1.4 Exam Format, Time, and Passing Score

The hard exam numbers

The Peace Officer licensing exam facts in the 2025 Proctor Manual are direct and testable. Appendix C lists the Peace Officer exam at 250 questions with 180 minutes, which the manual also states as 3 hours. Proctors review the passing score as 70 percent before the exam begins.

Rule 219.7 gives the scoring rule behind that proctor script. Unless another rule provides otherwise, the minimum passing percentage on each examination is 70. The rule also says official grading and notification come from the Austin office of the commission, and TCOLE may invalidate questions.

Applied scenario guidance: if a candidate asks how to pace the exam, calculate from official numbers. A 250-question exam in 180 minutes gives about 43 seconds per question. That does not mean every question must be answered in 43 seconds, but it does mean long fights with one item can destroy the time budget.

Use the mark-for-review function as a pacing tool. The proctor manual says examinees are advised that they may mark questions for later review. On test day, answer the questions you can resolve, mark uncertain items, and preserve time for a final pass.

The 15-question demonstration examination is about system familiarity, not content mastery. It can help a nervous examinee understand navigation before the real clock starts. It should not be mistaken for a scored preview of the licensing exam.

Score questions can contain two different dates or clocks. The 180-minute clock is the time allowed during the exam. The 180-day rule in Rule 219.1 is the post-course attempt window. The 2-year rule concerns post-pass appointment or score expiration. Keep each number tied to its own checkpoint.

Results are also part of the logistics picture. The proctor manual says examinees receive results upon completion, while Rule 219.7 says official grading and notification come from TCOLE's Austin office. If a scenario asks who decides the official score, prefer the commission rule over an informal hallway explanation.

Exam trap: do not add an unofficial waiting period after a failed attempt. The Proctor Manual says there is no required waiting time if an examinee fails, though it strongly recommends study time before another attempt. That recommendation does not override the three-attempt and 180-day eligibility limits.

Source anchors: TCOLE Proctor Manual, Examination day and Appendix C; TCOLE Statutes and Rules Handbook, Rule 219.7.