CARC ATPL Theory exam-day guide
CARC ATPL Theory · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Valid photo ID
Bring the exact identity document the test provider requires - typically a current passport or national identity card. The name must match your booking exactly. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before travelling to the centre.
Admission document / booking confirmation
Print or download the confirmation showing your candidate number, exam session, and centre address. Some centres ask to see it at reception; having it also speeds up any query about your seat or module list.
Approved calculator
Use a non-programmable calculator with no communication capability. Check the provider's list of permitted models; programmable or graphing calculators are commonly refused. Practise with the same model you will carry, including the memory-clear routine.
Writing and drawing tools
Bring several pens or pencils, an eraser, and a small ruler for reading graphs and plotting. Confirm whether the centre supplies rough paper and answer sheets or whether you must bring your own.
Navigation tools if permitted
For subjects requiring chart work, a protractor, plotter, or dividers may be allowed. Confirm with the provider which aids are permitted for each specific module, because rules differ between computer-based and paper-based sittings.
Printed formula and reference sheet
Many providers issue a formula sheet at the desk; others expect you to know the content. Do not assume. Confirm with the provider whether a reference sheet is supplied, and whether you may bring annotated notes - normally you may not.
Knowledge of the centre route and arrival time
Rehearse the journey to the test centre and arrive with a comfortable margin before the reporting time. Late arrival can mean refused admission, and that outcome is set by the provider's regulations, so confirm the cut-off with them.
Personal comfort items
Bring water in a clear container and a light layer of clothing; rooms vary in temperature. Food and drink rules at the desk differ between centres, so check what is allowed into the exam room itself.
Leave valuables and phones at home or in storage
Mobile phones, smart watches, and notes must normally be switched off and stored outside the exam room. Assume any device found on you during the test will be treated as misconduct.
Rest and revision plan for the final days
Plan light consolidation rather than new material in the last 48 hours: review your own error log, key formulas, and definitions. Sleep is more valuable than a late-night cram the night before.
Medical or access arrangements confirmed in advance
If you need extra time, a separate room, or other access arrangements, these must be agreed with the provider well before the exam day. Bring any supporting letter you were told to present. needs_review
Provider-specific rules for this sitting
Exam-day logistics - reporting time, permitted aids, break policy, and ID requirements - vary by provider and by computer-based versus paper-based delivery. Confirm the current rules with your approved test provider rather than relying on second-hand information. needs_review
Plan the day
Stop learning new topics. Work through your error log and the syllabus areas where your practice scores are weakest, using short timed question sets rather than open-ended reading. Confirm your booking details, centre address, reporting time, and the list of permitted aids with the provider. Prepare your kit bag: ID, confirmation, calculator with fresh batteries, pens, ruler, and any approved plotting tools. Check the calculator model against the permitted list and clear its memory as instructed.
Do one full-length timed practice paper under exam conditions if you have not already, then mark it and note only the recurring error patterns. Review the high-yield material you tend to forget: unit conversions, standard formulas, definitions, and the wording conventions used in the question stems. Do not attempt to memorise new numerical methods at this stage.
Do a light review of your summary notes and formula sheet for no more than a couple of hours, then stop. Re-check the journey plan and set two alarms. Pack the bag and leave it by the door. Eat a normal meal, avoid alcohol, and go to bed at your usual time; sleep is the single most useful preparation for a long multi-question paper.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the centre with time to spare. Leave phones and smart watches switched off and stored as the centre directs. At the desk, read the instructions on the cover sheet, confirm the module and number of questions, and check how much time is allowed before you start. If the delivery is computer-based, familiarise yourself with the on-screen navigation and flagging tools during any tutorial.
Read each question stem fully before looking at the options; many errors come from misreading whether a value is asked for as a magnitude, a direction, or a signed quantity. Note the units required in the answer. Start with questions you can answer confidently to build rhythm, and mark difficult ones for return rather than stalling.
Work at a steady pace and check the clock against the number of questions remaining, allowing time to return to flagged items. Show your working on the rough paper for numerical questions so you can re-check a result without redoing it. Be careful with rounding and with signs in navigation and mechanics problems. If you are unsure of a fact, eliminate clearly wrong options and answer rather than leaving a blank, unless the provider's marking scheme penalises wrong answers - confirm that with the provider.
Return to flagged questions and check that every question has an answer. Verify that you have not mis-keyed an option on a computer-based system, and that your candidate details are correct on any answer sheet. Use the remaining time to re-check the calculations you were least confident about, not to change answers on impulse.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document specified by the provider and ensure the name matches your booking. If your ID is expired, damaged, or in a different name from the booking, contact the provider before the exam day; admission rules are set by them and cannot be assumed.
Electronic devices, including phones, smart watches, and any device with communication or storage capability, must normally be switched off and stored outside the exam room. Possession of unauthorised material during the test is generally treated as misconduct, which can lead to invalidation of the result.
Only aids explicitly permitted for the specific module may be used. This typically covers a non-programmable calculator and basic drawing instruments, but the exact list differs between providers and between computer-based and paper-based delivery - confirm with the provider.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on starting, stopping, and leaving the room. Do not begin writing or using the computer before you are told to start, and stop immediately when time is called; continuing after the stop instruction is normally a breach of regulations.
Break policy varies: some sittings are continuous with no scheduled break, while others allow supervised breaks between modules. Ask the provider in advance whether breaks are available and what the rules are for leaving and re-entering the room.
Scoring conventions differ between providers and subjects. Some use a simple correct-answer count, others apply negative marking or subject-specific pass marks. Do not guess the scheme - confirm with the provider how your paper is marked before deciding how to handle uncertain answers.
If you believe there is an error in a question, or you are disturbed during the test, raise it with the invigilator at the time and note the question number. Providers normally have a defined procedure for reporting technical or content issues, and a complaint raised later is harder to support.
Any attempt to communicate with another candidate, copy answers, or use unauthorised material can result in removal from the room and cancellation of your results. The consequences are set by the provider's regulations; read them before the exam day so you know exactly what is expected of you.