100+ Free NPOST Practice Questions
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An applicant writes: 'The victim said his car was stole from the parking lot.' What is the grammatical error in this incident-report sentence?
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Key Facts: NPOST Exam
75 items
Scored Questions
Stanard & Associates POST brochure
4 sections
Math, Reading, Grammar, Incident Report
Stanard & Associates
1 hr 15 min
Testing Time
Stanard & Associates POST brochure
70%
Passing Score per Section
Stanard & Associates / agency policy
1,000+
Agencies Using POST
Stanard & Associates
2 states
Statewide Mandates (Iowa, Utah)
Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police
The National Police Officer Selection Test (POST/NPOST) from Stanard & Associates is a 75-item, four-section basic-skills test taken in 1 hour 15 minutes of testing time. It covers Mathematics (20 items), Reading Comprehension (25), Grammar (20), and Incident Report Writing (10). Candidates must score at least 70% in each section, and failing any one section fails the whole test. Mandated statewide in Iowa and Utah.
Sample NPOST Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your NPOST exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Officer Garcia normally works the 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm shift, but her sergeant asked her to report at 1:15 pm for a special training program. If she works her entire shift, how much overtime can she report for that day?
2While preparing a burglary report, an officer listed these stolen items: laptop computer $1,200, printer/fax machine $450, decorative sculpture $850, and digital camera $725. What is the total value of all the stolen goods?
3Using the same stolen-items list (laptop $1,200, printer/fax $450, sculpture $850, digital camera $725), what is the value of all the stolen goods EXCEPT the decorative sculpture?
4During one 5-day period, Officer Leo drove 388 miles. If he drove 140 miles on one of those days, how many miles did he average on each of the other four days?
5Burglars stole six hunting rifles with a total retail value of $3,750. What is the average retail value of each rifle?
6Officer Milton visits three area businesses every week as part of a theft-prevention program, except during his three-week vacation. How many business visits does he make in one year (52 weeks)?
7A dentist's office burglary report lists: digital camera $810, laptop computer $650, printer $325, and paper shredder $125. What was the total value of all the stolen goods?
8Using the dentist-office list (camera $810, laptop $650, printer $325, shredder $125), what was the value of all the stolen goods EXCEPT the paper shredder?
9An officer responded to a call at 9:48 pm and cleared the scene at 11:23 pm. How long was the officer on the scene?
10A patrol car's odometer read 42,615 miles at the start of a shift and 42,748 miles at the end. How many miles were driven during the shift?
About the NPOST Exam
The National Police Officer Selection Test (POST), often called the NPOST, is an entry-level basic-skills test developed by Stanard & Associates, Inc., to help law enforcement agencies select qualified applicants. It is a timed battery of four separately administered sections: Mathematics/Arithmetic (20 items, 20 minutes), Reading Comprehension (25 items, 25 minutes), Grammar (20 items, 15 minutes), and Incident Report Writing (10 items, 15 minutes), for 75 scored items in 1 hour and 15 minutes of testing time. Candidates must score 70% or higher in each section, and failing any single section is a failing result for the whole test. No prior knowledge of law or law enforcement is required, and the POST is used by municipal, county, state, campus, and federal agencies, with statewide mandates in Iowa and Utah and use by roughly 25-29 state Police Chiefs' Associations.
Questions
75 scored questions
Time Limit
1 hour, 15 minutes of testing (about 1 hour, 45 minutes total)
Passing Score
70% or higher in each of the four sections
Exam Fee
Set by the administering agency or testing site (commonly $20-$50) (Stanard & Associates, Inc., administered through hiring agencies, state Police Chiefs' Associations, and partner testing sites)
NPOST Exam Content Outline
Mathematics / Arithmetic
20 items in 20 minutes: word problems using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and averages in a police context; calculator permitted.
Reading Comprehension
25 items in 25 minutes: police-duty passages with fact-extraction, True/False, sentence-completion, and inference questions; all answers come from the passage.
Grammar
20 items in 15 minutes: sentence-completion grammar items and misspelled-word identification testing spelling, punctuation, and word usage.
Incident Report Writing
10 items in 15 minutes: written answers in complete, correctly spelled, grammatically correct sentences based on a sample incident report form.
How to Pass the NPOST Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 70% or higher in each of the four sections
- Exam length: 75 questions
- Time limit: 1 hour, 15 minutes of testing (about 1 hour, 45 minutes total)
- Exam fee: Set by the administering agency or testing site (commonly $20-$50)
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
NPOST Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Police Officer Selection Test (NPOST)?
The NPOST, or POST, is an entry-level basic-skills test from Stanard & Associates used by law enforcement agencies to screen police applicants. It has four sections: Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Grammar, and Incident Report Writing, with 75 scored items completed in about 1 hour and 15 minutes of testing time.
Who creates and administers the POST exam?
The POST is developed by Stanard & Associates, Inc., a Chicago-based firm of psychologists. It is administered through hiring agencies, state Police Chiefs' Associations, and partner testing sites. Agencies can score the test themselves or send it to Stanard & Associates for scoring.
What score do I need to pass the NPOST?
You must score 70% or higher in each of the four sections. Each section is scored separately, and failing any single section is a failing result for the entire test. Some agencies, such as the Iowa State Patrol process, also require an overall average around 75% to advance.
How long is the NPOST and how is it timed?
There are 75 scored items completed in 1 hour and 15 minutes of testing time, with about 1 hour and 45 minutes total including instructions. Each section is timed separately: Math 20 minutes, Reading 25 minutes, Grammar 15 minutes, and Incident Report Writing 15 minutes. You cannot return to a section once its time is up.
Can I use a calculator on the NPOST?
Calculator policies depend on the version and administering agency. Some study guides note a calculator is allowed in the Mathematics section, while others provide scratch paper and prohibit calculators. Confirm with your testing site before exam day; scratch paper is typically provided for the math section.
Which states and agencies use the NPOST?
The POST is used by municipal, county, state, campus, and federal agencies across every continental U.S. state and Canada, by over 1,000 agencies. It is the official test of roughly 25-29 state Police Chiefs' Associations and is mandated as the statewide entry-level test in Iowa and Utah.
Do I need prior law enforcement knowledge to pass?
No. Although the questions are set in a law enforcement context, no prior knowledge of law or law enforcement is required. All the information needed to answer reading and writing questions is provided in the passages and report forms.
Is there a penalty for guessing on the NPOST?
No. There is no penalty for guessing, and a blank answer counts the same as a wrong answer. You should attempt every question, since your score is based on the number of items answered correctly.
Can NPOST scores be transferred between agencies?
Often yes. Many agencies accept a record of POST scores taken within the past 12 months and allow candidates to transfer scores between participating departments. Confirm the transfer policy with both the testing agency and the hiring agency.