Which policy does this guide follow?
GMAC publishes one document, “GMAT Exam Policies and Procedures,” covering both test-center and online appointments and noting the differences. When you register, you accept its terms; this is the governing document on test day.
This guide follows the edition updated August 12, 2026, and reviewed October 15, 2026; the previous version still applies to candidates who booked before August 12, 2026. GMAC updates the document from time to time, so review the version on mba.com and your appointment confirmation before relying on the details below. Disability accommodations require prior approval and are not covered here.
One final point: test administration does not begin with the first question. At a test center, it begins at check-in, as soon as you enter the center, includes the optional break, and ends with check-out. Online, it begins when you click “Launch Exam” on mba.com, includes check-in and the break, and ends when the proctor releases you and the platform closes. Refusing any check-in step means you do not take the test and forfeit the fee.
What happens at the test-center desk?
The proctor asks for a valid, unaltered original ID. GMAC says it must be government-issued, have a recent recognizable photo and your signature, and show a name, date of birth, and country of citizenship that exactly match your registration. Photocopies are not accepted, and accepted documents vary by test location; check the official page before paying.
Next come several check-in steps. You confirm your agreement to the candidate rules; the proctor takes your photo and palm-vein scan, except where collection is prohibited by law. You also turn off and put away electronic devices before screening. Before entering the room, you pass through a metal detector and are scanned with a handheld device that detects cameras and signals; refusing or failing the scan means you cannot take the test. Once seated at the computer, you electronically accept the nondisclosure agreement and terms of use.
Your palm scan is then used for identity checks: you are asked for it each time you enter the testing room so it can be compared with the identity verified at registration. GMAC’s test-center page recommends arriving at least 30 minutes before your appointment for check-in; allow that much time and follow any stricter instructions in your confirmation.
What can you keep with you, and what must go in a locker?
The basic rule is simple: very few items may enter the room, and none can help you calculate, tell time, or check notes. Wallets, bags, hats, watches, large jewelry, hair clips, and coats are not allowed in the room; storage space is limited.
If you bring notes or study materials, store them in a test-center locker, if available, until the exam is over. If there is no locker, you may not bring them into the center at all. You cannot access them after check-in, including during the break. For food and drinks, the policies allow storage in a locker and access during the break, while the test-center information sheet shows a broader prohibition. Confirm your center’s instructions before bringing any.
| Item | GMAC rule |
|---|---|
| ID, locker key | Allowed in the room |
| Light clothing, prescription glasses | A sweater or light jacket (not a coat) and prescription glasses without a case are allowed; permitted comfort items undergo visual inspection |
| Notes, paper, pens, ruler, personal calculator | Prohibited in the room and during the break; store notes in a locker if available |
| Phone, watch, headphones | Prohibited at all times, including during the break; ask the proctor for the time or check the clock in the reception area |
| Food, drinks, gum, candy, lip balm | Prohibited in the room unless previously approved as an accommodation; policies allow food, drinks, and lip balm in a locker and during the break, but the test-center sheet is more restrictive: confirm local instructions |
What changes once you are seated at the computer?
The test must begin as soon as you are seated. The proctor gives you the equivalent of five erasable boards; do not write on them until the timed section begins. If you fill them, raise your hand and they will be exchanged; return all boards at the end and do not take any with you. Removing them from the room or failing to return them violates the rules.
The section timer does not stop if you step away. Do not leave your workstation during timed sections; if there is an emergency, raise your hand and the timer will continue. Repeated or lengthy absences are recorded and reviewed. Also raise your hand if you have a computer issue or need a replacement board or marker. Reading questions aloud, whispering, or talking is prohibited; the only exception is asking the proctor a question.
How does the 10-minute break work?
One optional 10-minute break is available. You can take it after either the first or second section, as shown in the official test structure; the article about section order discusses its placement. The main risk is exceeding the time limit: extra time is automatically deducted from the next section, or the proctor may consider the test abandoned, in which case the score is canceled. For both test formats, the candidate rules say GMAC may choose either penalty at its sole discretion.
At a test center, you must stay inside the building; the rules limit you to the locker area, reception, and nearest restroom. You need the proctor’s permission to leave the room, and your palm is scanned again when you return. Online, the break starts automatically after 60 seconds unless you skip it, and you may not leave your workstation at any other time; leaving during a timed section, even for an emergency, cancels the exam.
| Step | At a test center | Online |
|---|---|---|
| Test administration begins | At check-in, upon entering the test center | When you click “Launch Exam” on mba.com |
| Identification | Original ID shown to the proctor; photo and palm scan taken (unless prohibited by law) | Photo of you and photos of your original ID submitted at check-in |
| Proctoring | Audio, video, and other monitoring of the premises | Human proctor assisted by AI monitoring; audio and video recorded, including during the break |
| Leaving your workstation | Not allowed during a section; the timer continues in an emergency | Not allowed except during the break; leaving during a section cancels the exam |
| Break begins | At the end of the selected section | Automatically after 60 seconds, unless you skip it |
| Exceeding the break | Extra time deducted from the next section, or test considered abandoned and score canceled, at GMAC’s discretion | Same alternatives, at GMAC’s discretion |
What does at-home check-in require?
Before check-in, clear your workspace: remove prohibited items and cover glass walls, doors, or windows. No one else may be in the testing area from the start of check-in through the end of the exam. During check-in, take and submit a photo of yourself and your unaltered original ID. You agree to live webcam monitoring and recording, as well as the GMAT terms of use and nondisclosure agreement; make sure no unauthorized software is running and enter the city and country where you will take the test.
A human proctor monitors you with the help of an AI monitoring service that may flag possible violations; decisions remain with the proctor or GMAC security team. If you are disconnected, restart the exam from mba.com and reconnect with the proctor within 10 minutes, repeating the full check-in.
The rules allow only your ID, workstation, one physical erasable whiteboard, up to two markers and an eraser, water in a clear unlabeled container, prescription glasses without a case, and approved comfort items after inspection within reach. If the room inspection is unsatisfactory, you cannot take the exam and forfeit the full fee. Ultrawide and touchscreen monitors are not allowed. Keep your phone out of reach and out of view unless the proctor asks you to use it. The platform provides a digital whiteboard; you may use an approved physical board, the digital board, or both. A digital calculator appears on screen during Data Insights. If you use a physical whiteboard, show the camera that every side is blank before the first question, before the break, and at the end of the exam; it must not be attached to a wall or surface and must not exceed 30 × 50 cm (12 × 20 inches). It must have no grid, markings, or colored background.
The pitfall
Using the break to review notes or check your phone
The break may feel like free time, but it is not. Notes, study materials, phones, and watches remain prohibited during the break, both at a test center and online; the rules explicitly cover both the session and break. To check the time, ask the proctor or look at the reception-area clock at a test center; online, it appears on the break screen. Accessing notes during the test violates the rules in either format: the proctor may dismiss you and GMAC may cancel your scores, with no refund; at a test center, prohibited items may also be confiscated.
The same applies to food and drinks: at a test center, the rules allow access from a locker, if one is available; confirm local instructions given the difference from the information sheet. Treat the break as a 10-minute transition that must not run over, not as extra preparation time.
How much time should you allow for test day?
The policies give an appointment duration of about two and a half hours for both test-center and online appointments; online check-in is included, but the policies do not say whether test-center check-in is included. Online, the exam must also be completed within three and a half hours of the appointment time; the proctor may end the session at any time if they believe you cannot finish within that limit, and you will forfeit the fee. The exam itself has three 45-minute sections, for a total of 2 hours 15 minutes, plus the optional 10-minute break. The policy gives an approximate duration, so keep your schedule open beyond that window, especially if you need to travel.
These standard durations do not apply in the same way to appointments with approved time accommodations. Online, the test starts after check-in; at a test center, it starts as soon as you are seated at your workstation. In either format, prepare your ID, travel plans, or room in advance to make check-in easier.
What is the GMAT?, in the GMAT guide GuideKey takeaways
- Test administration begins at test-center check-in or, online, when you click “Launch Exam”—not when the first question appears.
- Your ID must exactly match your reservation; unacceptable ID may prevent you from taking the test and cost you the fee.
- Notes, phones, watches, and food are not allowed in the room, and notes and phones remain prohibited during the break.
- The break lasts 10 minutes; extra time is deducted from the next section or may result in a canceled score.