ICAEW ACA Business Law exam-day guide
ICAEW ACA Business Law · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exam format and venue with ICAEW or your tuition provider
The ACA Business Law (Law) assessment is delivered as a computer-based exam, but the exact sitting arrangement (test centre versus remote invigilation, and which window applies to your cohort) depends on your registration. Confirm the format, date, start time, and venue or platform with ICAEW or your tuition provider before final planning. Mark as needs_review until you have written confirmation.
Photo identification matching your registration
Bring the original ID document whose details match your ICAEW registration. Check with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a copy is permitted; do not assume a particular document is valid.
Your admission or confirmation details
Have your candidate number, exam confirmation email, and any booking reference available, either printed or accessible on your phone where permitted. Test centres may ask to see them at check-in.
Approved calculator
Business Law is largely discursive, but some questions touch on figures such as damages, share capital, or limitation periods. Bring a calculator that complies with ICAEW's permitted models and check the current list with the provider. Mark as needs_review.
Permitted texts or open-book materials
Confirm with ICAEW whether your sitting of Business Law is open book and, if so, exactly which materials are allowed and in what form. Do not bring annotated or unauthorised materials. Mark as needs_review.
A concise revision sheet of key cases and statutes
Prepare a one- or two-page summary of the doctrines and authorities you find hardest: offer and acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relations, misrepresentation, exclusion clauses, agency, partnership, and company formation and directors' duties. Use it for final revision and, if the exam permits materials, as your permitted reference.
Practice the exam platform and question navigation
If ICAEW or your provider offers a familiarisation or sample assessment, complete it under timed conditions. Learn how to flag questions, move between questions, and review answers before submission.
Plan your travel and arrival time
For a test centre, confirm the address, journey, and required arrival time (typically ahead of the start for ID checks). For remote invigilation, confirm your room, equipment, and connection requirements with the provider. Mark as needs_review.
Check equipment for a remote sitting
If sitting remotely, test your computer, webcam, microphone, and internet connection in advance and follow the provider's system checks. Have a backup plan such as a phone hotspot or alternative device.
Water and permitted comfort items
Check centre rules on drinks, snacks, and medication. Many centres restrict items at the desk, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Read the exam instructions and time allocation
Know the number of questions or tasks, the marks available, and the time allowed before you sit down. Decide your target pace per question so you do not run out of time on a long scenario.
Rest and a realistic final-review plan
Do not plan to learn new topics in the last hours. Schedule light review of your summary sheet and a proper night's sleep, since scenario-based legal reasoning rewards a clear head more than last-minute cramming.
Plan the day
Complete one full timed practice assessment under exam conditions. Mark it against the answer guidance, then list your three weakest areas. Spend the remaining time on those areas rather than re-reading everything.
Re-read your condensed case and statute sheet aloud. For each authority, state the rule in one sentence and one example of how it applies, because exam questions test application rather than recall of names.
Confirm logistics: venue or remote platform, start time, ID requirements, permitted materials, and calculator rules. Resolve any uncertainty with ICAEW or your provider now, not on the day.
Do a light review only: skim your summary sheet and the structure you will use for scenario answers (identify the issue, state the rule, apply it to the facts, reach a conclusion). Stop studying by early evening.
Lay out your ID, confirmation details, calculator, and any permitted materials. Check travel times or test your remote equipment once more. Set two alarms.
Eat properly and arrive or log in with time to spare. Avoid discussing difficult topics with other candidates immediately before the start, as it tends to raise anxiety without improving recall.
Read the instructions and note the number of questions and total time. Work out a rough per-question pace. If the platform allows, flag uncertain questions and return to them later rather than stalling.
For scenario questions, identify the legal issue, state the relevant rule and authority, apply it to the specific facts, and give a clear conclusion. Answer the question asked, including any 'advise' or 'discuss' instruction, and watch for distractors that state a real rule but do not fit the facts.
Check that every question has an answer, since there is normally no penalty for a reasoned guess. Review flagged items only if time allows, and make sure your responses are submitted before the time limit.
Rules to check
Bring original photo identification matching your ICAEW registration and present it when asked. If your ID is lost, damaged, or in a different name, contact ICAEW or the test centre before the exam rather than arriving without it.
Follow all instructions from invigilators and the exam platform. For remote sittings, comply with room, camera, and behaviour requirements set by the provider; unapproved materials or devices at the desk can lead to disciplinary action.
Confirm the permitted materials and calculator rules with ICAEW before the exam. Do not bring notes, annotated texts, or electronic devices unless the provider expressly allows them for your sitting.
Breaks are generally not permitted during the timed assessment; if you need to leave the room, this is at the invigilator's discretion and the clock normally continues. Confirm the specific policy with the provider.
Answer in the format the question requires. Multiple-choice questions are marked on the selected option, and constructed-response questions on the quality of the legal reasoning and application, so address the facts given rather than writing everything you know about the topic.
Manage your time across the whole paper. A question you cannot answer should be flagged and revisited; leaving questions blank wastes the opportunity for a reasoned answer.
Academic integrity applies throughout: do not communicate with others, share questions, or use unauthorised assistance during or after the exam. Suspected misconduct is handled under ICAEW's disciplinary procedures.
If something goes wrong, such as a technical failure or illness, notify the invigilator or provider immediately and follow their procedure for recording the issue; do not simply abandon the sitting without notifying anyone.