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100+ Free IRS Special Agent Practice Questions

Pass your IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Test Battery (SATB) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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A confidential informant provides a tip that, if true, would justify significant investigative resources. The most sound first step is to:

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Key Facts: IRS Special Agent Exam

2 tests

SA KaSE + CI Job Simulation II

IRS Careers

Phase 3

Stage in CI Hiring Process

IRS Careers

$0

Applicant Exam Fee

IRS Careers

GS-1811

Criminal Investigator Series

OPM

15 hrs

Required Accounting Credits

OPM 1811 Standard

Not published

Official Passing Score

IRS Criminal Investigation

The IRS Special Agent Test Battery (SATB) is the Phase 3 competency assessment for IRS Criminal Investigation special agent applicants. It combines the multiple-choice SA KaSE with the multimedia CI Job Simulation II, measuring accounting principles, logical and verbal reasoning, arithmetic, writing, and decision-making. There is no fee, and passing leads to the in-person Skills Assessment Center.

Sample IRS Special Agent Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your IRS Special Agent exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A SATB logical-reasoning passage states: "All field offices that processed a Bank Secrecy Act referral in March also opened a money-laundering case. The Denver office opened a money-laundering case in March." Which conclusion is supported by the passage?
A.The Denver office may or may not have processed a Bank Secrecy Act referral in March
B.The Denver office definitely processed a Bank Secrecy Act referral in March
C.No office that processed a Bank Secrecy Act referral opened a money-laundering case
D.Every office that opened a money-laundering case processed a Bank Secrecy Act referral
Explanation: The rule says BSA referral -> money-laundering case, not the reverse. Knowing Denver opened a money-laundering case tells you nothing about whether a BSA referral caused it, so the relationship is undetermined. On the SATB you must avoid affirming the consequent.
2Read the passage: "Every special agent in the task force is a Certified Public Accountant. Some members of the task force are not special agents." Based only on this information, which statement must be true?
A.Some task-force members may not be Certified Public Accountants
B.All task-force members are Certified Public Accountants
C.No task-force member is a Certified Public Accountant
D.Every Certified Public Accountant is a special agent
Explanation: We know all special agents are CPAs, but some members are not special agents and their CPA status is unstated. Therefore it is possible that some members are not CPAs. Only conclusions guaranteed by the text are valid on the SATB.
3A reading passage notes: "IRS Criminal Investigation was founded in 1919 as the Intelligence Unit to investigate tax fraud, and today investigates a broad range of financial crimes." Which statement is best supported by the passage?
A.CI's investigative scope is broader now than at its founding
B.CI has only ever investigated tax fraud
C.CI was created in 2019 to investigate cybercrime
D.CI no longer investigates tax fraud
Explanation: The passage contrasts the original tax-fraud focus with a broad range of crimes today, directly supporting expansion of scope. SATB reading items reward conclusions traceable to the text.
4Passage: "Whenever a surveillance log shows a gap of more than 15 minutes, a supervisor must initial the log. The Tuesday log was not initialed by a supervisor." What can be validly concluded?
A.The Tuesday log did not show a gap of more than 15 minutes, or a required initial was missed
B.The Tuesday log definitely showed a 20-minute gap
C.Supervisors never initial surveillance logs
D.Every log must be initialed regardless of gaps
Explanation: By contraposition, if the rule was followed and no initial exists, then no >15-minute gap occurred; alternatively the rule was violated. The valid conclusion accommodates both possibilities without overstating. This is classic SATB conditional logic.
5Choose the word that most nearly means the same as "corroborate" as used in: "The witness testimony helped corroborate the financial records."
A.Confirm
B.Contradict
C.Conceal
D.Complicate
Explanation: To corroborate is to support or confirm with additional evidence. In an investigation, corroborating testimony strengthens the reliability of the financial records. Verbal-reasoning items test precise vocabulary used in case work.
6Passage: "From the information given above, it can be validly concluded that..." follows a paragraph stating that no informant in the case was paid more than once, and that Informant X was paid in both April and May. Which is the valid conclusion?
A.The information about Informant X contradicts the rule that no informant was paid more than once
B.Informant X was the only informant in the case
C.Informant X was paid the largest total amount
D.All informants were paid in April and May
Explanation: The paragraph supplies a rule (no informant paid more than once) and a fact (X paid twice). Since the fact violates the rule, the valid logical observation is the contradiction. Identifying internal inconsistency is a tested SATB skill.
7Reading passage: "IRS CI Special Agents are sworn federal law enforcement officers who are authorized to carry firearms and make arrests, and they combine accounting expertise with investigative work." Which inference is best supported?
A.A CI Special Agent's role blends financial analysis with law enforcement authority
B.CI Special Agents have no arrest powers
C.Accounting knowledge is irrelevant to CI Special Agents
D.CI Special Agents are civilian auditors only
Explanation: The passage explicitly pairs accounting expertise with sworn law enforcement powers, so the blended-role inference is directly supported. SATB reading rewards inferences that combine stated facts.
8Passage: "If a subpoena is issued, then bank records are obtained. If bank records are obtained, then the analyst prepares a summary." The analyst did NOT prepare a summary. What follows?
A.No subpoena was issued
B.A subpoena was issued but ignored
C.Bank records were obtained anyway
D.The analyst prepared two summaries
Explanation: Chaining the conditionals: subpoena -> records -> summary. By contraposition, no summary means no records, which means no subpoena. This multi-step contraposition is a hallmark of SATB logical reasoning.
9Select the answer that is most nearly OPPOSITE in meaning to "exculpatory" as used in: "The agent disclosed all exculpatory evidence to the prosecutor."
A.Incriminating
B.Favorable
C.Exonerating
D.Acquitting
Explanation: Exculpatory evidence tends to clear a defendant of guilt; its opposite is incriminating evidence, which tends to establish guilt. Knowing this contrast matters because agents must disclose exculpatory material under legal rules.
10Passage: "Among agents who closed a case last quarter, 70% obtained a guilty plea." Which statement is supported?
A.Most agents who closed a case last quarter obtained a guilty plea
B.70% of all agents closed a case last quarter
C.Every agent obtained a guilty plea
D.Of agents who obtained a guilty plea, 70% closed a case
Explanation: The 70% is a proportion of agents who closed a case, so more than half of that group obtained a guilty plea, i.e., most of them. SATB items test careful interpretation of which group a percentage applies to.

About the IRS Special Agent Exam

The IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Test Battery (SATB) is the Phase 3 competency-based assessment for applicants to the GS-1811 IRS CI Special Agent role. It is a proctored, computerized battery containing the multiple-choice Special Agent Knowledge and Skill Examination (SA KaSE) and the multimedia CI Job Simulation II. Together these assess accounting principles, logical and verbal reasoning, arithmetic, writing, decision-making, and interpersonal competencies. Applicants reach the SATB only after passing earlier application screening and Phase 2 (CI Job Simulation I), and must pass it to be invited to the in-person Skills Assessment Center.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Scheduled within a two-week open testing window at the test center

Passing Score

Not published

Exam Fee

No exam fee (federal hiring assessment) (IRS Criminal Investigation, proctored at commercial test centers nationwide)

IRS Special Agent Exam Content Outline

~25%

Logical & Verbal Reasoning

Logic-based reasoning passages, valid-conclusion items, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and analogies in an investigative context

~20%

Arithmetic & Quantitative Reasoning

No-calculator math word problems on percentages, ratios, rates, averages, fractions, and equation setup

~15%

Accounting & Financial-Investigation Reasoning

Accounting principles, financial statements, indirect income methods, fraud indicators, and Bank Secrecy Act concepts

~20%

Written Communication

Grammar, punctuation, word usage, clarity, organization, and sentence ordering for report writing

~20%

Situational Judgment & Decision-Making

Ethics, integrity, confidentiality, interpersonal skills, prioritization, and investigative decision-making scenarios

How to Pass the IRS Special Agent Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Not published
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: Scheduled within a two-week open testing window at the test center
  • Exam fee: No exam fee (federal hiring assessment)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

IRS Special Agent Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practice logic-based reasoning by deciding whether each conclusion is true, false, or unsupported, using only the facts in the passage and avoiding the converse error.
2Build no-calculator arithmetic speed on percentages, ratios, rates, averages, and fractions, since the battery does not permit calculators.
3Review core accounting: the accounting equation, financial statements, accrual versus cash basis, and indirect income methods like net worth and bank deposits.
4Memorize the Bank Secrecy Act $10,000 Currency Transaction Report threshold and recognize structuring patterns that appear in financial-investigation items.
5Drill writing-skills mechanics: subject-verb agreement, punctuation, parallel structure, word usage, and concise report organization.
6Anchor situational-judgment answers in integrity, confidentiality, de-escalation, and following proper procedure rather than convenience.
7Confirm your eligibility and test-center logistics early, and schedule the SATB within the open testing window so you are not rushed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the IRS Special Agent Test Battery (SATB)?

The SATB is the Phase 3 competency-based assessment for IRS Criminal Investigation special agent applicants. It is a proctored, computerized battery that includes the multiple-choice Special Agent Knowledge and Skill Examination (SA KaSE) and the multimedia CI Job Simulation II.

What does the SA KaSE measure?

The SA KaSE measures competencies required for the CI special agent role, including accounting principles, logical reasoning, problem solving, arithmetic, writing, decision-making, and interpersonal skills, all in a multiple-choice format.

Where does the SATB fall in the hiring process?

Applicants reach the SATB (Phase 3) only after application screening and Phase 2 (CI Job Simulation I). Passing the SATB leads to the in-person Skills Assessment Center, followed by background investigation, medical, and other pre-employment steps.

How and where is the SATB taken?

The SATB is administered by computer at commercial test centers nationwide. Qualified applicants schedule a testing appointment within a designated open testing window, typically about two weeks long.

Is there a fee to take the SATB?

No. As a federal hiring assessment, there is no fee charged to applicants for the Special Agent Test Battery. Applicants are responsible only for travel to the test center.

What score do I need to pass?

IRS Criminal Investigation does not publish a specific passing score or T-score for the SATB. Applicants must pass both the SA KaSE and the CI Job Simulation II to advance to the Skills Assessment Center.

Can I retake the SATB?

Results are tied to the vacancy announcement under which you qualified. To test again, you must reapply to a future open IRS Criminal Investigation special agent announcement and re-enter the hiring process.

What education is required for IRS Special Agent positions?

IRS Special Agent positions require a major field of study including at least 15 semester hours in accounting plus 9 semester hours in finance, economics, business law, tax law, or money and banking, or qualifying specialized experience; a CPA can satisfy certain accounting requirements.