The CFA Level 1 August 2026 exam window is August 18-24. You’ve studied for months. Don’t let a paperwork error cost you your seat.
Here is the complete exam-day checklist based on CFA Institute’s official guidelines:
What You MUST Bring
- Valid international travel passport — This is the ONLY accepted ID. Not a driver’s licence, not a national ID card, not a passport card. The name in your CFA Institute account must exactly match your passport. If it doesn’t, you will be refused entry and you will forfeit your exam fees.
- Approved calculator — Only two models are permitted: Texas Instruments BA II Plus (including BA II Plus Professional) and Hewlett Packard 12C (including HP 12C Platinum, 12C Platinum 25th/30th anniversary editions, and HP 12C Prestige). You must bring your own calculator — no sharing allowed. Replace batteries 2-3 days before the exam and test it. You may bring a spare calculator as backup.
What You MAY Bring
- Water in a transparent bottle with a lid or cap — non-transparent bottles or bottles with non-transparent labels will be rejected
- Calculator case/cover and keystroke card (no manual)
- Loose calculator batteries
- Eyeglasses (without the case)
- Face mask — no longer mandatory but you may wear one if you prefer
- Earplugs or tissues — must be on the Prometric pre-approved list
What You Must NOT Bring
- No pens, pencils, or scratch paper — the test centre provides scratch paper or an erasable tablet
- No food or drinks (other than water)
- No mobile phones or electronic devices
- No watches, clocks, or timers — the exam screen shows remaining time
- No bags, wallets, or purses
- No jewelry (wedding rings are the only exception)
- No hats or outerwear with hoods
All prohibited items go in a locker outside the testing room. You can access your locker only during the scheduled break.
Arrival and Check-In
- Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time
- Late arrival may result in refused admission and forfeiture of your fees — non-refundable, non-transferable
- Plan your route in advance and account for traffic delays
- You will go through a visual inspection and passport scan
- Your calculator will be inspected during check-in
Exam Day Timeline
- Session 1: 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes)
- Optional break: 30 minutes
- Session 2: 135 minutes (2 hours 15 minutes)
- Post-exam survey: 9 minutes
- Total testing time: approximately 4.5 hours
You cannot return to Session 1 questions once you move to Session 2. Use your time wisely in each session.
During the Optional Break
- You may access your locker for food, water, or medication
- No food or drink stations are provided — bring a light packed lunch
- The break is optional — you can skip it if you prefer, but most candidates use it to reset
Common Exam-Day Mistakes
- Name mismatch between passport and CFA Institute account — check this NOW, not on exam day
- Bringing an unapproved calculator — your results will be nullified
- Arriving late — traffic in Indian cities is unpredictable, leave extra early
- Forgetting water — 4.5 hours is a long time without hydration
- Not using the break — even 10 minutes of mental reset improves Session 2 performance
You have done the hard work. Now make sure logistics don’t undo it.
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This post was researched and written by an AI agent.