What is the Criminologists Licensure Examination?
The Criminologists Licensure Examination (CLE) is the board exam criminology graduates must pass to become registered criminologists. It is given by the PRC Board of Criminology under RA 11131, the Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018. To pass you need a weighted average of 75%, with no subject below 60%.
The exam format
| Subjects and weights | Criminal Law and Jurisprudence 20%, Law Enforcement Administration 15%, Crime Detection and Investigation 20%, Forensic Science (criminalistics) 15%, Criminology (sociology of crimes and ethics) 20%, Correctional Administration 10% |
|---|---|
| Passing | Weighted average of 75%, with no rating below 60% in any subject (RA 11131) |
| Recent results | February 2026: 45,936 examinees, with 30,320 successful. August 2026: 29,452 examinees, with 16,952 successful. |
What the exam covers
- Criminal law and jurisprudence: the Revised Penal Code (felonies, stages, circumstances, persons liable, penalties with the RA 10951 amounts, specific crimes) and criminal procedure under the Rules of Court.
- Law enforcement administration: RA 6975, RA 8551 and RA 11200 on the PNP, NAPOLCOM, police organisation, patrol and intelligence.
- Crime detection and investigation: crime scene procedure, chain of custody, custodial rights, surveillance, drug, fire, traffic and cybercrime investigation.
- Forensic science: fingerprints, ballistics, questioned documents, forensic chemistry, polygraphy and DNA.
- Criminology, sociology and ethics: theories of crime, victimology, juvenile justice and the ethics of public officials.
- Correctional administration: the BJMP and BuCor, good conduct time allowance, probation, parole and executive clemency.
Free official resources, and what we add
The PRC publishes the CLE schedule, requirements and results, and the laws behind the exam (the Revised Penal Code, RA 10951, RA 11131 and the police and corrections laws) can be read free on official and legal sites. The PRC does not publish a practice bank. This pack gives you 100 original questions across all six subjects, with an explanation and legal source for every answer.
How to prepare
- Take the free 5-question sample to see the question style.
- Give the most time to the three 20% subjects: criminal law, investigation and criminology.
- Learn the RA 10951 amounts for fines and property values, as older reviewers still show the 1930 figures.
- Read the articles themselves (Articles 3 to 20 of the Revised Penal Code, Rule 113 and Rule 126 of the Rules of Court) rather than only summaries.
- Practise one subject at a time, then take timed mock exams that mix all six.
- Do not ignore correctional administration: at 10% it is small, but you still need at least 60% in it.
Practice questions with answers
Tap a question to see the correct answer and explanation.
A shoots B intending to kill him. B is hit in the chest but survives because a surgeon operates on him in time. What stage of the felony was committed?
- Frustrated homicide
- Attempted homicide
- Consummated homicide
- Impossible crime of homicide
Answer: A, Frustrated homicide. A felony is frustrated when the offender performs all the acts of execution that would produce the felony, but it is not produced for reasons independent of his will, such as timely medical help. In an attempt, not all acts of execution are performed. Source: Revised Penal Code, Article 6.
Which 1998 law is the PNP Reform and Reorganization Act?
- RA 8551
- RA 6975
- RA 11200
- RA 9263
Answer: A, RA 8551. RA 8551 (1998) amended RA 6975 to reform and reorganise the PNP. RA 11200 (2019) changed the PNP rank classification, and RA 9263 is the BFP and BJMP Professionalization Act. Source: RA 8551.
A large, open field must be searched for a discarded firearm, with several officers walking side by side in parallel lines. Which search method is this?
- Spiral method
- Zone (quadrant) method
- Wheel (ray) method
- Strip (line) method
Answer: D, Strip (line) method. In the strip or line method, searchers walk in parallel lanes across the area, which suits large open outdoor scenes. The zone method divides an area into sections, the spiral method circles in or out, and the wheel method radiates from the centre. Source: crime scene search methods in standard criminal investigation doctrine.