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What to Expect on Exam Day
at Pearson VUE Testing Centers
About Exam Day
The NBOME partners with Pearson VUE to deliver your COMLEX-USA examinations. Working together, we strive to provide a secure testing environment to give you a positive experience while taking your examination.
Familiarizing yourself with the information presented here will give you a better idea of what to do and what to bring on your exam day.
Arrival & Check-in
Plan to arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes before your exam start time. You will be greeted by a test administrator (TA), who will review the candidate rules and security protocols with you and ask you to sign them.
Please note that TAs will not be able to answer questions about any NBOME test administration policy.
Testing Accommodations
It is recommended that accommodation requests be submitted at least 90 days in advance of the first day of your preferred testing window.
Identification
You will be required to provide one unexpired form of government-issued identification (ID) that includes your picture and signature.
Acceptable forms of ID are:
- Driver’s license
- Passport
- Military ID (If you present a military ID, please present a secondary form of ID that includes your signature.)
Note about Names: The name on your ID must match your name in the NBOME portal. If your legal name has changed since you registered for the exam, you must submit a name change request to clientservices@nbome.org at least five days before the exam.
What You Need to Prepare for COMLEX-USA
Personal Belongings
The TA will assign you a secure locker for storing your personal belongings, including food, water, and electronic devices. You will receive a locker key with a tag. You may keep only your ID and locker key with you in the testing room. If you refuse to store your personal items, you will be unable to test and you will forfeit your test fee.
- Mobile phones, hand-held computers/personal digital assistants (PDAs), pagers, or other electronic devices (must be turned off prior to storage)
- Watches
- Wallets, purses, backpacks, or any other type of bag
- Firearms or other weapons
- Hats and other nonreligious head coverings
- Coats or jackets
- Eyeglass cases
- Pens or pencils
- Barrettes or hair clips that are larger than 1/4 inch (1/2 centimeter) wide
- Headbands or hairbands that are larger than 1/2 inch (1 centimeter) wide
- Jewelry that is removable and larger than 1/4 inch (1/2 centimeter) wide
- Wedding/engagement rings are permitted
- Books and/or notes
Comfort Aids
Certain items are considered comfort aids and do not require pre-approval.
Enhanced Security
Pearson VUE has implemented enhanced security measures to inspect for camera devices that could be used to capture exam content. You will need to remove eyeglasses for close visual inspection by a TA. These inspections will take a few seconds and will be done at check-in.
Food & Drinks
Food and drinks are not permitted in the testing room and must be stored in your assigned locker. You may access them during the scheduled breaks. If you require special accommodations, please submit an application to testacc@nbome.org at least 90 days prior to your preferred testing date.
Biometric Check-in
Prior to entering the testing room, the TA will take a digital photo of you and take a palm vein scan. This image of your palm vein will serve as digital verification of your identity and helps protect the security and integrity of the exam. You will also be required to provide a palm vein scan inside the testing room, and any time you enter or exit.
In-Person & Video Monitoring
While in the testing room, you will be observed by the TA who will routinely monitor candidate activities during the exam and report any irregular behavior. You will also be monitored via video for the duration of your exam.
Examination Duration
The COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-CE exams lasts approximately nine hours and include a brief tutorial and designated break times. COMLEX-USA Level 3 is a two-day exam which lasts approximately nine hours each day, including a brief tutorial and designated break times.
Confirmation Screen
Once you are seated at your station, a screen will appear, asking you to confirm your name and the exam you are taking. If the information displayed is not accurate, do not proceed and inform the TA immediately.
Non-disclosure Agreement
You will be required to read and agree to a non-disclosure agreement.
Tutorial
Prior to beginning the examination, you will be presented with a tutorial to familiarize yourself with exam features such as adjusting headphone volume, font size and color, and set other preferences. You are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the tutorial, as any time spent on setting these preferences during the exam will take away from your testing time. Be sure to complete the tutorial in 16 minutes or less; otherwise, the additional time will be taken from your testing time.
Scheduled Breaks
You will receive a pool of 60 minutes of break time for each examination day and have the option of using it over three scheduled breaks.
Adverse Testing Conditions
An adverse testing condition (ATC) occurs during an examination, is outside of your control as a test-taker, significantly interrupts the normal administration of the examination, and affects your performance as a result.
Post-exam Survey
After you complete the exam, you will be presented with a post-exam survey that features questions related to your testing experience and feedback on the exam content. This survey is not counted as part of the testing time. The NBOME values your feedback as it informs future enhancements to the testing experience and exam content.
Checkout
When you complete the exam, you will be asked to sign out and return your locker key.
Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the NBOME, our products, and services. If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, please feel free to reach out to us.