On Test Day 

You need to show one valid (non-expired) form of government-issued identification which must contain your name in Roman characters, date of birth, a recent recognizable photograph, and a signature. In many countries, a passport is the only piece of identification which will fulfil all of these requirements. More specific requirements are enforced in certain countries, and you should review our complete ID Policy on page 10 of the Test Taker Handbook before attending the test center. If you feel you are unable to meet the ID requirements stated, you should contact the Pearson Customer Service team in your region and they will advise you.
The maximum time you can spend on PTE Academic is three hours. If you finish sooner than that, you should raise your hand to get the attention of the Test Administrator and they will allow you to leave early.
Pearson will collect a number of biometrics including digital photographs, palm vein scans, and digital signatures to verify your identity.
Each test taker will be given an erasable noteboard booklet. This is the equivalent of five sheets of A4 paper spiral bound. If you run out of space during the test, you can request a new booklet from the Test Administrator. You must not make any notes until the test has started.
If you need to leave the testing room for any reason during your test, you should raise your hand to get the attention of the Test Administrator. They will advise you how to proceed.
You should arrive at the test center 30 minutes before your scheduled test time. If you cannot get to the test center by the time your appointment is due to start, you should contact the Pearson Customer Service team in your region to explain the situation and they will advise you. Whenever possible you should always try to get to the test center as soon as possible, unless you would have to put yourself or others in danger in order to do so.
If you experience any problems with the computer, headset, keyboard, or mouse during the test, you must raise your hand and inform the Test Administrator as soon as possible. If you have any other problems during the test which you feel impact on your ability to perform well on the test, you must inform the Test Administrator before leaving the test center. If we do not have a record of your problem, it can be very difficult for us to trace at a later date.
If you think there is an error on a question, please inform the Test Administrator at the end of your test. They will ask you to complete a form which will be sent to Pearson for evaluation. Alternatively, you can contact Pearson Customer Service in your region within 14 days of your test.
Palm vein recognition is a system used on test day to help verify the identity of test takers. Palm vein recognition works by scanning the veins inside your hand and creating a digital template that represents your palm vein pattern.
To use the system, you hold your hand a few centimetres above the scanner which records the pattern of veins in your hand.
The palm vein scanning sensor uses a safe near-infrared light source, similar to a television remote control. You never touch the sensor.
We ask that you arrive at the test center 30 minutes before your scheduled test time. This will provide sufficient time for you to complete the check-in procedures. Providing a palm vein scan takes no more than a couple of minutes.
Formal complaints should be addressed in writing to Pearson Customer Service.
Click here to watch a video about procedures when taking a test at a Pearson VUE test center.