NCE Exam Day: Test Center or OnVUE, ID Rules, and What Happens Minute by Minute

Test center or OnVUE: how to choose

Both delivery options give you the same exam and the same timing. The difference is the environment and how much control you have over it.

If you need approved accommodations, the handbooks steer you toward a test center. If you choose OnVUE, plan for a room where no one can walk in for more than four hours.

The two-ID rule at a test center

NBCC's handbooks require two original, unexpired IDs:

• Primary ID: government-issued, with your name, photo, and signature, such as a driver's license, state ID, military ID, or passport.
• Secondary ID: with your name and signature, or your name and a recent photo.

The first and last name you registered with must exactly match the ID. Without acceptable ID, the appointment counts as missed and you forfeit the exam fee. If your name changed or your ID is close to expiring, sort it out before exam week.

Arrival, lockers, and what stays outside

Check in up to 30 minutes before your appointment. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, you can't test and you lose the fee. The center gives you a locker for keys, wallet, and phone.

Not allowed in the testing room: cameras, notes, recording devices, phones, smart watches, and calculators. Writing materials are provided at check-in and must be returned at the end, or you won't receive a score report.

OnVUE room rules

For online testing, the state licensure handbook lists firm rules:

• run Pearson VUE's system check right before your session
• show your testing space on camera and take four photos of it
• be alone, with no other people or pets, except service animals; a room with a locking door is recommended
• keep the desk clear of books, phones, smart watches, notes, and whiteboards
• keep the webcam, speakers, and microphone on throughout
• don't use a phone, headphones, dual monitors, a touchscreen, or a tablet
• don't leave your seat except for the scheduled break, and don't read questions aloud
• no food or gum; water in a clear container is allowed

Any interruption, such as someone entering the room, can end the session. Check in up to 30 minutes early; checking in more than 15 minutes late also forfeits the fee.

The session, minute by minute

Questions appear one at a time with options A to D, and a clock on screen shows the time left. Voluntary breaks are allowed at a test center, but the exam clock keeps running; online, you can't leave your seat except for the scheduled break. NBCC's NCC-route handbook adds that once you take the break and move on, you can't return to questions 1 to 100, so check the first half before you go. The pacing guide turns that into checkpoints.

A full rehearsal is the best preparation for 225 minutes of focus. Rehearse NCE timing with a 100-question timed mock exam →, which is close to one half of the real exam.

After the last question

You'll complete a short evaluation of the testing experience. At a test center, the proctor gives you an unofficial score report with your photo; on OnVUE, you view or print it from your Pearson VUE dashboard. The report shows your score and the passing score for your form. For state licensure candidates, CCE sends official scores to the board within 30 days of the end of the monthly testing cycle.

If you didn't pass, the retake guide explains the 30-day wait and attempt limits.

Rescheduling and holidays

On the state licensure route, you can reschedule through Pearson VUE up to 24 hours before the appointment for a $50 fee. Missing an appointment without rescheduling at least 24 hours ahead forfeits your fees. The NCE isn't offered on major U.S. holidays, including New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and Christmas Day, with limited hours on Christmas Eve.