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NWSA exam day: what the proctor will check

NWSA written exams are taken online with a live remote proctor. Since September 1, 2026, NWSA applies a zero-tolerance exam-environment policy: if the room does not meet every requirement when the proctor looks at it, the exam does not start and the application fee is not refunded. NWSA does not describe a warning, a grace period, or a chance to fix the room, so plan as though there is no second chance on the day. It is the easiest way to lose $274 before the first question appears.

The room — zero-tolerance requirements

You must be alone in a private, enclosed room with a door for the entire exam.
Any door panel, window or opening that allows visibility into the room must be covered for the full duration.
Unless your exam type permits otherwise, all whiteboards, bulletin boards, chalkboards and additional monitors in the room must be covered.

What this rules out: a truck cab, a shared office, a kitchen table, a break room, a hotel lobby, or a spare bedroom with an uncovered window. Set the room up the day before and photograph it from where the webcam will sit.

The day-before checklist

Room: door closes; every window and door glass covered; boards and spare monitors covered or removed; desk cleared to laptop, ID and whatever NWSA's instructions for your exam type allow.
Computer: a laptop or desktop with a working webcam and microphone, on a wired or strong Wi-Fi connection; close every other application; disable screen savers and sleep; plug it in.
Identity: the government photo ID named in your NWSA confirmation, matching the name on your application. A mismatch is an application change ($30) and possibly a lost sitting.
Time: TTT-1 is 90 minutes, TTT-2 and A&L two hours, ARC 150 minutes, Foreman 90 minutes — plus check-in. Block the whole window and tell the household.
Phone: out of reach and silent, unless the proctor's instructions say otherwise. Nothing in your pockets.

During the exam

Stay in frame, keep your eyes on the screen, do not read questions aloud, and do not leave the room. If something in the environment fails a check mid-exam, the proctor can end the attempt. Results are pass/fail; a candidate who does not pass receives a strength-and-weakness report by domain — use it, it tells you exactly what to study for the $274 retest.

NWSA's own instructions for your exam type are the authority on every point above; read the confirmation email in full and follow it where it differs from this page.

Study to the handbook, not to rumours

Each guide is built module-for-module on the domain weightings NWSA publishes, with a timed practice exam and a weak-area report. Single courses from $39; all five for $179; 7-day money-back on every one.
See the study guides Free 8-question practice test

What the handbook says about booking, devices and results (REV 10/25)

Your application expires six months after payment. Exam applications are not refundable, transferable or cancellable; take the exam inside that window or forfeit the $274.
Laptop or desktop only. The exam cannot be taken on a phone, a Chromebook or an iPad. You install the Guardian Browser and run the pre-exam checks; NWSA recommends running them again 60–90 minutes before your appointment. If the check fails, reschedule and fix it — do not start.
Reschedule or cancel free up to 30 minutes before the start time. After that, or if you are 59 minutes late, the fee is forfeited. A 5:00 pm exam can be moved before 4:30 pm, not at 4:30.
Profile first. Create your NWSA Candidate Portal profile at least two business days before the date you want; applications cannot be submitted until staff approve the profile. Exams become schedulable about 15 minutes after an application is submitted.
Results are immediate and pass/fail. A preliminary result appears in your portal as soon as you click End Exam — if you do not click it, results are delayed 24 hours. Fail, and you get a strength-and-weakness report by domain and must wait 30 days before the next attempt, at the full fee again.
Digital credential. Pass, and the credential is in your portal immediately — that is what employers check against NWSA's verification tool. A replacement card costs $35; a change to a submitted application costs $30.

Questions people ask

What happens if my room fails the NWSA proctor check?

Under the zero-tolerance policy in force from September 1, 2026, the exam is not started and NWSA describes no opportunity to correct the room. NWSA's handbook says application fees are non-refundable and are forfeited for a no-show or an arrival more than 59 minutes late, after which a new application is required to test again. NWSA has not published how a failed room check is treated, so plan as though the sitting is lost and confirm with NWSA.

Can I take the NWSA exam from my truck or at work?

Not from a vehicle or a shared space. The policy requires a private, enclosed room with a door, with every window or opening covered and boards and extra monitors covered.

Do I get my score?

NWSA reports pass or fail. Candidates who do not pass receive a strength-and-weakness report by domain. The passing score itself is not published.

How long are the exams?

TTT-1 85 questions in 90 minutes; TTT-2 100 in 2 hours; A&L 70 in 2 hours; ARC 95 in 150 minutes; Foreman 70 in 90 minutes (Candidate Handbook REV 10/25).

NWSA facts on this page are from the NWSA Candidate Handbook, CH REV 10/25 and NWSA's published exam-environment policy. Fees, formats and rules change — NWSA is the authority. NWSA Study Guide is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or recognized by the National Wireless Safety Alliance.