1.4 Approved Calculators & Test-Day Logistics

Approved calculators — bring the right model

NCEES restricts FE candidates to a short, fixed list of approved calculator models. Anything outside this list — including graphing and programmable calculators with QWERTY keyboards — will be refused at check-in. The currently approved families are:

An on-screen scientific calculator is also available inside the exam, but it is slower for chained engineering calculations. Bring a physical approved model you have trained on for months. NCEES updates this list periodically, so re-confirm your model on the official NCEES calculator policy page before exam day.

Build calculator muscle memory

Use your chosen approved calculator exclusively during practice. Late switching causes mode errors (degrees vs radians), parenthesis mistakes, and stored-value slips that have nothing to do with engineering knowledge. For FE Electrical and Computer specifically, drill complex-number (rectangular ↔ polar) conversions, since AC steady-state and impedance problems lean on them constantly. The Casio FX-115 and TI-36X handle complex arithmetic directly — learn those key sequences cold.

ID and check-in requirements

At the Pearson VUE center you must present a current, unexpired, government-issued photo ID (passport, driver's license, or equivalent). The name on the ID must exactly match the name in your NCEES registration; a mismatch can forfeit your appointment and fee. Plan to:

• Arrive about 30 minutes early to allow time for check-in.
• Store all personal items — phone, watch, bag, notes — in the provided locker. Nothing personal goes to your seat.
• Pass a security check, which may include a palm-vein or signature scan and pocket inspection.
• Sign the NDA on screen, then complete the 8-minute tutorial before the exam clock starts.

Scratch work at the test center

You will not receive loose paper. Pearson VUE provides a reusable booklet or laminated whiteboard with a marker (an erasable noteboard) for scratch work. Practice sketching circuits, phasor diagrams, and quick K-maps in a compact space, because you cannot spread out across multiple sheets. If you fill the noteboard, raise your hand and the proctor will exchange it. Keep your work organized — a labeled scratch layout prevents transcription errors when you transfer a result into a fill-in-the-blank item.