What to Bring on AP Exam Day

It’s important to know what you can and cannot bring with you to the exam room. This often depends on the exam that you’re taking. Review this page closely. 

For an overview of how exams are administered (e.g., fully digital, hybrid digital, not in Bluebook) go to How Are AP Exams Administered?

Important: Remember, if you’re taking a fully digital or hybrid digital AP Exam in Bluebook, you’ll need to know your College Board student account information to sign in to Bluebook on exam day. Saving your password on your device won’t work.

What You Should Bring

For All Exams:  

• A watch that isn’t a smartwatch.
• A government-issued or school-issued photo ID if you don’t attend the school where you’re taking the exam.
• For exams that allow or require the use of calculators: You can bring up to 2 approved calculators with the necessary capabilities. (Note: The Desmos built-in calculator is also available as an option in Bluebook for these exams.)
• For AP Physics Exams: You can bring a ruler or straightedge.
• Pencils or pens:
  • For fully digital AP Exams and AP Chinese and AP Japanese Exams: You should bring pencils or pens for taking notes on school-provided scratch paper.
  • For hybrid digital AP Exams: You should bring 2 No. 2 pencils (with erasers) or pens with black or dark blue ink to write in the free-response booklet.
  • For AP French, German, Italian, and Spanish Language and Culture, AP Spanish Literature and Culture, and AP Music Theory: You should bring 2 sharpened No. 2 pencils (with erasers) for the multiple-choice answer sheet and 2 pens with black or dark blue ink for completing areas on the exam booklet covers and for free-response questions. 

For All Digital AP Exams (fully digital and hybrid digital): 

• Fully charged testing device with Bluebook installed (if your testing school isn’t providing one for you) and a charging cord/AC adapter that’s compatible with your testing device.
• External devices.
  • External mouse (optional)*.
  • External keyboard*: An external keyboard is required if you’re taking a fully digital AP Exam on a tablet. If you’re taking a hybrid digital AP Exam on a tablet, an external keyboard is recommended but not required. External keyboards aren’t allowed if you’re testing on a laptop.
  • Power banks and external laptop batteries are permitted. You’ll need to leave any external power source on your desk for inspection prior to the start of the exam. Students must not share external power sources. 

*Bluetooth external devices are approved in these scenarios. Bluetooth external keyboards and mice must be fully charged to last the duration of the exam.  

You Must Not Bring*  

• Electronic equipment of any kind (except devices being used for the exam). Prohibited electronic equipment includes: phones, smartwatches, smart glasses or wearable technology of any kind, laptops, tablet computers, Bluetooth devices**, portable listening or recording devices, cameras or other photographic equipment, devices that can access the internet, separate timers of any type, and any other electronic or communication devices.
• All stylus pens, Apple pens, smart pens, iPad pencils, and other electronic writing instruments.
• Books, notebooks, compasses, correction fluid, dictionaries, highlighters, or notes.
• Mechanical pencils, No. 3 pencils, or colored pencils. 
• Rulers or straightedges (these are allowed only for AP Physics exams). 
• Protractors.
• Scratch paper.
• Computers or calculators (except as previously noted).
• Reference guides, keyboard maps, or other typing instructions. 
• Watches that beep or have an alarm. 
• Food or drink.  
• Clothing or shoes with subject-related information.  
• Head coverings (hats, brimmed caps, etc.) are not permitted while testing. Head coverings worn for medical or religious reasons are permitted during testing provided they do not obstruct testing staff’s ability to view the test taker’s eyes and ears. 
• Earplugs or headphones. 
• Clipboards. 
• Privacy screens. 
• Separate computer monitors. 

*Unless an item has been preapproved as an accommodation by the College Board SSD office before the exam date. 

**Bluetooth devices are permitted only in the following scenarios: Bluetooth external keyboards for students taking digital AP Exams on tablets; Bluetooth external mice for all digital AP Exams.   

Details about required and prohibited items are in the AP Exam Terms and Conditions. 

A student observed with any prohibited items during testing or breaks may be dismissed from the exam, the device may be confiscated, the student’s score may be canceled, and no retest may be permitted. 

Follow any specific health and safety protocols for the exam room that your school may have in place. AP policies allow you to bring hand sanitizer to the room, but it must be placed under the desk, not on the desk. You may use any other PPE (such as masks) following your school’s current requirements.