AP exam day: what to bring and what to expect
Most AP Exams are now taken in College Board’s Bluebook app at your school. Bring a fully charged device with Bluebook installed (unless your school provides one) and its charger, an approved calculator if your exam allows one, and pencils or pens. The most common mistake is not knowing your College Board password: Bluebook won’t use a saved one.
From College Board’s What to Bring on AP Exam Day page and AP Central. Checked October 12, 2026. Your school’s AP coordinator gives the final instructions.
What to bring
- Your College Board username and password, memorized; you must type them into Bluebook.
- A fully charged device with Bluebook installed and a compatible charger, unless your school provides devices. On a tablet, an external keyboard is required for fully digital exams and recommended for hybrid ones.
- An approved calculator for exams that allow one; Bluebook’s built-in Desmos calculator is also available on those exams.
- Pencils or pens for notes on school-provided scratch paper (fully digital exams), or two No. 2 pencils plus pens for hybrid exams.
- A ruler or straightedge for AP Physics.
- A government or school photo ID if you’re testing at a school you don’t attend.
What not to bring
Phones, smartwatches and other electronics, notes, and anything listed in the AP Exam Terms and Conditions. College Board says students seen with prohibited items, even on breaks, may be dismissed, have devices confiscated and have scores canceled.
Three kinds of AP Exam
| Type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Fully digital | Every answer in Bluebook |
| Hybrid digital | Questions and multiple choice in Bluebook; free-response answers handwritten in booklets |
| Not in Bluebook | Portfolio subjects such as Art and Design, submitted through the AP Digital Portfolio |
From College Board’s descriptions of how AP Exams are administered.
Common questions
Can I bring food or drink?
College Board answers this in the FAQ on its What to Bring page, and school rules vary, so check with your AP coordinator.
What if my device loses connection?
Bluebook saves your work as you go. If your device is connected at the end, answers submit automatically; if not, follow the proctor’s instructions to submit.