CHCO exam-day guide
CHCO · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID you registered with. Make sure the name matches your registration exactly, including middle names and suffixes. Ask the provider which ID types they accept and whether a digital copy is allowed before test day.
Appointment confirmation or admission notice
Have your confirmation email, appointment number, and any candidate ID handy, either printed or accessible on a device you are allowed to have nearby. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required at a test center.
Login credentials and proctoring software
If you are testing remotely, install any required proctoring browser or lockdown application ahead of time and confirm your username and password work. Password resets on test day waste time and cause stress.
System and equipment check
Test your computer, webcam, microphone, and speakers at least 72 hours before the exam. Use the same equipment and network on test day. Clear background applications that might trigger a security flag.
Backup power and internet
Charge laptops fully, keep a charger within reach, and have a phone hotspot or alternate network ready as a fallback. Confirm with the provider how a genuine outage would be handled before you need to ask.
Private, well-lit testing space
For remote testing, use a quiet room with a door you can close, a clear desk, and lighting that shows your face. Remove or cover notes, second monitors, and anything a proctor might flag.
Permitted reference materials
Ask the provider in advance whether the CHCO exam is open-book, and if so, which references are allowed and in what format. Until you receive written confirmation, prepare as if it is closed-book.
Scratch paper and writing tools
Confirm whether scratch paper, a pen, or an on-screen notepad is permitted and whether you must show or destroy it afterward. Do not assume you may bring your own.
Water and a light snack
Bring water and something easy to eat if breaks are allowed. Check the provider's policy on food, drink, and leaving the testing area during breaks.
Devices silenced and stowed
Turn off phones, smartwatches, and other wearables unless the provider explicitly permits them. Store them out of reach, since even a vibrating device can be treated as a violation.
Travel and check-in logistics
Confirm the test center address, parking, and required arrival time, or the remote check-in window. Plan to arrive or log in early enough to absorb delays without eating into exam time.
Rest and readiness plan
Protect sleep in the final two nights, eat a normal breakfast, and avoid last-minute cramming in the waiting area. Alertness affects pacing more than one extra fact does.
Plan the day
Confirm your appointment, test location or remote check-in details, and ID requirements in writing. Run the full system test if testing remotely. Read the provider's candidate handbook once, end to end, and note anything you need to ask about. Do at most two timed practice sets, then stop adding new material; spend remaining study time on your weakest two or three domains and on the exam's question formats.
Do a light review of summaries and your own notes rather than new content. Confirm travel plans, parking, or the quiet room you will use. Shift your sleep schedule so you are awake and alert at your scheduled start time. Prepare your ID, confirmation, and any permitted materials in one place.
Stop heavy studying. Lay out your ID, confirmation, charger, water, and snack. Charge every device, test your login one final time, and clear your desk. Set two alarms. Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at your usual time rather than much earlier.
Eat a normal breakfast and limit caffeine to your usual amount. Arrive at the test center or begin remote check-in with buffer time; check-in and identity verification can take longer than expected. Avoid reviewing new material in the waiting area. Use the restroom before you begin, and take a few slow breaths before the first question.
Read the instructions and any tutorial screens carefully, confirm the clock and question count, and note how to flag questions and request a break. Write down your target pace if scratch materials are allowed. Start with a question you can answer confidently to settle in.
Answer every question; if there is no penalty for guessing, never leave a blank. Flag long or uncertain items and move on rather than burning time early. Re-read the final words of each question, since words like 'except' and 'best' change the answer. At the halfway point, check your pace against the remaining time. Use scheduled breaks to stand, hydrate, and reset, and return promptly.
Note any technical issues or incidents and report them to the proctor or provider before you leave or log off. Keep your confirmation and score report. Do not discuss specific exam content with others, and check the provider's stated timeframe for results and retake eligibility.
Rules to check
Bring the ID you registered with and make sure the name matches. Ask the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a digital copy is permitted; do not assume a photo on your phone will be accepted.
Follow the provider's rules on permitted materials exactly. Unless you have written confirmation that a resource is allowed, treat it as prohibited, and keep phones, smartwatches, and notes stowed and silent.
If you are testing remotely, stay in camera view, keep your face visible, and do not talk to anyone or leave the room without proctor permission. Confirm the specific workspace and room-scan requirements with the provider beforehand.
Ask in advance whether breaks are available, how many, and whether the clock stops during them. Assume the clock keeps running unless the provider states otherwise, and plan your pacing accordingly.
The passing standard and scoring method are set by the certification body; confirm the current passing score, whether unanswered questions count as incorrect, and whether any questions are unscored pilot items.
If technology fails, contact the proctor or provider support immediately and document what happened with times and screenshots where possible. Do not attempt lengthy troubleshooting on your own while the clock runs.
Do not share, record, or reproduce exam questions or answers. Treat all exam content as confidential, including in post-exam discussion forums.
Confirm the provider's policy on late arrival, rescheduling, cancellations, and retakes before test day, since these vary and are often strictly enforced.