III IC-39 exam-day guide
III IC-39 · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID whose name matches your registration exactly. If your name differs slightly (middle name, hyphenation), resolve it before test day - confirm with the provider which documents they accept. needs_review: exact accepted ID types vary by test center and jurisdiction.
Confirmation / admission document
Print or download the appointment confirmation with your candidate number, test center address, and start time. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital copy is accepted.
Know your exam window and format
Write down the total seat time, number of questions, and whether the exam is fixed-form or adaptive, straight from your confirmation. Confirm with the provider if any of these are not stated in your materials.
Permitted reference materials
Confirm with the provider whether any code book, formula sheet, or standards extract is supplied on screen or in hard copy. Do not assume you may bring your own annotated references.
Calculator policy
Check whether a calculator is provided on screen, whether a specific model is allowed, and whether yours must be inspected at check-in. Confirm with the provider - policies differ and an unapproved device can be confiscated.
Personal items plan
Assume phone, smartwatch, notes, and bags must be stored or left outside the room. Plan for a place to leave them and a way to get home without your phone.
Travel and arrival buffer
Arrive with a generous buffer before your start time; late arrivals are commonly refused entry and fees are often not refunded. Confirm with the provider the cut-off time after which you will not be seated.
Rest, food, and medication
Sleep normally, eat a normal meal, and bring any medically necessary items - but confirm with the provider in advance how medication and medical devices are handled at check-in.
Logistics for the day
Know the route, parking or transit, and the building/room number. Save the test center phone number in case of delay. Confirm with the provider if the venue has changed.
Scratch paper and pen policy
Many providers issue scratch material and collect it afterward; bringing your own may be prohibited. Confirm with the provider rather than assuming.
A review sheet you can read in 20 minutes
One page of your own high-yield facts: key definitions, formulas, and the decision rules you keep forgetting. Use it in the final hour before check-in, then put it away.
Break plan
Confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled, optional, or counted against your time, and whether you can leave the room during them.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Do timed practice on full-length sets under exam conditions so your pacing is calibrated, then review only your error log. Confirm your appointment time, venue, and ID requirements with the provider. Prepare the documents and items on your checklist. Protect sleep: two full nights before test day matter more than one last cram session.
Compute your target pace: total questions divided by total minutes gives minutes per question. Note checkpoint targets (for example, where you should be at the one-third and two-thirds marks) and write them on your review sheet. Decide in advance how long you will allow before flagging a question and moving on.
Light review only: read your one-page sheet and your error log, no new topics and no full mock. Pack ID, confirmation, and anything the provider permits. Check the route and weather, set two alarms, and go to bed at your normal time. Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and late caffeine.
Eat a normal breakfast and hydrate modestly. Arrive early; expect ID check, a photo, a security scan, and a rules briefing before you are seated. Use the restroom before entering. Do not study in the waiting area - it raises anxiety without adding knowledge. Turn off and stow your phone as instructed.
Read the on-screen instructions, confirm the question count and time remaining, and take a slow breath. If scratch material is provided, write your checkpoint targets and any formulas you are afraid of forgetting before question one.
Answer in order, spending roughly your target pace per question. Answer every question you can resolve quickly, flag the ones that need more thought, and never leave a blank if the exam does not penalize wrong answers. Read the last line of the question first to know what is being asked, then scan the stem for the deciding detail.
Return to flagged questions only. Re-read the question and look for the qualifier that eliminates options: 'most', 'least', 'except', 'first'. Change an answer only when you can name the specific fact you misread or misremembered - not on a vague feeling.
If a break is offered, take it: stand, stretch, drink water, and avoid discussing questions with other candidates. Check the clock before you leave and return with margin, since break time may be counted or may be strictly limited.
Confirm no question is blank, confirm your flagged items are resolved or deliberately guessed, and submit before time expires. If the exam offers a review screen, use it only to check for blanks, not to re-litigate settled answers.
Note the topics that felt weak while memory is fresh, and confirm with the provider how and when results are released and what the retake policy and waiting period are.
Rules to check
Bring the original, valid photo ID required by the provider; a copy, an expired document, or a name mismatch can result in refusal to seat you. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID are accepted.
Assume personal devices, notes, and study materials are prohibited in the testing room and that the session may be recorded or proctored remotely. Follow every instruction from the proctor immediately.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, and do not discuss or reproduce exam content afterward - most providers treat this as a conduct violation independent of your score.
If a break is offered, confirm with the provider whether it is timed, whether it counts against your total time, and what you may access during it. Do not access notes or devices unless explicitly permitted.
Scoring: confirm with the provider whether wrong answers are penalized. If they are not, answer every question. If they are, guess only when you can eliminate at least one option.
Report any technical problem, distraction, or interruption to the proctor immediately and ask that it be logged; issues raised only after the exam are much harder to remedy.
If you feel unwell or cannot complete the exam, notify the proctor before leaving. Confirm with the provider in advance how illness, emergencies, and rescheduling are handled, since fees and outcomes vary.
Know the retake policy before you sit: number of attempts allowed, any waiting period, and how scores are reported. Confirm with the provider rather than relying on secondhand accounts.