2
New items, same four parts
A second 75-item simulation a few days before the test. Compare each part with Simulation 1 and repeat the unit for any part that is still behind.
Your agency uses a different test?
Many agencies use the NPOST, but not all. Police Prep 2026 has 13 paths, 12 written tests and the psych evaluation; the math, reading, grammar and report units you train for the NPOST are the same units on the other paths.
How long should you study for the NPOST?
Pick how much time you have before test day and see the route through the four NPOST parts.
Four clocks once, then math by hand daily.
Simulation 1 puts all four parts on their own clocks. Spend your days on the part your report names first, and do ten minutes of arithmetic by hand every day.
- GuideHow the NPOST works, with the lesson video7 min
- SIM 1Simulation 1, cold: four parts on their own clocks1 h 15
- UnitsThe unit your report names first: M, R, W or RW, drill by drilldaily
- DailyTen minutes of math by hand, no calculator10 min
M, R, W and V, RW: one part a week.
Simulation 1 on day one, then the units in the order of the test: math, reading, grammar and spelling, report writing. Simulation 2 a few days before the test.
- Day 1The NPOST guide and Simulation 1~1 h 30
- Week 1M: math without a calculator, three drills~30 min/day
- Week 2R: reading comprehension, three drills~30 min/day
- Week 3W and V: grammar and spelling, six drills~30 min/day
- Week 4RW: report writing, three drills~30 min/day
- ThenSimulation 2, then the drills for any part that is still weakbefore test day
Start with math by hand. It comes back slowly.
If you have not done long division or fractions on paper in years, start the M unit early. If another agency uses a different test, switch paths: the units are shared.
- NowGuide, then Simulation 1 to see where you stand~1 h 30
- WeeksM drills, a little every day10 min/day
- Date setR, W, V and RW units, then Simulation 2before test day
What is on the NPOST path?
Nine steps in the order the course shows them: one unit per NPOST part between two full simulations.
Is a free NPOST practice test enough?
Read your agency’s copy of Stanard’s study guide first: it shows the parts and sample items.1 Here is what it and most free sets do not give you.
| Free practice | NPOST Prep 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Clock | Untimed, or one clock for everything | Four part clocks: 20, 25, 15 and 15 minutes |
| Math | Often solved with a calculator | Built for working by hand, with common slips as wrong choices |
| Report writing | Multiple choice, if at all | You write the sentence; a checker looks for every required fact |
| Volume | A few samples per part | Two 75-item simulations and 15 timed drills |
| Explanations | An answer key | The worked arithmetic, the grammar rule, the fact you left out |
| Cost | $0 | $68 once, 90 days of access |
NPOST FAQ: parts, calculator, passing score
Is this a free NPOST practice test?
Yes. The practice test on this page is free, with no account and no email: 12 questions in 12 minutes from all four parts, at the pace of each real part. You get your score by part and an explanation for every answer. The questions were written for our course in the NPOST format; they are not Stanard’s items.
What is on the NPOST test?
Four parts: arithmetic (word problems), reading comprehension (passages with questions), grammar (word choice, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure) and incident report writing (getting the facts of an incident into a report accurately and completely). It does not test police knowledge, and you need no police experience: everything is in the question or in school-level math and English.1
How many questions are on the NPOST, and is it timed?
Yes, every part has its own clock: arithmetic 20 items in 20 minutes, reading 25 in 25, grammar 20 in 15, report writing 10 in 15. That is 75 items and 75 minutes of testing; plan on about 1¾ hours for the whole sitting. Time left in one part does not carry over to the next.1,2
Is there an official NPOST study guide?
Yes. Agencies hand out Stanard’s study guide; published versions come from the Supreme Court of the United States Police (2025), the Montana Department of Justice (2023) and Utah POST (2009).1,2,3 They show the four parts, the times and sample items. The course adds timed drills, two full simulations and explanations.
Can you use a calculator on the NPOST?
In Stanard’s current study guides (2025), no.1 One agency’s 2023 version of the guide allowed a calculator,3 so check your test notice. Practicing by hand prepares you for both, and the course’s math unit is built for it.
What is a passing score on the NPOST?
The agency decides, not the publisher. The most common pass mark is 70 %, but your agency can set a different one.2,4 In ranked systems a score well above the mark puts you higher on the list, and agencies hire from the top down, so aim above the line.
Which police departments use the NPOST? Is it the same in every state?
Agencies choose it, so there is no state list, and the name varies; some agencies list it as the “POST”. Texas civil service cities are a common example: they pick their own vendor, and Stanard is one of them.4 Your job posting or candidate guide names the test.
Is the NPOST the same as the NTN or FrontLine test?
No. FrontLine National is a different entry-level test from Ergometrics, delivered by the National Testing Network (NTN), with video scenes and a report written after a video incident. The NPOST is Stanard & Associates’ test with arithmetic, reading, grammar and report writing.1 Your job posting names the test; FrontLine has its own path in the course.
Can I retake the NPOST if I fail?
That depends on the agency that gives it. In Texas civil service cities, for example, you get one attempt per eligibility list.4 Ask your agency before you test, and take the first attempt seriously.
How should I study for the NPOST?
Start with a diagnostic, not with a textbook. In the course that is Simulation 1, right after the format guide. Then work through the units for your weakest parts, usually math by hand first, and take Simulation 2 a few days before the test.
What do I get, and how fast?
One payment of $68 opens Police Prep 2026 on the NPOST path: the guide and lesson video, units M, R, W, V and RW with 15 timed drills, two 75-item simulations with four part clocks, and the guides for the oral board, background, polygraph and fitness test. Access starts right after checkout and lasts 90 days. If it is not right for you, email support within 7 days for a full refund.
Is Prepterminal affiliated with Stanard & Associates?
No. Prepterminal is independent test prep and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Stanard & Associates or any agency that uses the NPOST. All practice items are written by us in the format of the real test.
Everything for the NPOST
- Arithmetic by hand, reading, grammar and report writing: all four NPOST parts
- Units M, R, W, V and RW, a lesson video each, and 15 drills on NPOST clocks
- Two 75-item simulations with the four part clocks: 20, 25, 15 and 15 minutes
- Report-writing drills where you write the sentence and a checker looks for every fact
- The NPOST guide and lesson video: the calculator rule, scoring, test day
- Guides for the oral board, background, polygraph and fitness test, plus 12 more test paths
Four parts. Four clocks. No calculator.
Take Simulation 1 tonight and see which part costs you the most points.
Get NPOST Prep 2026: $68P.S. Not ready to buy? Take the free NPOST practice test first, then decide.
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