CFF exam-day guide
CFF · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, valid, unexpired ID in the name you registered with. Confirm with the provider which specific ID forms it accepts and whether the name must match your registration exactly, since a mismatch is a common cause of being turned away.
Exam appointment confirmation
Save the confirmation email or booking reference offline on your phone and also write the reference on paper. You may need it at check-in, and you should not rely on network access at the test site.
Know your test delivery format and location
Confirm with the provider whether you sit the exam at a test centre or by remote proctoring, and confirm the exact address or the software and system requirements. Do this well before exam day so you can resolve any technical or travel issue.
Second form of identification if required
Some providers ask for a second ID or a signature-bearing card. Confirm with the provider whether a second ID is required and in what form; mark this as needs_review until confirmed.
Permitted calculator or tools
Confirm with the provider which calculator model, if any, is allowed and whether an on-screen calculator is provided. Do not assume a personal calculator is permitted; check the current candidate handbook.
Review the current candidate handbook and exam blueprint
Read the provider's current handbook for rules on conduct, prohibited items, rescheduling, and scoring, and check the topic weighting so your last revision matches what is actually tested.
Logistics plan for arrival
Plan to arrive with a buffer before your appointment, and confirm with the provider how early you should arrive and what happens if you are late. For remote exams, plan a quiet, private room and test your equipment in advance.
Rest and nutrition plan
Protect sleep in the final nights and plan a light meal before the exam. Fatigue and hunger degrade performance on long, multi-hour exams more than one extra hour of cramming will help.
Prohibited-items plan
Confirm with the provider which items are banned from the testing room (phones, smart watches, notes, bags) and where you can store them. Assume your phone must be off and stored away from your desk.
Confirm break policy
Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled, optional, or counted against your time, and whether you can leave the room. Plan hydration and restroom visits around the confirmed rule.
Confirm scoring and result timing
Confirm with the provider the passing standard, whether results are scaled, and when and how results are released. Do not rely on secondhand claims about the pass mark.
Personal timing strategy
Know the number of questions and total time, compute an average pace per question, and decide in advance how you will handle questions that require long calculation or that you will flag and revisit.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Reread your own summary notes and error log, focusing on topics you have repeatedly missed. Work through a timed set or two under exam conditions to calibrate pace, then review only the explanations for questions you got wrong. Confirm logistics: appointment time, location or remote-setup requirements, ID, permitted tools, and travel or equipment plan. Protect sleep starting now.
Do a light review of formulas, definitions, and framework summaries rather than full practice exams; a late heavy practice test mainly adds fatigue. Prepare and lay out your ID, confirmation, and any permitted items. Confirm the start time and set two alarms. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol and heavy caffeine late in the day, and go to bed at your usual time.
Eat a normal breakfast and limit caffeine to your usual amount so you avoid jitters. Do a 20 to 30 minute skim of your one-page summary only. Arrive at the site or set up your remote workspace early with your ID and confirmation ready, phone stored and off, and any permitted tools in place. Avoid discussing exam content with other candidates.
Read the instructions and note the time and question count. Work at your planned pace, answering easier questions first and flagging long or uncertain ones to revisit. For calculation questions, write down the given values and check units and reasonableness of the answer. If a question stalls you, make a reasoned choice, flag it, and move on. Watch the clock at the halfway point and adjust. Use breaks only as the confirmed policy allows, and reserve the final minutes to revisit flagged questions and confirm no question is left blank if the exam does not penalize guessing.
Rules to check
Bring the exact government-issued photo ID accepted by the provider, in your registered name. If your name or ID type is uncertain, confirm with the provider before exam day, because check-in failures are usually not excused.
Follow all instructions from the proctor and the candidate handbook. Prohibited items such as phones, smart watches, notes, and bags must be stored as directed; keep your phone off and away from the testing area.
Do not communicate with other candidates about exam content during or after the test, and do not reproduce or share exam questions. This is standard certification conduct and is typically enforced.
Use breaks only as the provider permits. Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled or optional, whether they pause or consume your time, and what check-in steps apply when you return.
Do not assume a personal calculator, scratch paper, or reference sheet is allowed. Confirm with the provider which aids are provided on screen and which, if any, you may bring.
Understand the scoring rule before you start: confirm with the provider the passing standard, whether results are scaled, and whether unanswered questions count as incorrect. If there is no penalty for wrong answers, ensure every question has an answer.
If a technical failure, illness, or emergency occurs, stop and follow the provider's incident procedure and contact the provider promptly. Do not attempt to fix a remote-proctoring problem by yourself in ways the handbook forbids.
Report any irregularity or suspected security issue to the proctor or provider rather than resolving it informally, and keep your result confirmation and any case reference for follow-up.