NZFMA Dealer Accreditation exam-day guide
NZFMA Dealer Accreditation · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Booking confirmation and exam appointment details
Bring the confirmation email or letter showing your candidate number, exam name, date, time and venue or online platform. If you cannot find it, confirm with the provider how to retrieve it before test day.
Acceptable photo identification
Bring the original photo ID specified in your admission conditions (commonly a current passport or photo driver licence). Check with the provider which forms of ID are accepted and whether a secondary ID is required; do not assume a photocopy or digital copy will be accepted.
Admission ticket or candidate authorisation
Some providers issue a separate admission ticket or authorisation code. Check your booking pack and confirm with the provider whether one is needed and whether it must be printed.
Permitted reference materials
Confirm with the provider exactly which materials are allowed into the exam room (for example a calculator, formula sheet, or legislation extracts). If the exam is closed-book, leave all notes and study aids at home or in storage.
Approved calculator (if permitted)
If a calculator is allowed, confirm with the provider the approved models or specifications and whether a calculator is supplied on screen. Bring a spare battery if a physical calculator is permitted.
Confirmation of venue, parking and travel time
Plan your route and arrive with time to spare. For computer-based testing, confirm the test centre location and reporting time; for online proctoring, confirm the platform, browser requirements and room rules with the provider.
Review of the exam structure and syllabus
Re-read the official exam outline so you know the number of questions, time limit, question format and topic weightings. Do not rely on second-hand summaries; use the provider's current published outline.
A short, targeted revision set
Prepare a one- or two-page summary of the areas you most often get wrong, plus a handful of practice questions under timed conditions. Focus on weak topics rather than re-reading everything.
Knowledge of conduct and scoring rules
Read the provider's candidate rules on identification, prohibited items, breaks, misconduct and results. Confirm anything unclear with the provider rather than guessing.
Personal essentials
Bring water and any medication you need, subject to the provider's rules on items in the exam room. Confirm with the provider whether food, drink or medication must be declared or left outside.
Arrival plan with buffer time
Aim to arrive at the reporting time stated in your admission details, not just the start time. If you are late, ask staff what happens; do not assume you will be admitted.
Contact details for the test centre or provider
Save the provider's phone number and email so you can report a problem such as transport delay, illness or a technical fault on the day.
Plan the day
Switch from broad study to consolidation. Re-read the official exam outline and your own summary notes, then work through a timed practice set under exam conditions. Identify the two or three topics costing you the most marks and review only those. Check your booking confirmation, ID requirements and venue or platform instructions, and confirm with the provider any rule you are unsure about, such as permitted materials or calculator use.
Protect your sleep and routine. Avoid late-night cramming, keep normal meals and light exercise, and stop heavy study at a sensible hour. If you feel unwell, contact the provider early to ask about deferral or special arrangements rather than waiting until the morning.
Pack your bag: photo ID, booking confirmation, permitted materials and any approved calculator. Lay out clothes and plan your route, including parking or public transport and the reporting time. For online proctoring, test your equipment, browser and internet connection, and clear your desk and room to meet the provider's rules. Do a light review of your summary sheet only, then stop.
Re-read the provider's candidate rules so conduct expectations are fresh: what is prohibited, how breaks work, what to do if you have a question during the test, and how results are issued. Set two alarms and get a full night's sleep.
Eat a normal breakfast and arrive at the reporting time with buffer for delays. Keep conversation with other candidates light and avoid last-minute debate about answers, which tends to increase anxiety. Hand in or store any prohibited items as instructed and follow staff directions on seating and materials.
Read the instructions and check the time limit and question count before starting. Work at a steady pace, answer the questions you know first, and flag uncertain ones to revisit. Read each question carefully for qualifiers such as 'most likely' or 'except'. If a question seems ambiguous, choose the best answer available and move on rather than losing time.
Watch the clock and reserve time to review flagged questions and confirm you have answered every item, since unanswered questions usually score zero. If a technical fault or disturbance occurs, raise it with the invigilator or proctor immediately and ask for it to be recorded; follow up with the provider afterwards if needed.
Note anything you found difficult while it is fresh, and check the provider's stated timeframe and process for results. Do not discuss specific question content with others if the provider's rules prohibit it.
Rules to check
Bring the original photo identification specified in your admission conditions and present it on request. If you are unsure which documents are accepted, confirm with the provider before test day rather than arriving with an alternative.
Follow all instructions from invigilators or proctors, including rules on prohibited items, seating, leaving the room and communication with other candidates. Ask staff if a rule is unclear; do not interpret it yourself.
Do not bring unauthorised notes, devices or materials into the exam room or your online testing space. Confirm with the provider what counts as a prohibited item, including phones, smart watches and study notes.
Breaks are governed by the provider's rules. Ask in advance whether scheduled or unscheduled breaks are allowed, whether the clock stops, and what identification or sign-out procedure applies; do not assume you can leave and return freely.
Any suspicion of misconduct, impersonation or use of prohibited materials may be reported and investigated under the provider's disciplinary process. Cooperate with identification checks and follow directions at all times.
Scoring, pass marks and result notification are set by the provider. Check the current published outline and candidate handbook for the pass standard, question weighting and when results are released, and confirm with the provider if these are not stated.
If illness, a technical failure or another serious problem affects your performance, tell staff or the proctor immediately and ask for it to be recorded, then contact the provider about the applicable process. Do not wait until after results are issued.
Keep confidential any exam content the provider requires you not to disclose. Check the candidate rules on discussing question content after the test.