TL;DR: To pass the Criminologist Licensure Examination you need a weighted average rating of 75 percent with no grade lower than 60 percent in any subject. If you clear 75 percent overall but drop below 60 in one subject, your result is deferred, not failed — you may retake that subject once within two years and must score at least 80 percent in it. Fail three or more subjects and you have failed outright. All of this is in Republic Act No. 11131.
Introduction
The criminologist licensure examination — the CLE or criminology board exam — is administered by the Professional Regulation Commission through the Board of Criminology. Passing it makes you a Registered Criminologist, which is required to practise in law enforcement, corrections, forensic work, security management and related criminal justice professions.
The profession is governed by Republic Act No. 11131, the Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018, and that statute — not custom or hearsay — decides eligibility, subject weights and what counts as a pass. Several widely circulated CLE guides state the passing floor as 50 percent. It is 60 percent, and the difference is the difference between a licence and a retake.
Who Can Take the Criminology Board Exam
Section 14 of RA 11131 sets the qualifications. An applicant must:
- Be a citizen of the Philippines, or a foreign citizen whose country or state has reciprocity with the Philippines in the practice of criminology.
- Be of good moral character, good reputation and of sound mind and body, certified by the school where they graduated and the barangay where they live.
- Hold a bachelor's degree in criminology accredited by CHED and conferred by a school authorised by the government.
Section 14 adds one rule that matters to repeat takers: anyone who has failed the CLE five times, whether consecutively or cumulatively, must present certification from a CHED-recognised institution that they have satisfactorily completed a refresher course in criminology before sitting again.
If you are still choosing where to study, compare options among the best criminology schools in the Philippines — the programme you enrol in strongly affects your readiness.
Exam Coverage and Statutory Subject Weights
Section 15 of RA 11131 fixes the six subjects and their relative weights. These are not estimates:
| Subject | Weight |
|---|---|
| Criminal Jurisprudence and Procedure | 20% |
| Law Enforcement Administration | 20% |
| Criminalistics | 20% |
| Crime Detection and Investigation | 15% |
| Criminal Sociology | 15% |
| Correctional Administration | 10% |
What each subject covers
- Criminal Jurisprudence and Procedure — Revised Penal Code Books 1 and 2, special penal laws, criminal procedure, court systems and human rights.
- Law Enforcement Administration — police organisation and administration, PNP operations, comparative police systems, industrial security management and police community relations.
- Criminalistics — forensic ballistics, questioned documents, police photography, dactyloscopy, forensic chemistry and lie detection.
- Crime Detection and Investigation — criminal investigation, organised crime, vice control, fire technology and traffic management.
- Criminal Sociology — criminological theory, juvenile delinquency, ethics, victimology, dispute resolution and human behaviour.
- Correctional Administration — institutional and non-institutional corrections, treatment of offenders, and the Philippine correctional system.
Three subjects carry 20 percent each. Together they are 60 percent of your weighted average, which is where review time should concentrate first.
How the Result Is Computed
This is the part most guides get wrong, so here it is against the statute.
| Outcome | Condition under RA 11131 |
|---|---|
| Pass | Weighted average of 75%, no grade below 60% in any subject |
| Deferred | Weighted average of 75% but a grade below 60% in one or more subjects |
| Deferred removal | Retake the deferred subject once within two years, scoring at least 80% |
| Failed | Weighted average below 75%, or three or more subjects failed |
Two consequences worth internalising before you plan a review. First, a strong average does not protect a weak subject — 60 percent is a hard floor and Correctional Administration at 10 percent weight can defer you just as easily as a 20 percent subject. Second, the removal standard is 80 percent, considerably higher than the 60 percent you missed. Deferral is a second chance on tougher terms, not a formality.
Schedule and Filing
PRC publishes the dates for every licensure examination in a single resolution covering the calendar year, released the preceding November, and the criminology examination appears there. Do not plan against projections: the exam has been given at different frequencies in different years, and PRC has moved and cancelled sittings before.
Filing runs through the PRC Licensure Examination and Registration Information System (LERIS):
- Create or log in to your LERIS account and complete your profile.
- Upload an ID photo meeting PRC specifications.
- Select the Criminologist Licensure Examination, your date and your testing centre.
- Set an appointment for document verification at a PRC office where required.
- Pay the current fee through an accredited LERIS channel.
- Download your Notice of Admission and note your room and reporting time.
File as soon as the window opens. Slots at popular testing centres close early and late filing is generally not accommodated. Cross-check against our 2026 board exam schedule.
Documents You Will Need
- Transcript of Records with Special Order number showing graduation from BS Criminology
- PSA birth certificate
- PSA marriage certificate, if your surname changed
- Valid government-issued ID
- Passport-sized photographs to PRC specifications
- Payment of the current examination fee, which PRC sets and revises
- Notice of Admission, downloaded from LERIS after approval
Review Strategy That Follows the Weights
Start with the three 20 percent subjects. Criminal Jurisprudence, Law Enforcement Administration and Criminalistics together decide 60 percent of the weighted average. Allocate accordingly — but never to zero on the smaller subjects, because of the 60 percent floor.
Protect the 10 percent subject. Correctional Administration is the easiest to under-review and the easiest to fall below 60 in. A deferred result over a lightly weighted subject is a painful way to lose a year.
Read the Revised Penal Code directly. Criminal Jurisprudence questions come from statutory text. Elements of crimes and penalty rules are reliable, recallable points.
Drill Criminalistics terminology. Ballistics, dactyloscopy, questioned documents and forensic chemistry are heavy on technical recall. Diagrams and flashcards outperform rereading.
Simulate the full exam. The CLE is recall-heavy and time-pressured. Weekly full-length timed papers in the final two months build pacing.
Keep a condensed personal reviewer. Writing the summary is the study; the summary is only the by-product.
Is a Review Center Worth It?
A review centre supplies pacing across six subjects, curated banks and mock exams, which many first-time takers find worth paying for. It is not required, and disciplined self-reviewers pass. The decision is about your study habits and budget, not about any advantage the law recognises.
Weigh the trade-offs with our guides on whether a review center is worth it and how to choose a review center.
Sources
- Republic Act No. 11131, Philippine Criminology Profession Act of 2018, Sections 14, 15 and 17 — lawphil.net
- Professional Regulation Commission, LERIS and licensure examination schedules — prc.gov.ph
- PRC, Schedule of Licensure Examinations for the Year 2026 — prc.gov.ph
Start Planning Your Criminology Career
Passing the CLE opens careers across the criminal justice system. Begin with a strong programme — explore the best criminology schools in the Philippines and browse schools in Manila on SchoolFinderPH.
