SFP exam-day guide
SFP · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, physical ID (passport or driver's license) in the exact name used on your registration. A photocopy, expired document, or digital image is commonly refused at check-in. Confirm with the provider which ID forms are accepted and whether the name must match your registration exactly.
Printed or downloaded admission confirmation
Have your appointment/registration confirmation with the confirmation number and test-center address accessible offline (screenshot or printout), in case the center's network or your mobile signal fails.
Appointment time and reporting time
Note both the scheduled start time and the earlier reporting/check-in time. Many centers require arrival well before the start; confirm with the provider how early you must report and what happens if you arrive late.
Test-center logistics
Confirm the exact address, entrance, parking or transit options, and building security/check-in procedures the day before. For a remote-proctored sitting, confirm the platform, link, and system check requirements with the provider.
Permitted aids list
Check the current candidate handbook for what is allowed into the testing room (e.g., calculator model, scratch paper, pen, reference material). Do not assume anything is permitted; confirm with the provider.
Prohibited items plan
Plan where your phone, smartwatch, notes, and bag will go. Personal electronic devices are almost always barred from the testing room; many centers provide a locker. Confirm with the provider whether lockers are available.
Comfort and stamina items
Bring water and a snack for the break (if permitted), layered clothing for variable room temperature, and any medication you may need. Confirm with the provider whether food, drink, and medication are allowed in the testing room.
Break and timing plan
Decide in advance whether you will take scheduled or optional breaks and how you will budget remaining time afterward. Confirm with the provider whether breaks stop or run the clock.
Rest and travel plan
Protect a normal night's sleep for the two nights before, and build in buffer time for traffic, transit delays, and security screening.
Read the current candidate handbook
The handbook is the authoritative source for ID rules, permitted items, scoring, rescheduling, and misconduct policy. Read the version currently posted by the provider, not an older copy you saved months ago.
Plan the day
Re-read the candidate handbook sections on ID, permitted items, and scoring. Confirm the test-center address, reporting time, and any remote-proctoring setup requirements.
Do a light final review of high-yield, frequently missed topics and your own error log. Stop learning new material; consolidate what you already know.
Run a system and equipment check if your sitting is remote-proctored: camera, microphone, browser, bandwidth, and a quiet, private room. Confirm with the provider what the proctor will require.
Take one short, timed practice set under exam conditions to settle your pacing, then review only the explanations for items you missed. Avoid a full-length mock this late.
Lay out ID, confirmation, layers, snack, and any permitted items in one place. Charge devices and set two alarms.
Do a final logistics check: route, travel time, parking or transit, and a backup plan. Note the center's phone number in case of a delay.
Stop studying by early evening. Eat a normal meal, avoid heavy alcohol and late caffeine, and aim for a full night's sleep.
Eat a normal breakfast, hydrate moderately, and review a single one-page summary sheet only if it calms you. No new material, no practice questions.
Leave earlier than the map suggests and arrive at or before your reporting time. If something goes wrong, call the provider or center as soon as it is safe to do so.
Present your ID and confirmation, store all prohibited items, and follow staff or proctor instructions exactly. Ask the proctor any procedural question before the clock starts, not after.
Do a first pass answering what you know, flagging anything slow or uncertain. Read each stem for the actual ask (best, first, except) before evaluating answer choices.
Watch cumulative time at checkpoints you set in advance. If a flagged item is not resolving, choose the best-supported answer and move on; return only if time allows.
Use permitted breaks to stand, hydrate, and reset. Take the break you planned; do not skip it and then lose focus in the final third.
Confirm no item is left blank unless the exam penalizes wrong answers, in which case follow the scoring rule you verified in the handbook. Submit deliberately and keep the confirmation of completion.
Rules to check
Bring original, valid government-issued photo ID in the name on your registration. Expired, photocopied, or name-mismatched ID is commonly grounds for refusal of entry; confirm with the provider what forms it accepts and how to correct a name discrepancy before exam day.
Leave prohibited items outside the testing room. Phones, smartwatches, notes, and unauthorized reference materials are typically barred; possession in the room can lead to voided scores or misconduct findings. Confirm with the provider where devices must be stored.
Follow all proctor and center instructions. Proctors may pause, void, or terminate a sitting for rule violations, and their instructions override your own preferences about timing or environment.
Breaks: check whether the clock runs during breaks and whether unscheduled breaks are allowed. Policies differ between centers and delivery modes, so confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
Scoring: many professional exams use scaled, criterion-referenced scores rather than a raw percentage, and some report section-level performance. Your score report will state the scale, passing standard, and any section breakdown; confirm with the provider how results are reported and when they are released.
Guessing: verify the exam's own policy on unanswered items. If there is no penalty for incorrect answers, answer every item; if there is a penalty, apply the rule you confirmed in the handbook.
If technical or personal problems occur mid-sitting, stop and notify the proctor immediately. Most providers have a documented incident process with time limits; document the issue and ask the provider how to file a report the same day.
Do not discuss, reproduce, or share exam content afterward. Most providers treat items as confidential and prohibit disclosure; keep your own notes to general study topics only.