Scheduling, Test-Day Rules, and Getting Your Results

Scheduling Through the TMU Portal

Montana CNA testing is scheduled through TMU (TestMaster Universe), Headmaster's online system, at mt.tmutest.com. Your training program usually creates your initial record, but you are responsible for completing your account before you can schedule: that means entering your personal information exactly as it appears on your identification, confirming your email address, and paying the exam fees. Headmaster's Montana office in Helena can be reached at (800) 393-8664 if the portal or your training record gives you trouble.

A few scheduling principles will save you money and stress:

• Schedule early in your six-month window. Popular sites and dates fill, and waiting until month five leaves little room for a retake if you need one.
• Rescheduling is free online. You can move your appointment yourself in your TMU account up to one full business day before the scheduled test date at no charge. If you need to cancel outright instead, you may submit Headmaster's Refund Request Form (no phone requests) — the full payment minus a $35 refund fee — within 30 days of the original payment, and, if you are already scheduled in a test event, at least one full business day before that event.
• A no-show forfeits everything. If you simply do not appear, the fees you paid — knowledge, skill, or both — are gone, and you must pay again to schedule a new date. Genuine emergencies are handled through Headmaster's documented-excuse process, but you must contact them; silence is treated as a no-show.

Identification: The Rule That Trips People Up

More candidates are turned away at the door over identification than over any other single issue, and a turned-away candidate loses the test date. Montana requires two forms of identification, and both rules are absolute:

1. A government-issued, signed, non-expired photo ID — a driver's license, state ID card, passport, or military ID. The signature requirement matters: an unsigned card does not count.
2. Your Social Security card — the actual card (or an acceptable official substitute per the candidate handbook), not a memorized number.

The names on both documents must match each other and your TMU record exactly. If you recently married, divorced, or changed your name, update your documents and your TMU profile before test day; "Kayleigh" on the license and "Kaylee" in the system is grounds for refusal. Middle names, hyphens, and suffixes all count. Fix mismatches weeks ahead, not the night before.

Test-Day Conduct

Plan to arrive 20 to 30 minutes early. Check-in involves verifying your two IDs, confirming your registration, and receiving instructions; late arrivals risk being treated as no-shows. Other core policies:

• The knowledge exam is electronic everywhere. All Montana sites deliver it through TMU: you sign in to your account at the testing workstation, and the proctor issues a code that starts your exam. Scratch paper and a basic calculator are provided on request.
• No phones or personal electronics in the testing area — leave them in your car or as directed. Having a phone out during testing is treated as a testing violation.
• No notes, books, or study materials at your station.
• Dress for the skill test if you are taking it: closed-toe shoes and scrubs or similar work attire are the norm, since you will be performing physical tasks.
• Follow the test administrator's instructions exactly. Testing irregularities — talking, copying, prohibited items — can invalidate your results and jeopardize your eligibility.

During the knowledge exam, manage your 90 minutes deliberately: 72 questions at about 75 seconds each, answer every question (there is no penalty for guessing), and flag uncertain items for review rather than stalling. For the skill test, remember that steps are scored as physically performed — verbalizing what you would do earns no credit — and passing each task requires performing every key (critical) step correctly plus at least 80% of the non-key steps.

One Day or Two?

Many Montana candidates schedule the knowledge exam and the skill test for the same day at the same site, which is why the $97 combined fee exists. Separating them is allowed too: the components are independent, you may take them in either order, and passing one banks that result while you complete the other within your six-month window. Whichever you choose, confirm the site's location, parking, and check-in time in your TMU confirmation beforehand, and lay out both IDs the night before.

Results

Because Montana tests electronically through TMU at every site, scoring is fast and uniform. Official results post in your TMU account after 6:00 PM Mountain Time on the business day after your test event — for both the knowledge exam and the skill test. There are no postal-mail result letters; your TMU account is the only delivery channel, so keep your login credentials handy and check there rather than waiting on paper.

If You Fail: Review and Retake Options

Two post-exam options are worth knowing precisely:

• Test review request: If you believe your exam was scored incorrectly, you may file a Test Review Request with a $25 non-refundable deposit, and the request must be received within three business days of the official scoring of your test. D&SDT-Headmaster completes the review within ten business days, and the $25 is refunded if the finding favors you. Miss the three-business-day window and the option is gone.
• Remotely proctored knowledge exam: Under the current handbook, a remote (online, proctored from home) knowledge exam is available — but only for retakes, not first attempts. If you failed the knowledge portion and live far from a test site, this option can save significant travel for your second or third attempt. The skill test is never remote; it must be performed in person.

Either way, use your score report's subject-area breakdown to target your studying before the next attempt — and remember the standing limit of 3 attempts per component within 6 months of training completion.