CB Bookkeeper exam-day guide
CB Bookkeeper · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID you registered with (driver's license, passport, or similar). The name on the ID should match your registration name exactly - if it does not (e.g., a maiden name or a shortened first name), resolve it before test day. Confirm the exact list of accepted ID forms and whether a secondary ID is required with the provider.
Appointment confirmation / registration number
Print or save the confirmation email showing your test date, time, confirmation number, and test-center address. You may not be asked for it, but it resolves check-in disputes quickly.
Test-center logistics plan
Know the exact address, which entrance to use, where to park or which transit stop, and how long the trip takes at that hour. Do a dry run a few days ahead if the location is unfamiliar. Arrive earlier than your appointment - confirm the provider's recommended arrival window, since late arrivals can be turned away.
Calculator expectations understood
Find out in advance whether an on-screen calculator is built into the exam software, whether a basic non-programmable handheld is permitted, or whether none is allowed. Do not assume - confirm with the provider and practice using whichever one you will actually have.
Scratch materials left at home
Most testing centers supply scratch paper or a dry-erase board and collect it at the end. Bringing your own paper, notes, or a pen is usually prohibited. Confirm the provider's policy so you are not separated from something you were counting on.
Personal items planned for storage
Keys, wallet, phone, watch, bag, and outerwear typically go into a locker or designated area, not to the workstation. Plan to travel light and know that phone access during the exam is normally prohibited.
Content review list finalized
Have a one-page summary of the topics you keep missing: the accounting equation, normal balances, adjusting and closing entries, correcting errors, bank reconciliations, depreciation methods, inventory costing, payroll and payroll taxes, and internal controls. Review the summary, not new material, on the final day.
Timing rehearsal completed
Before test day, complete at least one full-length practice set under the real time limit using the same calculator you will have. Know your average pace per question so you can decide when to skip and return.
Accommodations confirmed (if applicable)
If you need extra time, a separate room, or another accommodation, it must normally be requested and approved well before the appointment. Confirm approval status with the provider - it usually cannot be arranged on the day.
Reschedule and refund rules checked
Know the deadline and fee for rescheduling or cancelling, and what happens if you are ill or the center closes. Confirm with the provider rather than guessing.
Physical prep: sleep, food, water, medication
Sleep on your normal schedule, eat a normal meal beforehand, and bring any needed medication (tell the proctor if you must have it at the desk). Avoid trying a new energy drink or heavy meal on exam morning.
Plan for after the test
Know how and when results are released and what your next step is if you pass or must retake a section. Confirm the reporting method and retake policy with the provider in advance so the wait is not a surprise.
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Work through your error log and redo the questions you got wrong, focusing on why the correct answer is correct. Take one timed practice set, then review it. Confirm your appointment time, test-center address, and ID requirements. Set out your ID and confirmation in a single place you will not forget.
Do light review only - formulas, normal balances, the structure of adjusting entries, and your one-page summary. Pack your ID, confirmation, and directions. Confirm transportation and set two alarms. Avoid cramming past your normal bedtime; sleep is worth more than one more chapter.
Eat a normal meal and hydrate modestly. Leave earlier than the map says. Re-read only your one-page summary - no new practice questions, since a bad last-minute set can shake confidence. Arrive within the provider's recommended window, check in, store personal items, and use the restroom before you are seated.
Read the on-screen instructions and note the time limit, question count, and how to flag and revisit items. Take a few slow breaths, then start. If scratch materials are provided, set up a simple layout (e.g., a running list of flagged question numbers) before question one.
Work in passes: answer what you know, flag anything that takes more than roughly a minute, and move on. Do a quick sanity check on journal entries (does it balance? is the normal balance right?) and on computations (signs, rounding, period length). Watch the clock at the halfway mark and again with about ten minutes left, and reserve the final minutes to clear flags and confirm you have answered everything.
Use remaining time to re-check flagged items and to verify that you did not misread a 'which is NOT' or 'except' question. Change an answer only when you have a concrete reason - first instincts are usually right on definitional items.
Rules to check
Bring original, unexpired government-issued photo ID; the name must match your registration. If your ID name differs from your registration, contact the provider before test day - do not expect the center to resolve it for you.
Do not bring notes, textbooks, formula sheets, or written aids into the testing room. Assume only items the provider explicitly permits are allowed; confirm the permitted-items list with the provider.
Electronic devices - phones, smartwatches, earbuds, fitness trackers - must be silenced and stored as directed. Handling a device during the exam is commonly treated as misconduct.
Use only the calculator and scratch materials the provider allows. Confirm in advance whether an on-screen calculator, a permitted handheld, or neither will be available.
Break policy varies: some exams allow scheduled breaks, and unscheduled breaks may not stop your clock. Confirm the specific rule with the provider before you are seated, and plan hydration accordingly.
Accessibility accommodations must be approved in advance. Do not expect to arrange extra time or a separate room at check-in.
Exam content is confidential. Do not reproduce, photograph, or discuss specific questions afterward - sharing live exam items can invalidate your result.
Passing standards, score reporting timelines, and retake rules are set by the provider. Confirm the pass mark and results-release method with the provider rather than relying on secondhand reports.