LARE exam-day guide
LARE · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original, unexpired ID you registered with; the name must match your registration record. Confirm the exact accepted ID types and any name-discrepancy procedure with CLARB and the test vendor before test day - needs_review: specific ID policy varies and should be verified with the provider.
Appointment confirmation and testing-center address
Have your scheduling confirmation accessible (printed copy plus a phone screenshot) with the appointment time, test center address, and any instructions about arrival. Confirm the required arrival time with the provider - needs_review.
Active exam authorization for the specific section
Verify in your CLARB record that the section you are sitting for is authorized and scheduled, and that your eligibility window has not lapsed. Resolve any mismatch before the appointment - needs_review: confirm authorization/scheduling rules with CLARB.
Approved calculator
Confirm whether a physical calculator is permitted or whether only an on-screen calculator is provided. Do not assume either way - needs_review: verify the calculator policy with the test vendor.
Scratch paper and writing instrument
Many computer-based testing centers supply these and require you to return them at the end of the session. Confirm what is provided versus prohibited - needs_review: verify with the test vendor.
Plan for personal belongings
Assume phones, smart watches, notes, and bags cannot be at your workstation. Confirm the locker/storage policy and what must be left in your vehicle or at home - needs_review.
Water and a snack for break time
Bring something small in case a break is available and permitted. Confirm break rules and whether the clock runs during breaks - needs_review.
Layers of clothing
Testing rooms run hot or cold unpredictably; dress in layers that can be removed without disrupting others.
Eyeglasses, contacts, and needed medication
Bring anything you rely on for reading and comfort. Confirm how medications are handled at the test center - needs_review.
Approved testing accommodations documentation
If you have approved accommodations, confirm the arrangements are on file for this appointment and bring any confirmation the provider requires - needs_review: verify directly with CLARB and the test vendor.
Transportation and backup plan
Map the route in advance, identify parking, and build in a buffer for traffic or transit delays. A dry run the day before reduces morning-of risk.
Mental refresher list, not notes
Prepare to review key formulas, unit conversions, and drawing conventions mentally or on allowed scratch materials only. Leave written study notes at home - outside reference material is not permitted in the testing room.
Plan the day
Confirm your appointment time, test center address, and ID requirements. Re-read the provider's candidate rules on prohibited items, breaks, and calculators. Do a practice run of the software tutorial or sample items if the provider offers them. Stop learning new content; shift to reviewing your own summary sheets and weak spots.
Arrange transportation and parking, confirm the arrival window, and decide what you will carry in. Resolve any scheduling or eligibility discrepancies with CLARB now rather than at the test center.
Protect sleep. Two nights before matters more than the night before. Avoid cramming late or changing your caffeine routine.
Pack your ID, confirmation, calculator (if allowed), layers, snack, and medication in one place. Lay out clothes. Confirm the alarm and a backup alarm. Do a light review only - no new material, no long simulated exams.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate, and go to bed at your usual time. Set two alarms and confirm your ride or route one last time.
Eat a normal breakfast, avoid heavy caffeine if you are not used to it, and leave with a large buffer. Bring only permitted items. Arrive at or before the time stated in your confirmation; late arrival can mean losing your seat and fee - confirm the late-arrival policy with the provider.
Expect ID verification, a rules or confidentiality acknowledgment, and storage of personal items. Follow proctor instructions exactly. Ask the proctor about break procedures and clock rules before you begin.
Use any provided tutorial to confirm the interface, then work steadily. On multiple-choice items, answer everything - there is no benefit to leaving blanks unless the exam penalizes wrong answers, which you should confirm in advance.
Read the prompt fully before drawing or calculating. Work in the units the item specifies, show your reasoning in allowed scratch space, and sanity-check magnitudes. Budget time proportionally across item types rather than getting stuck on one problem.
Reserve time to review flagged items, confirm you have answered every item, and check that any required scratch materials are accounted for before you finish.
Note which topics felt weak while the memory is fresh, in case you need to retake the section. Confirm the score-reporting timeline and retake rules with CLARB rather than assuming a turnaround.
Rules to check
Bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID with a name matching your registration. If your name has changed, resolve the discrepancy with CLARB before test day - confirm the required documentation with the provider.
Leave prohibited items - phones, smart watches, notes, textbooks, and outside reference material - out of the testing room. Confirm what the test center permits and what it stores for you.
Follow all proctor instructions, including any confidentiality agreement. Copying, photographing, or sharing exam content is prohibited and can void your results.
Arrive by the time stated in your confirmation. Late arrival may result in forfeiture of your seat and fee; confirm the exact late-arrival and rescheduling rules with CLARB or the test vendor.
Understand the break policy before you start: confirm whether breaks are scheduled or on request, and whether the exam clock continues to run during them.
Each LARE section is scored separately against a passing standard set by CLARB; scores are not simply a raw percentage. Confirm the scoring method, score-reporting timeline, and retake rules with CLARB rather than relying on secondhand information.
Confirm the testing modality and delivery details (in-person test center versus any remote option, and which materials are provided) directly with CLARB and the test vendor, since these policies can change.
If you have approved accommodations, verify in advance that they are attached to this specific appointment and bring any confirmation the provider requires.