SIA Licensing

How to Pass the SIA Door Supervisor Exam First Time

12 min read· Updated 2026-07-07· Free · No signup

The Door Supervisor exams look intimidating — four separate assessments, closed-book, taken in the classroom under strict SIA conditions. In reality, 92% of well-prepared candidates pass first time. The other 8% almost always trip on the same three topics.

Key takeaways

  • Assessments are multiple-choice, taken paper or on-screen depending on the centre.
  • The pass mark is 70% for most units — 100% for specific safety-critical questions.
  • Physical intervention is assessed separately and cannot be crammed.
  • You get two free re-sit attempts before you'd pay for a full re-enrolment.

The three topics candidates fail on

Use of force and reasonableness under English common law and section 3 Criminal Law Act 1967 — candidates confuse 'necessary' with 'reasonable'.

The Equality Act 2010 protected characteristics — nine, not seven or eight, and 'age' is one of them.

Emergency evacuation procedures at licensed premises, especially the role of the Designated Premises Supervisor vs the door team.

How to actually revise

Space it out. Ten minutes a day for three weeks beats one panicked all-nighter every time — the research on spaced repetition is unambiguous.

Do practice questions with explanations, not just 'right or wrong'. If you can't articulate why the wrong answers are wrong, you don't know the topic yet.

In the exam room

Read every stem twice. SIA questions often hinge on one word: always, never, must, may.

Skip and return. If a question stalls you, mark it, move on, come back with a fresh head. Ten stalls become ten easy wins in the second sweep.

Quick checklist

  • Blocked out 10 minutes a day for the three weeks pre-exam
  • Completed at least 200 practice MCQs with feedback
  • Rehearsed physical intervention techniques in class, not just watched
  • Slept properly the night before — cognition drops 30% after a bad night

Common mistakes

  • Memorising acronyms without understanding the underlying law.
  • Ignoring physical intervention as 'the practical bit' — it has its own pass criteria.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I fail?+

Most centres include two free re-sits within a set window. Beyond that you'd re-enrol and re-pay.

Is the exam open book?+

No. All SIA-mandated assessments are closed-book, invigilated.

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