RHIA exam-day guide
RHIA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring at least one unexpired, government-issued photo ID with your signature. The name on the ID must match your registration exactly (including middle name or maiden name differences). Accepted ID forms and whether a second ID is required vary by provider - confirm with AHIMA/Pearson VUE before test day.
Appointment confirmation and candidate/eligibility number
Have your exam appointment confirmation (printed or on your phone for pre-check-in only) and your AHIMA candidate ID handy. You will not be allowed to bring the phone into the testing room.
Verified test center logistics
Confirm the exact address, parking or transit plan, building entrance, and check-in desk location. Do a dry run or map review the day before. Arrival time guidance (commonly 15–30 minutes early) should be confirmed with the provider.
Remote-proctoring setup (only if testing online)
If you are taking the exam via online proctoring, run the system/equipment check in advance, confirm webcam, microphone, and browser requirements, and know the room-scan and desk-clear rules. Requirements change - confirm with the provider.
Content outline and domain weights
Bring a one-page summary of the exam content outline and the percentage weight of each domain so you can plan pacing and decide where to spend final review time. Use only official AHIMA outline documents.
Condensed review notes (for the days before, not the room)
Prepare short summary sheets of formulas, key regulations, and frequently confused terms. Plan to review these at 72 and 24 hours out; they cannot enter the testing room.
Pacing plan
Divide total exam time by the number of questions to get a per-question target and set two or three clock checkpoints (for example, at the one-third and two-thirds marks). Confirm the question count and time limit in your candidate handbook, since these can change.
Calculator and scratch-material policy
Some questions involve computation. Confirm in advance whether an on-screen calculator, handheld calculator, or dry-erase booklet is provided, and whether you may bring your own. Do not assume - confirm with the provider.
Clothing and comfort plan
Dress in layers; testing rooms are often cool. Avoid jewelry, watches, and anything that must be removed at security.
Rest, food, and hydration plan
Protect sleep for the two nights before the exam, eat a normal breakfast, and keep caffeine at your usual level rather than increasing it.
Confirmed results and reporting timeline
Know whether a preliminary pass/fail appears on screen at the end and when the official score report is issued. This varies - confirm with the provider.
Backup plan for the unexpected
Save the provider's contact number for appointment changes, know the reschedule/cancellation deadline and any fee, and identify a backup route to the site.
Plan the day
Re-confirm your appointment date, time, location (or online-proctoring link), and ID requirements. Take one timed, full-length practice set under realistic conditions; then stop taking new practice tests and spend remaining time on your two weakest content domains using the official outline.
Finalize travel and parking plans, including a backup route and expected traffic. Shift sleep and wake times toward your exam-day schedule.
Stop trying to learn brand-new topics. Review only condensed summaries, formulas, and terminology you have already studied.
Do a light review of your one-page domain summary and formula sheet (no more than 60–90 minutes total), then stop.
Pack your ID, confirmation details, and any permitted items; lay out clothing; charge devices if relevant; confirm the site's hours and the weather. Avoid alcohol and set an alarm with a backup.
Get a full night's sleep. Cramming the night before reliably costs more in fatigue than it gains in recall.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, and avoid extra caffeine. Do not study in the car or waiting area - last-minute cramming increases anxiety without improving performance.
Arrive early per the provider's guidance. Complete ID verification, store all personal items as directed, and use the restroom before check-in.
Read each question completely and watch for 'except' and 'best/most likely' wording. Answer every question as you go; there is normally no penalty for guessing, but confirm the scoring rule with the provider.
Do not stall on a hard item - make a best answer, flag it if the platform allows, and move on. Check your pace at each planned checkpoint and adjust.
Use breaks sparingly and deliberately. On most computer-based deliveries the clock keeps running during unscheduled breaks - confirm the break policy for your exam.
If time permits at the end, revisit flagged items, but change an answer only when you identify a specific reason the original was wrong.
Note whatever preliminary result is displayed, keep any completion receipt, and wait for the official score report before making any announcements or scheduling a retake.
Rules to check
Bring valid, unexpired identification exactly as specified by the provider; the name must match your registration. If your ID name differs from your registration, resolve it before test day - confirm accepted ID forms with AHIMA/Pearson VUE.
Expect to sign or accept a confidentiality/nondisclosure agreement. Do not discuss, photograph, record, or reproduce exam questions or content in any form before, during, or after the exam.
Personal belongings - phones, smartwatches, notes, bags, food - are not permitted in the testing room and must be stored as directed. Confirm the storage policy (locker vs. vehicle) with the provider in advance.
Follow all proctor instructions. Prohibited behavior or possession of unauthorized materials can result in score invalidation and loss of fees.
Break policies vary. On many computer-based exams the timer runs during unscheduled breaks, and scheduled breaks may have their own rules - confirm the specific policy for your exam before test day.
Scoring is criterion-referenced against a passing standard set by the certification body, not curved against other candidates, and results are typically reported as a scaled score. Confirm the exact passing score and reporting format with AHIMA.
Arrive at or before the time the provider instructs. Late arrivals may be denied entry or have their appointment forfeited - confirm the late-arrival policy in your candidate handbook.
Know the reschedule and cancellation deadlines and fees before you commit, and confirm the retake and eligibility rules if you do not pass.