This is the only CFA exam day checklist you need: what to bring, what to expect, what to wear, and everything else – updated for the latest pandemic-related procedures and computer-based exams.
Here is our definitive list of things to bring to the exam, how the exam day will be like, and any other questions you might have about CFA exam day.
CFA exam day: how the day is like
With the new computer-based testing (CBT), CFA exam days are now different compared to paper-based exams given the different scheduling windows/times.
With the reduced exam length of 2 hours and 15 minutes per session, here is what happens time-wise on your exam day:
| 30 minutes | Pledge, tutorial and survey |
| 135 minutes | Session 1 exam |
| 30 minutes | Optional break |
| 135 minutes | Session 2 exam |
| 4.5 hours | Total testing time |
| 5.5 hours | Total appointment time |
That said, CFA Institute recommends that it is best to arrive at least 30 minutes early, as the check in process does take time.
COVID-specific CFA exam rules
In addition to usual exam procedures, CFA Institute will be implementing these additional COVID procedures:
- Social distancing: Candidates will be seated approximately 6 feet (1.8 meters) apart – adjusted according to local requirements
- COVID form and/or testing: Depending on local rules, you may need to fill in a questionnaire about COVID-19 exposures, symptoms or related questions. You may also need to have your temperature tested.
- ID and calculator inspection: You will be asked to hold your ID and calculator(s) for the proctor to inspect. Testing personnel will not touch your belongings. You will be required to briefly remove your face covering during ID verification so proctors may compare your face to your passport photo.
- Dismissal: Candidates will be dismissed by room or section to minimize the (frankly insane) crowds that happen at the end of every CFA exam. Procedures will be in place to maintain social distancing.
What to bring into the CFA exam test room
COVID-related items (important)
In addition to the usual exam items, there are some additional COVID-related items to consider:
| Face mask (optional) | As of 1st May 2022, Prometric will no longer require candidates or test center personnel to wear masks unless required to do so by building management or local government mandates. That said, Prometric continues to allow and encourage the wearing of masks regardless of mandate or vaccination status You will be required to briefly remove your face covering during ID verification. CFA Institute/Prometric will not be supplying face masks – so please remember to bring your own if you prefer to wear one. |
| Additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE, optional) | If you’d like to bring gloves, face shields or any additional PPE, go ahead. It’s not clear if CFA Institute will allow a use of a face shield instead of a face mask, so if you do decide to bring a face shield please still bring a face mask. |
| Sanitizing gear (optional) | You can bring hand sanitizing gel or wipes as well. |
Prometric has also highlighted additional location-specific COVID-19 measures, so check the latest test-center specific requirements here.
Items allowed in the CFA exam room
There is no longer any CFA exam ticket needed, unless your test provider requests that you print a confirmation email with your appointment confirmation number in it. For most, all you need is your passport ID and calculator for the exam.
Here’s the exact list of what you are allowed to bring inside the CFA computer based testing room:
- Your CFA exam calculator (including the case, loose batteries and keystroke cards)
- Only two calculators are allowed in the CFA exam:
- Texas Instruments BA II Plus (including Professional), or
- Hewlett Packard 12C (including the HP 12C Platinum, 12C 25th anniversary edition, and 12C 30th anniversary edition)
- What if you run out of batteries? Try borrowing or buying a second identical calculator as a backup. You can bring loose batteries in the testing room, but you’ll likely need a screwdriver to change your calculator batteries, so it’s not quite a practical option anyway since screwdrivers are not allowed. As a last resort, you can leave your screwdriver in the locker, and a proctor will accompany you to your locker to get it if you need to.
- Practice how to set your calculator settings (here’s how to do it for BA II plus and HP12C), just in case a proctor resets it. We have heard reports from some candidates that the proctor reset their calculator prior to the exam, but this doesn’t happen to everyone.
- Only two calculators are allowed in the CFA exam:
- Valid international travel passport
- Lost or forgotten passports are the second-most frequent problem candidates have on exam day (the first being a lost or forgotten calculator).
- CFA Institute only accepts valid international passports as identification, so please renew your passport if you have to.
- Also ensure that the name on your exam ticket is EXACTLY the same as it is on your passport – if it isn’t, notify CFA Institute immediately.
- Eyeglasses (without the case)
- Additional personal items allowed in the test center (if applicable, e.g. ear plugs, medication)
Items NOT allowed in the CFA exam room (computer-based test)
- Food or drinks
- Wallet (money purse)
- Baggage of any kind, including transparent bags, backpacks, handbags, tote bags, briefcases, luggage, carrying cases, passport covers, hat or eyeglass cases
- Study materials, including notes, papers, textbooks, or study guides
- Writing utensils, scratch paper, or calculator manuals. Candidates will be provided with a laminated sheet OR erasable writing tablet for use during the exam. With computer based exams, pencils are now not allowed (nor necessary).
- Mobile phones, cameras, headsets, computers, tablets, wearable technology (such as Fitbit or other fitness tracking devices), smart watches, or any Bluetooth-enabled or any remote communication or photographic devices
- Any type of desk clock or timer, including wristwatches
- Weapons of any kind
- Jewellery (other than wedding or engagement rings), ornate hair clips, headbands, combs, barrettes, tie clips, or cufflinks
At the test center, there will be an area designated for personal belongings to place items not allowed in the test room.
What to keep in your bag (if you decide to bring one)
It’s still useful to have some essential items for your break and after the exam. You’ll be allowed to keep stuff at a personal belongings area (outside the test room), so you can keep these items inside:
- Water: drinks are not allowed in the exam room, so best to bring some in for your break.
- Caffeine dose. A can of Red Bull or equivalent can come in handy, acting as insurance against possible mid-day lethargy. Dose accordingly to your caffeine tolerance – if you regularly have lots of coffee more Red Bull might be needed.
- Snack food. With just a 30 minute optional break, bring a light snack, something non-offensive – nothing that will give you gas or digestion problems. Nothing too spicy, greasy, or can’t be stored at room temperature for a few hours.
- Your mobile phone, switched off. Not silent mode, not flight mode (alarms and calendar reminders may still be active). That way you KNOW that if a mobile phone is ringing, it definitely isn’t yours.
CFA exam day checklist – FAQ
What should I wear to exam day? Is there a dress code?
There is no dress code, so wear what you’re comfortable in – within reason, of course. We recommend that you dress in layers so that you can adjust and keep comfortable as needed.
Contrary to any rumors you might have heard on Reddit, you do NOT need to wear a suit. (Redditors, we find it funny too, but we have to answer a lot of these!)
Should I use the optional 30 minute break? What should I bring for the break?
Yes, we think it is useful to have that break. You can use it to have a light snack, drink and use the toilet before heading in for the second session. It’s actually not a long break.
You won’t be allowed to eat snacks or drink during the exam itself, but you can and should bring your own light snack and water – something that keeps well in room temperature for your optional 30 minute break.
In fact, if you take into account the check-in time when you return from your break, you have just about 15-20 minutes actual break time to grab a drink, snack and/or go for a quick toilet break.
Going back in late for second session will eat into your exam time, so be mindful of this.
Will there be a place to keep things that I can’t bring into the exam hall?
Yes, there will be a personal belongings area with lockers at the CBT test centers.
Can I share or borrow calculators during the exam?
No.
If you need to borrow a calculator (or anything else), you’ll need to do so before each exam sessions starts.
If you run into any issues during the exam, ask a proctor for advice before you do anything else.
Can I bring drinks into the test room? What if I need to go to the bathroom?
No, you cannot bring drinks into the computer test room, for a good reason.
During the exam, candidates are allowed 2 unschedule breaks, but the test time is not paused during these breaks. During these 2 breaks, you can use the bathrooms or access your personal belongings (only water, food or medical items) upon proctor’s approval.
Candidates are not allowed to leave the test centre during these breaks.
However, test takers should raise their hand for both breaks and questions during the computer-based test.
Can I leave the exam room early?
Yes you can with computer-based testing.
Again, just raise your hand to ask the proctor to confirm if you can do so.
Sitting for the CFA exams soon? We wish you the best of luck and hope these articles will help:
Cheat Sheets for L1 were extremely helpful for preparation. Thanks a lot!
Currently, I am preparing for L2 exam, and honestly, I would love to have such amazing cheat sheets for L2 as well.
Are you planning to work on those?
Hi Ara, thanks 🙂 We are working hard on L2, but it is a huge step up in coverage, and hope to have them published as soon as we can.
My HP12c has directions for some calculator functions embossed in the back from the manufacturer. Is this allowed?
Hi Robert, that should be fine as embossed and part of the calculator. Not that you need to refer to it anyway! 🙂 Good luck!
I see that the exam format was changed to digital, and seems to be that candidates are not allowed to bring any scratch paper – but received some earlier when the exam was in written format.
But how about when it comes to calculating (complex) formulas and you need to write down some notes? Does the digital platform allows some “scratches”?
Andreas, you should be given either scratch paper or writing boards by the proctors for calculation workings, which have to be returned when the exam is finished.
where can i find my comfirmation id?
You’ll be able to find your candidate ID on your CFA Institute online account – the same one you use to access your CFA Institute mock and materials.
I have lost the case for my calculator. Do I have to have the case or can i just bring in the calculator itself?
No, you don’t need the case for the exam.
Can I take the afternoon section early. For example, if I finish the morning section at 11a.m. Can I take the afternoon section at noon ?
not exactly, you can finish early, but you still only have a 30 min break, so if you finish at 11am, you would have until 11:30 to start your second session
What is confirmation mail from prometric ?
I have my exam for L1 in November window. Can i take eyedrops and general medicines for fever with me? I assume these are not in category of medical equipments needed and are general medicines, so would I need to take approval on the exam day or I need to email the Institute for same?
According to Prometric, eye drops and pills are fine, but pills must be unwrapped without packaging. I would just email the Institute just in case.
If you have a fever, you are not allowed in the testing site.
Can I bring my home and car-key into the testing room and put it under my chair, like it was before CBT?
This could depend on the test center, but if they are following CFA Institute’s guidance to the letter, keys are not allowed.
My exam time written on the appointment letter is 8:00 am this means I have to reach my centre at 7:30 am? And from 8 to 8:30 we have to watch the tutorial? and the exam officially starts at 8:30?
Sounds about right to me. Good luck!
How strict are they with the id verification? I have a 3rd name that’s omitted on the CFA site but on my new passport. I submitted the name change form late. I remember in my L1 they barely glanced at it.
Officially, they are very strict.
This means all names on your passport should be on the name registered with CFA Institute – only variations like first name / last name reversals are allowed.
You must submit a Name/Information Change form to cmservices@cfainstitute.org, along with a scanned image of your passport data page, to update your CFA Institute account so that your account reflects the exact names shown in the Given Name(s) and Surname fields on your passport. Please submit name update requests as soon as you become aware an update is needed. CFA Institute cannot guarantee requests will be processed if they are submitted less than 30 days before your appointment.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
Does the file format matter when sending a picture of my passport for a name change? What are my options if I can’t get the request on time?
Do I just submit the name chnage form in PDF along my passport photo?
Yes.
I don’t think the file format matters as long as it’s accessible by CFA Institute, i.e. the usual formats like PNG, JPG and PDF etc should work.
If you can’t get the name change request processed on time you may not be allowed to take the exam.
I have level 2 exam in a week, I haven’t received a confirmation email from prometric centre as yet? When do I receive the confirmation email?
Best to contact Prometric ASAP on this to see what’s going on. Their customer service is pretty responsive.
Hello. I’m taking the level 1 CBT exam on May 18. Do I need to print the confirmation email from Prometric? Also, what is the 8 character HTML Key code? I saw this while going over the exam tutorial. Thank you.
You don’t need to print out the confirmation email unless explicitly told to do so. You won’t need the 8 character HTML key code on exam day – that’s a code to specify which exam Prometric should load.
Thank you so much for clarifying this. I was not explicitly told to do so.
Does Prometric send an email confirmation all candidates a few days before the exam? I haven’t received anything apart from the CFAI reminders, and my exam is in 5 days.
What writing material will be provided for workings (i.e. erasable white pad, pen, pencil, paper, etc)?
You’ll be given an erasable pad. Usually that means laminated sheets with a dry-erase pen, or a small whiteboard, depending on the test center.
Hey I want to know if I can come with a bag to carry my belongings eg calculators, passport
You can, but you’ll have to leave it outside the test room. Prometric should have areas to store your belongings.
Hi, are you allowed to bring a water bottle into the exam hall? It’s quite a long two sessions!
You can’t bring any food or water into the exam room, but you can keep some outside for your break. Sorry!
Hi. I just want to clarify my understanding about the calculator. It is mentioned to “Try…buying a second identical calculator as a backup…” Say I have BA II Plus Pro, does this mean, I am not allowed/won’t be able to use, BA II Plus if the professional died in the middle of the exam if that is the “backup” I bring? Thank you.
You can totally bring two different calculators – as long as they are approved versions, it doesn’t matter if your backup is not identical to your first one.
This advice is for men only during COVID, I would recommend to shave before the exam as even a 1 week beard can get pretty uncomfortable under a mask!
Oh thanks for highlighting that – good tip!
Are we allowed to wear a hat or would that be included in the “headband” category?
I’m not sure about that John. My guess is that it may not be permissible to be conservative. In any case, if you’re wearing mask, and even a shield, having an extra hat is just not feasible and way too hot 🙂
Hi! I’m taking cfa level 1 test in 1 week. I heard candidates have to bring admission ticket to enter the exam venue is that right? Or this policy changed as exam transformed to CBT?
Thx 🙂
Hi John, there’s no need for admissions tickets now as it is CBT. All you need is to print the email that Prometric sent to your email (with appointment confirmation number). You’ll need this to check in.
Thanks Zee for the informative notes, quickly check with you is sweater or jacket allowed?
Does anyone know if you’re allowed to bring chewing gum in for the computerized tests?
Hi Tom, food and drinks are not allowed in the CBT test room, so it’s probably a no. Also it may be tricky with a mandatory face mask if you need to spit your gum out etc.
Hi! Do you have any knowledge on if candidates are allowed to have a nose piercing during the exam and other ear piercings (not just a lobe piercing)?
Hi Ally, yes piercings are fine, unless your piercings have CFA study notes on it 🙂
I heard that digital watches such as Apple Watches and FitBits are not permitted into the exam room. Is this true? Thank you!
Yes – smart watches, such as Apple Watches, Fitbits are not allowed. Good catch – I’ve added it to the article.
What about a normal digital or analog watch (not Smart)? Are these allowed??
These are fine.
I don’t think proctors will pat you down and force you to surrender your wallet. In London you’re fine to keep it in your back pocket or put it on the floor under your chair. But I find it simpler to just leave things like that at home. Separate eraser is better. The ones that come with pencils tend to smudge. You’re allowed to use the restroom during the exam – you’ll need to raise your hand and wait for a proctor to escort you. Good luck!