PNP Entrance Exam vs Promotional Exam: who sits which, what each covers, and what each costs.
NAPOLCOM's examination announcement lists two examinations, and a first-time applicant reading it can spend a long time working out which is theirs. The answer is simpler than the announcement makes it look: if you are not a serving police officer, the entrance examination is your exam. This guide sets the two side by side, explains the four promotional classes that RA 11200 created, and gives the fees and coverage for each, so that the only thing left to decide is when to register.
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Exam guide
PNP Entrance Exam vs Promotional Exam: Which NAPOLCOM Exam Is Yours?
Short answer
The PNP Entrance Examination (PNPE) is for people not yet in the PNP, and for patrol officers on a temporary appointment; it tests general information, verbal, quantitative and logical reasoning. The PNP Promotional Examination (PROMEX) is for serving officers going up a rank, in four classes that follow the rank sought, and it tests police administration, operational procedures, ethics and general information. Same day, same 70% pass mark, different papers.
Quick facts
- PNPE
- Civilians and temporary patrol officers
- PROMEX
- Serving officers, in four classes
- Same day?
- Yes, both sittings
- Pass mark
- 70% for both
- PNPE fee
- ₱400; PROMEX ₱400 to ₱600
Primary keyword: pnp entrance exam vs promotional exam
Key takeaways
- If you are not in the PNP, your exam is the entrance examination. There is no other route through NAPOLCOM's exams.
- A Patrolman or Patrolwoman on a temporary appointment for want of eligibility also sits the entrance exam; passing it makes the appointment permanent.
- PROMEX has four classes since RA 11200 renamed the ranks, and the class follows the rank you are being promoted into, not the one you hold.
- The entrance paper tests general ability plus general information. The promotional paper tests the job at the next rank.
- Both are administered on the same Sunday, with the same 70% pass mark and the same registration process.
Who sits which
The PNP Entrance Examination is open to Filipino citizens who meet the age and educational requirements, and to Patrolmen and Patrolwomen whose appointments are temporary for lack of the appropriate eligibility. Passing it confers the PNP Entrance eligibility, which is appropriate for appointment to the rank of Patrolman or Patrolwoman.
The PNP Promotional Examination is for uniformed members already in the service. RA 8551 makes passing the corresponding promotional examination one of the conditions of promotion, alongside the required training, the psychiatric and drug tests, and a clean record on pending cases. The examination is offered in four classes, and an officer sits the class for the rank they are seeking.
| PNP Entrance Examination (PNPE) | PNP Promotional Examination (PROMEX) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Civilians meeting the qualifications; temporary Patrolmen/Patrolwomen | Serving uniformed members seeking promotion |
| What it confers | PNP Entrance eligibility for appointment as Patrolman/Patrolwoman | The examination requirement for promotion to the rank sought |
| Coverage | General information; verbal, quantitative and logical reasoning | Police administration; operational procedures; values and ethical standards; general information |
| Classes | One paper | Four: PO 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st Class |
| Fee | ₱400 | ₱400 / ₱450 / ₱500 / ₱600 by class |
| Pass mark | 70% | 70% |
| When | Same Sunday, twice a year | Same Sunday, twice a year |
Source: NAPOLCOM's examination information page (Regional Office CALABARZON), Republic Act No. 8551, the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act of 1998, the Philippine Information Agency's report of NAPOLCOM's 2026 examination schedule
The four promotional classes, after RA 11200
Before 2019 the promotional examinations were named for the old rank groups: Police Officer, Senior Police Officer, Inspector and Superintendent. RA 11200 replaced the rank names, and NAPOLCOM renamed the examinations to match. The class an officer sits follows the rank they are being promoted into.
| Class | For promotion to | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Police Officer 4th Class | Police Corporal; Police Staff Sergeant | ₱400 |
| Police Officer 3rd Class | Police Master Sergeant; Senior Master Sergeant; Chief Master Sergeant; Executive Master Sergeant | ₱450 |
| Police Officer 2nd Class | Police Lieutenant; Police Captain | ₱500 |
| Police Officer 1st Class | Police Major; Police Lieutenant Colonel | ₱600 |
Source: Republic Act No. 11200, the PNP rank classification act, the DILG's announcement of the RA 11200 rank classification, the Philippine Information Agency's report of NAPOLCOM's 2026 examination schedule
How the papers differ
The entrance paper is a general-ability examination with one police-specific area. Verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and logical reasoning test skills the examinee already has or can drill; general information tests a fixed body of material about the PNP, its laws, the Constitution and the criminal justice system. It is written for someone who has never worn the uniform.
The promotional paper is written for someone who has. Police administration covers organisation, personnel and supervision. Police operational procedures cover the PNP's own manual: patrol, arrest, search and seizure, use of force, investigation. Values and ethical standards cover the PNP Ethical Doctrine, RA 6713 and the disciplinary system at the level a senior officer is held to. General information is there too, pitched higher. A civilian who sat the promotional paper would find most of it unfamiliar; an officer who sat the entrance paper would find it easier than the one they are meant to take.
Source: NAPOLCOM's examination information page (Regional Office CALABARZON)
What is the same
Both examinations run on the same Sunday, in April and October, and share the same application process: online registration through the NAPOLCOM Online Scheduling System, then on-site processing at the regional office with documents and the fee, then a Notice of Admission. Both have a 70% passing score. Both results are released together, about two months after the sitting, with a separate top 20 for the entrance examination and for each promotional class.
This site's reviewer, mocks and drills are built for the entrance examination. The promotional examination is described on its own page, and a free account is told when that reviewer opens.
Source: the Philippine News Agency's report on the NAPOLCOM online scheduling system, NAPOLCOM's examination results page
Frequently asked questions
I am not a police officer. Which NAPOLCOM exam do I take?
The PNP Entrance Examination. It is the only NAPOLCOM examination open to civilians, and passing it confers the eligibility for appointment as Patrolman or Patrolwoman.
I am a Patrolman on a temporary appointment. Entrance or promotional?
Entrance. The entrance examination is how a temporary appointment for want of eligibility becomes permanent. The promotional examination is for going up a rank.
Which PROMEX class do I sit?
The class that covers the rank you are being promoted into: 4th Class for Corporal and Staff Sergeant, 3rd Class for the Master Sergeant ranks, 2nd Class for Lieutenant and Captain, 1st Class for Major and Lieutenant Colonel.
Is the passing score different for the promotional exam?
No. NAPOLCOM sets 70% for both examinations.
Now find your floor.
Forty questions across all four subtests, forty minutes, and a per-subject breakdown against the 80.00 pass mark.
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