FRM Exam Day Checklist: What to Bring to Exams

FRM exam day checklist: a quick summary

• Bring your printed Confirmation of Appointment email and a government-issued passport or driver’s license, digital versions aren’t accepted
• Only specific Texas Instruments and Hewlett Packard calculators are approved, and your calculator’s memory must be cleared beforehand
• GARP provides two sheets of scratch paper and a pencil at the start of the exam, no formula sheet is given
• Phones are allowed at the exam site but must be stored away and completely powered off, not just on airplane mode
• Arrive with a buffer before your scheduled time: late arrival means no entry, no refund, and no deferral

So, you’re prepared for the FRM exam.  But are you prepared for the actual day?

Knowing and preparing for the logistics of exam day can make a lot of difference in your exam – you may not even be allowed in, or get your exam invalidated if you haven’t prepared the right items to bring to the exam.

To help you on your way to a smooth-sailing FRM exam day, here are 5 points on our FRM exam day checklist that you must look through before exam day. Best of luck!

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1) Make sure you are allowed in

Arrive early.

Doors to the exam close at the exact time on your Confirmation of Appointment email, and there’s no flexibility: arrive late and you won’t be admitted, and you won’t get a refund or a deferral, you’ll simply forfeit your exam fee.

GARP doesn’t publish a specific recommended arrival time, but we recommend arriving at least 30 minutes early to give yourself sufficient buffer for unexpected events (traffic, parking, etc) given the huge cost of being late.

Have your correct exam-approved identification.

For the FRM exam, only a government-issued drivers license or passport will be accepted as identification (ID). Additionally, check these points on your ID to make sure it will be accepted on exam day:

• Your ID must be original, current, non-expired, valid and include a photograph of you.
• If you’re using a drivers license, the license must be issued by the same country in which you are taking the exam in.
• The name on your identification should be an exact match to the name on your exam ticket/confirmation email, i.e. first name, last name, and any middle name or initial. The order of the names is irrelevant so long as all names appear.
  • If this does not match, contact GARP member services as soon as possible – their email is [email protected], or check out this page for more contact details.

Print out and bring your FRM confirmation of appointment email.

You will need this printed to gain entry on the day of your exam. No printed confirmation email, no entry.

Electronic versions will NOT be accepted, and please do not write on the front or back of the admission ticket before or during the exam.

If a FRM candidate arrives at the exam without bringing these 2 items as per the above requirements, they will not be allowed to sit or reschedule their exam, and the exam fee would be forfeited.

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2) Bring the correct FRM-approved calculator

Only these calculators can be used for the FRM exam:

• The Texas Instruments BA II Plus (both versions), including the BA II Plus Professional
• Hewlett Packard 10B II, 10B II+, 20B
• The Hewlett Packard 12C, including the 12C Platinum, 12C Platinum 25th Anniversary Edition, 12C 30th Anniversary Edition, and HP12C Prestige

Clear your calculator’s memory before you leave for the exam. GARP requires an approved calculator with cleared memory.

Again, there are no exceptions. If you use a non-authorized calculator at any time during the exam, your answer sheets will not be graded.

Only 3 things are allowed in the exam room: your passport/drivers license, printed confirmation of the exam appointment email and a FRM-approved calculator.

Candidates are encouraged to make sure their calculators have full battery to avoid the need for battery replacement or a second calculator.

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3) Know what to pack for exam day

There’s no need to bring pens, pencils or any other writing tools. GARP provides two sheets of scratch paper and a pencil at the start of the exam. These must stay on your desk for the full four hours and are collected and destroyed at the end.

No personal belongings are allowed in the exam room. All your personal belongings are kept in a locker, storage bag, or an area designated for personal belongings.

Regardless where your items are stored, candidates cannot access their personal belongings any time during the exam.

All clocks, watches, electronic devices, and wearable technology (including FitBits and Google glasses) are considered personal belongings and must be stored away with no access to them during the exam.

Candidates may bring one mobile phone to the exam site, but it cannot come to your desk.

It must be stored in your locker, storage bag, or designated personal belongings area, completely powered off, not just on airplane mode.

If your phone makes any noise during the exam, even from inside the storage area, your exam session ends immediately without a grade and you’ll be escorted from the room.

To summarize, these are the items NOT allowed in the FRM exam room:

• Any writing instruments (e.g. pens, pencils, erasers, correction fluid, rulers, highlighters etc)
• Personal accessories such as watches, cufflinks
• Clocks, watches, and any wearable technology devices such as Google glasses, smart-watches, fit-bits, etc.
• Baggage of any kind
• Tobacco
• Study materials, scratch paper, present/future value tables, or calculator manuals

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Can you write formulas on scratch paper before the exam starts?

This is an interesting exam strategy question that warrants some thinking, as GARP does not give a clear published answer on this front.

That said, here is what we know from GARP’s FRM exam policies:

• Two sheets of scratch paper and a pencil will be provided at the start of the exam. These items must be kept on the desk for the duration of the exam. All scratch paper will be collected and destroyed after the exam.
• No formula sheets are given, candidates are expected to know formulae from memory.
• Any activity that compromises the integrity or validity of the exam, including any activity or misconduct before, during, or after the administration of the exam, will be considered a violation of GARP’s Exam Policies.

While there is no explicit rule or clear answer from GARP on this, here is our interpretation of what’s likely fine and what isn’t advisable:

• Writing formulae on the given scratch paper before the exam seems like a violation of the exam rules, as one may interpret this as trying to gain a time advantage over other candidates.
• Writing formulae on the given scratch paper once the exam has started seems more likely to be fine, since you’re choosing to use your exam time as part of your own exam strategy, without gaining a time advantage over other candidates.

Just be mindful that exams are run strictly, and any exam policy violation would void your results with no appeal.

Our advice is not to assume you can write formulae before the timer starts. If you’re unsure on the day, ask your proctor directly before you write anything. It’s a five-second question that avoids a real risk.

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Frequently asked questions

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Good luck for your FRM exam! If you have any questions? Drop them in the comments below.

Meanwhile, you may find these related articles of interest:

• TI BA II Plus Guide: How To Use Your Calculator Better
• How To Use HP12C Calculator Better
• FRM Preparation: 7 Useful Tips to Help You Pass
• FRM Pass Rates: How Hard Are FRM Exams?
• FRM Minimum Passing Score: Our Best Estimates So Far
• FRM Study Planner: Customize your Study Plan
• Is FRM Worth It? 2026 ROI Analysis and Career Impact
• FRM Part 1 Study Guide (2026): How to Pass First Time
• FRM Part 2 Study Guide (2026): How to Pass First Time
• FRM Study Materials: The Best Options for Part 1 & Part 2