ICC CBO exam-day guide
ICC CBO · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring a valid, unexpired photo ID. The name must match your registration exactly; if your registration name differs from your ID (nickname, maiden name, suffix), resolve it with the provider before test day. Confirm the accepted ID types and whether a second form of ID is required.
Appointment confirmation
Bring your scheduling confirmation (printed or accessible on your phone, per the provider's rules) showing your name, exam title, date, time, and location or remote-session link.
Copy of the current candidate bulletin
Download the current ICC candidate bulletin/handbook for your exam before test day. It is the authoritative source for exam format, permitted references, ID policy, and scoring. Do not rely on a copy from a previous year.
Permitted reference materials
If your exam is open-book, bring only the references the bulletin lists for that exam. Confirm the rules on tabs, highlighting, handwritten notes, and loose insert pages before you start marking anything up.
Calculator status confirmed
Determine in advance whether a calculator is provided on-screen, permitted as a personal item, or prohibited. Do not assume a personal calculator is allowed.
Leave prohibited items behind
Phones, smart watches, notes, bags, and outerwear typically must be stored away from the workstation or left outside the room. Minimize what you carry in and confirm the storage policy with the test center.
Travel and parking plan
Know the route, parking, and building/room location, and build in a buffer. If testing remotely, complete any system/equipment check the provider requires and confirm your room and desk meet proctoring requirements.
Arrival time
Plan to arrive well before your appointment - a common expectation is about 30 minutes early for check-in - and confirm the exact arrival requirement and late-arrival consequences with the provider.
Scratch paper and writing instrument
Do not bring your own. Most testing vendors supply an erasable board or paper and pencil, and outside materials are usually prohibited. Confirm the policy for your delivery method.
Snack and water for afterward
Keep food and drink outside the testing room unless the provider states otherwise. Plan a light, familiar meal before the exam rather than a heavy or unusual one.
Rest and logistics for the night before
Protect sleep in the final 48 hours; late-night cramming on new material is a poor trade against fatigue on a timed, reference-heavy exam.
Plan the day
Log in to your scheduling account and confirm the date, time, location (or remote link), and exam title. Resolve any discrepancy immediately - do not wait until test day.
Re-read the current candidate bulletin sections on exam format, permitted references, ID requirements, and scoring, and note anything that changed since you registered.
Assemble your permitted references and index them the way the rules allow, so you can find a section fast rather than reading cover to cover.
Do one or two timed practice passes focused on your weakest domains, then stop introducing new material. Practice locating answers in the references under time pressure.
Finalize logistics: route, parking, transit backup, and total door-to-desk time. For remote testing, run the equipment/system check and clear your desk and room.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, permitted references, and payment/receipt if required. Set two alarms and confirm your wake-up time accounts for the commute buffer.
Light review only - skim your own one-page summary or reference index. Get a normal night's sleep.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate modestly, and leave with buffer for traffic or check-in delays. Avoid last-minute cramming of new topics.
Arrive early, complete ID verification and check-in, and follow the proctor's instructions on storing personal items and setting up your workstation.
Read the instructions and note the clock, the question count, and whether breaks pause or consume your time. Set a rough per-question pace before you begin.
First pass: answer what you know, flag anything slow, and move on. Second pass: use your references for the flagged items and any code lookups, watching the clock.
Final minutes: clear every flag, make sure no question is left blank unless the exam penalizes wrong answers (confirm that with the provider), and submit deliberately.
Keep your score report or result notice and note any diagnostic domain breakdown - it tells you what to reinforce if you retest.
Rules to check
Bring an unexpired government-issued photo ID with a name that matches your registration exactly. If the names differ, correct it with the provider before test day; you may be turned away at check-in.
Use only the references and materials the current candidate bulletin permits for your exam. Unlisted books, loose notes, or annotated inserts can be treated as prohibited materials.
No unauthorized electronic devices at the workstation. Phones must be off and stored per the proctor's instructions; a device that rings or is handled during testing can void your result.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam and follow all proctor directions. Testing irregularity - talking, sharing materials, or leaving the testing area without permission - can result in score cancellation.
If breaks are offered, confirm whether the clock keeps running. Treat any unsupervised break as part of your total testing time unless the provider states otherwise.
Scoring is pass/fail against a standard set for the exam, not a curve against other candidates. Confirm the current passing standard and any retake waiting period with the provider rather than relying on secondhand numbers.
Arriving after the scheduled start may result in forfeiture of your seat and fee, depending on provider policy. Confirm the late-arrival rule in advance.
Results reporting varies by delivery method - some exams report on-screen, others post later. Ask the provider how and when your result will be released before you leave.