CompTIA exam scheduling, ID rules, accommodations, and retakes

Log in to CompTIA Central to schedule, reschedule or cancel your exam. You can test at a Pearson VUE test center or online through OnVUE, and Pearson VUE's CompTIA page has a test center search. If you have a voucher, enter it on the payment screen, or tell the agent if you book by phone. [1]

At a test center, reschedule or cancel at least one full business day (24 hours) before the appointment. Changing it later than that, or not showing up, forfeits the exam fee. Exams scheduled with certain accommodations may take up to three days to reschedule. [2]

For an OnVUE online exam, you can reschedule or cancel through your Pearson VUE account up until the scheduled start time. Missing the appointment forfeits the exam fee. [2]

At a test center, bring two original, unexpired IDs. The primary ID is government-issued and shows your name, a recent, recognizable photo, and your signature. The secondary ID shows at least your name and signature, or your name and a recent photo. The first and last name you register with must match both IDs exactly. [3]

At a test center, both IDs must be issued by the country where you test. If you do not have a qualifying primary ID from that country, bring an international travel passport from your country of citizenship plus a secondary ID. Any ID exception must be approved by Pearson VUE customer service at least three business days before the appointment. [3]

Test center and OnVUE ID rules differ. For OnVUE, present one valid, unexpired government-issued ID with a recognizable photo and a name that exactly matches your booking. U.S. military IDs and other IDs that cannot legally be photographed cannot be used for OnVUE. Check the current list for the delivery method and country where you will test. Pearson VUE's CompTIA OnVUE page also lists country-specific exceptions, including the few countries where paper IDs are accepted and the countries where OnVUE delivery is restricted. [3][10]

As of June 23, 2026, a minor needs parental consent through CompTIA Central before registering for a CompTIA exam. For a test center appointment registered on or after that date, a parent or guardian no longer has to attend. A minor who registered before June 23, 2026 for a later test center date follows the previous rule: a parent or legal guardian attends and signs in next to the student. At a test center, the minor may use an original, current school ID with a photo as the photo ID allowed by the minor exception. [3]

For an OnVUE online exam, a parent or guardian must still be present during check-in, show a government-issued ID, and give consent for that testing event. This is an additional OnVUE requirement; it does not replace the parental consent recorded through CompTIA Central before registration. [3][4][10]

Request accommodations through Pearson VUE before scheduling the exam. Pearson VUE says accommodations cannot be added to a previously scheduled exam and asks you to allow 10 business days for review. Start on its CompTIA accommodation page and follow the scheduling instructions you receive if approved. [7][8]

In non-English-speaking countries where no localized version of an exam exists, candidates taking it in English get a 30-minute English as a Second Language extension automatically at registration. The ESL extension is generally not available in English-speaking countries, but Quebec is an exception: candidates testing with Pearson VUE in Quebec must call Pearson VUE to request it, and it is not granted automatically. [2]

CompTIA exams run as a single session with no scheduled breaks, at a test center or online. If you need scheduled breaks, request an accommodation before you schedule. Not every exam or delivery method offers approved breaks, so follow the scheduling instructions in your approval. You must review the CompTIA Candidate Agreement before the exam begins, and you are allowed 28 minutes for it. [1][2][5][7][8][10]

At a test center, the administrator takes your photo and digital signature before testing, and the score report displays your photo. Beginning November 2, 2026, Pearson VUE allows one water bottle into Pearson and Pearson-authorized test centers if it is clear, colorless plastic, holds no more than 750 mL (25 oz), contains only water, and has a leak-proof, resealable cap with no metal parts. It must have no label, sticker, sleeve, marking, electronic component, or accessory. Glass and metal bottles are not allowed, and test center staff inspect the bottle at check-in. [2][9]

For an OnVUE online exam, run the OnVUE system test on the device and network you will use. Begin check-in 30 minutes before the appointment; if you are more than 15 minutes late, you cannot test. Clear your desk and whiteboards and test alone in a private, quiet room. CompTIA says the check-in flow asks for four photos of the testing space, and Pearson VUE's current OnVUE page also requires a 360 degree room scan. The session is monitored through your webcam and microphone and recorded. [2][4][5][10]

Never take a photo or video of the exam screen, even of your result at the end, and do not read questions out loud. Either can end the exam or invalidate the score. [4][10]

You receive a score report when you finish. CompTIA does not publish pass rates. [2]

There is no waiting period between a first failed attempt and a second attempt on the same exam code. Before a third or any later attempt on that code, you must wait at least 14 calendar days from your last attempt. [6]

Normally, you pay the exam price for every attempt, and CompTIA's standard retake policy offers no free retest or retake discount. If CompTIA declares a score indeterminate, its candidate testing policy permits a no-cost retake. After you pass an exam and earn the certification, you cannot take the same exam code again without CompTIA's consent. A beta exam may be taken only once. [2][6]

The organizations responsible for these policies can update them. Each section above cites an official page below, read on November 3, 2026. Check the current official pages before you act.

1. Pearson VUE: CompTIA certification testing
2. CompTIA: Candidate Testing Policies
3. CompTIA: Candidate ID Policy
4. CompTIA: Exam Delivery Policies
5. CompTIA: Online-Proctored Exam Guidelines
6. CompTIA: Certification Retake Policy
7. Pearson VUE: Test accommodations
8. Pearson VUE: CompTIA test accommodations
9. Pearson VUE: Test-taker resources
10. Pearson VUE: CompTIA OnVUE requirements

• Free CompTIA practice testsSample questions for each current exam, with explanations.
• CompTIA A+ exam objectivesWhat the current A+ Core 1 and Core 2 exams cover, objective by objective.