On Exam Day
Policies and Tips for Your Testing Session
Before your exam, make sure you know what items to bring—and what items not to bring—to the testing center.
Items to Bring to the Test Center
- Personal identification. You must show two forms of ID to be admitted to the testing room; primary and secondary.
Your primary ID must be government-issued and include your name, signature, and a recognizable photograph. Acceptable forms of primary ID include:
- Current driver's license
- State or federal ID card
- Current passport
- Military ID with photo and signature
- Tribal ID
- Naturalization card or certificate of citizenship
Acceptable forms of secondary ID include:
- Employee photo ID
- College ID
- Credit card
- Social Security card
- Military ID with signature only
- Unused ID from the primary choices above
- Completed registration form. Each test center sets its own requirements for registration. You should bring the form required by your test center. We provide a CLEP registration form for test center use.
- Exam and administration fees. The CLEP exam fee is $77. You can pay the exam fee by credit card (preferred) using your VISA, MasterCard, or American Express. You can also use a check or money order made out to CLEP. Each test center charges an additional administration fee and sets its own policy for payment.
- Nonmechanical No. 2 pencil.
Items Not to Bring to the Test Center
You may not bring the following items with you into the testing room. Some test centers may have a safe place to store these items until you have completed your exam. Any candidate found using a prohibited item during an exam administration is dismissed from the exam.
- Notes or papers of any kind (scratch paper is provided)
- Dictionaries, books, pamphlets, or reference materials
- Cell phones, pagers, beepers, walkie-talkies, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or wireless communications devices such as BlackBerrys or Bluetooth ear buds
- Calculators (a calculator function is built into the exam software for exams that require it)
- Digital watches (wrist or pocket), alarm watches, or wristwatch cameras
- Any kind of photographic or copying device
- Listening devices such as radios, media players with headphones, or recorders
- Mechanical pencils or any type of pen or highlighter
- Slide rules, protractors, compasses, or rulers
- Food, beverages, or tobacco products
- Hats (unless worn as a religious requirement)
- Any other unauthorized testing aids
Tips for Students
- Arrive on time. Plan to arrive in advance of your exam appointment time. You can not be admitted after the testing session has begun.
- Request special accommodations, if necessary. If you have special needs, be sure to communicate them before testing begins.
- Read instructions carefully. If you don't understand the exam instructions, ask for help before test timing begins. If you must ask a question after testing begins, raise your hand. A proctor can assist you and answer certain types of questions, but cannot help you with the exam.
- Know your rights as a test-taker. You can expect to be given the full working time allowed for taking the exam and a reasonably quiet and comfortable place in which to work. If a poor testing situation is preventing you from doing your best, ask if the situation can be remedied. If it can't, ask the test administrator to report the problem.
If you wish to refer the incident directly to CLEP for investigation, write a letter describing the exact circumstances as completely as you can. Be sure to include:
- Name of the test center
- Test date
- Name(s) of the exam(s) you took
Mail the letter to:
CLEP
P.O. Box 6601
Princeton, NJ 08541-6601
