What to Bring to the VTNE: Test Day Rules and What to Expect
As of September 2026, AAVSB offers the VTNE two ways: in person at a PSI test center, or through live remote proctoring (LRP) on your own computer at home or another private room. Both run on AAVSB’s clock. AAVSB requires arrival at a PSI test center 30 minutes before your scheduled time; for LRP, you may log in 30 minutes early. Either way, arriving or logging in more than 15 minutes late means you are not permitted to test and your exam fee is forfeited as an unexcused absence. You need one valid, unexpired, government issued photo ID with a signature, in the official language of the test location, matching your VTNE application name exactly, from AAVSB’s closed list of accepted ID types; a military ID cannot be used for LRP. Once checked in, the exam itself is 170 multiple choice questions (150 scored, 20 unscored pretest) with a 3 hour time limit, in English or French. What you can bring into the room differs sharply between a test center and LRP. Here is exactly what to prepare, and what to leave behind, for each.
Figures current as of September 2026 per AAVSB’s VTNE Candidate Information Handbook (June 2026) and VTNE Live Remote Proctoring Guide. Policies and fees can change; confirm current terms before your appointment.
Your Testing Window Is the Real Deadline
Before test day mechanics matter, the testing window does. When you apply, you select a specific VTNE testing window and pay the $375 application fee (as of September 2026); AAVSB states plainly that you must take the exam during that window or forfeit the fee, since all sales are final and nonrefundable, with no automatic rollover. If your plans change, a reschedule, meaning a new date, time, or location inside the same window, is free through your PSI portal, at least 48 hours ahead. Moving to a different window entirely is a transfer, and AAVSB charges a $90 administrative fee for it, allowed once per application, also at least 48 hours ahead; after that you cannot move the exam again inside that application. AAVSB also recognizes excused absences for documented emergencies, such as a serious illness or death of an immediate family member, submitted within 48 hours of your scheduled time; an approved excused absence lets you move your exam to the following window at no charge.
What You Need to Check In
AAVSB requires one valid, unexpired, government issued ID bearing both a photo and a signature, in the official language of the testing location, with your first and last name matching your VTNE application exactly. The accepted list is closed: a state or Canadian provincial or territorial driver’s license or identification card; a US Government issued Alien Registration Card; a Canadian Health ID; a US or Canadian Government issued passport or passport card; an international passport with an English translation; or a US or Canadian Government issued military identification card. Temporary IDs, digital IDs, and any other form are not accepted, and a military ID cannot be used for LRP. Arriving with an expired ID or a name mismatch, for example a recently married candidate testing under a maiden name still on the application, is treated as an unexcused absence with no refund. Arrival is not a suggestion: AAVSB requires you to arrive at a PSI test center 30 minutes before your scheduled time, or log into the LRP platform 30 minutes early, to complete identity verification and, at a center, a security screening and signed testing agreement. More than 15 minutes late either way and AAVSB will not permit you to test; your exam fee is forfeited.
Two Ways to Take the VTNE
Most candidates test at a PSI test center, where check-in includes ID verification, a possible metal detection scan, and a signed testing agreement before you sit at a monitored workstation. AAVSB also offers live remote proctoring: testing from your own computer at home or another private room under a dedicated proctor monitoring audio, video, and chat throughout. AAVSB recommends completing PSI’s system check and platform walkthrough before exam day, runnable up to three times and up to 90 minutes before your scheduled time. Both modes share the same 170 question, 3 hour exam and the same 15 minute late cutoff, but what you can have with you, how your space is checked, and how breaks work differ sharply. The table below lays out both.
| What to know | PSI test center | Live remote proctoring (LRP) |
|---|---|---|
| Personal items | AAVSB recommends not bringing personal items at all; anything you do bring goes in a lockable storage compartment before testing | Desk must be completely cleared: no binders, books, phones, chargers, sticky notes, plants, eyeglass cases, or food anywhere in view |
| Space check | Continuous audio and video monitoring; possible metal detection scan at entry | Mandatory 360 degree scan of the room, including under the desk, ceiling, and floors; exam fee is forfeited if you cannot complete the scan |
| Accepted ID | Full accepted list, including a military ID | Same list, except a military ID is not accepted; you show the front and back of your ID on camera |
| Calculator | On screen calculator built into the exam platform; handheld or digital calculators are not permitted | Same on screen calculator; a handheld calculator on your desk is a violation |
| Scratch materials | Scratch paper and pencil are issued at the center; do not bring your own, and staff collect them after testing | Scratch paper is not permitted; you use only a mini whiteboard, dry erase marker, and eraser, reviewed at check in and erased on camera afterward |
| Glasses | Smart or AI enhanced glasses are not permitted; bring standard prescription glasses if you need them | Same rule: standard prescription glasses only, no smart or AI enhanced glasses |
| Earplugs and headphones | Small earplugs are provided at the center if you need them; you cannot bring your own earplugs, headsets, or headphones | Earbuds, headsets, and headphones present in view are a violation; none are provided or permitted |
| Breaks | Breaks are allowed during your 3 hours, but the exam clock keeps running while you are away | One 10 minute break at the start of the exam only, timed by your proctor; no additional breaks are permitted |
| Arriving or logging in late | More than 15 minutes late and you are denied entry, marked an unexcused absence, and forfeit your exam fee | More than 15 minutes late logging in and you are not permitted to test, marked an unexcused absence, and forfeit your exam fee |
The Exam Format, Once You Are Seated
The VTNE itself is a 170 question, computer based exam with a 3 hour time limit, available in English or French. Of those 170 questions, 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items AAVSB embeds to build future exam forms; you will not know which is which, so every question deserves full attention. Each question lists four choices with only one correct answer, there is no penalty for guessing, and you can skip, change, or mark items for review within your 3 hours. Breaks work differently by delivery mode, as the table above shows, so plan around whichever one applies to you.
Getting Your Results After Test Day
You do not learn your outcome the moment you finish. AAVSB posts your score to your MyAAVSB portal within 3 days of testing, and that portal copy is explicitly for your own reference only; it is not part of the licensing process. Your official result goes out separately, sent directly by PSI and AAVSB to the state or provincial board you designated on your application, on roughly the same 3 day timeline. That official copy, not your personal portal view, is what your licensing board actually works from, so checking your portal tells you the outcome quickly, but it does not substitute for your board’s own confirmation.
Walking in prepared for the content matters as much as knowing the logistics. Try our VTNE practice test to work through original questions across all 10 content domains before your appointment, or start with a free VTNE practice test to see where you stand right now.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ID do I need to take the VTNE?
One valid, unexpired, government issued ID with a photo and signature, in the official language of the test location, with your first and last name matching your VTNE application exactly. AAVSB accepts only a closed list: driver’s licenses, state or provincial ID cards, an Alien Registration Card, a Canadian Health ID, a passport or passport card, or a military ID. Temporary IDs, digital IDs, and any other form are not accepted, and a military ID cannot be used for live remote proctoring.
What happens if I arrive or log in late?
AAVSB permits you to arrive at a PSI test center, or log into the LRP platform, up to 15 minutes after your scheduled start time. Beyond that, you are not permitted to test, the absence is recorded as unexcused, and your $375 application fee (as of September 2026) is forfeited.
Can I take the VTNE from home?
Yes, through AAVSB’s live remote proctoring option. You test on your own computer under a dedicated proctor who monitors audio, video, and chat, after a mandatory 360 degree scan of your room. Your desk must be completely cleared, you get one 10 minute break at the start of the exam only, and scratch paper is not permitted; you use a mini whiteboard instead.
Can I bring notes, a phone, or a bag into the testing room?
No, at either delivery mode. Electronic devices, bags, food, drinks, and reference materials are not permitted. At a test center, AAVSB recommends not bringing personal items at all; anything you do bring must go into a lockable storage compartment. For LRP, your desk must be completely clear of everything except your computer and the provided mini whiteboard.
Sources
- AAVSB, Applying to Take the VTNE
- AAVSB, Rescheduling the VTNE
- AAVSB, Scheduling and Taking the VTNE
- AAVSB, Getting Your VTNE Score
- AAVSB, VTNE Candidate Information Handbook (June 2026)
- AAVSB, VTNE Live Remote Proctoring Guide (2026)
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For educational and exam preparation purposes only. Not a substitute for formal clinical training.