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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 which exams are fully digital, hybrid digital, paper, etc., go to 2025 AP Exams: How Will They Work?

What You Should Bring

For All Exams:  

  • A watch.
  • A government-issued or school-issued photo ID if you don’t attend the school where you’re taking the exam.

For Fully Digital AP Exams:

  • Fully charged testing device and charging cord (if your testing school isn’t providing one for you).
  • College Board account login information to log in to Bluebook.
  • Pencils or pens for taking notes on school-provided scratch paper.  
  • External mouse (optional).
  • External keyboard: This is required if you’re taking a fully digital exam on a tablet. For hybrid digital exams on tablets, an external keyboard is recommended but not required. External keyboards aren’t allowed if you’re testing on a laptop.
  • For AP Environmental Science Exams: up to 2 approved calculators.

For Hybrid Digital AP Exams:  

  • All items listed under Fully Digital AP Exams apply, plus:  
  • 2 No. 2 pencils with erasers or 2 pens with black or dark blue ink.  
  • Up to 2 approved calculators for the exam you’re taking.
  • For an AP Physics Exam: a ruler or straightedge.

For Paper AP Exams:  

  • 2 No. 2 pencils with erasers.
  • 2 pens with black or dark blue ink.
  • For the AP French, German, Italian, and Spanish Language and Culture Exams and the AP Music Theory Exam: School-owned and -controlled recording devices that meet AP Program criteria.

For AP Chinese and AP Japanese Exams:  

  • Pencils or pens for taking notes on school-provided scratch paper.  

You Must Not Bring*  

  • Electronic equipment of any kind except devices being used for digital AP Exams.  
  • 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 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.
  • New: 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.
  • Ear plugs 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.

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. 

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