Taking an AI Certification Exam Online: Pearson VUE OnVUE Rules and Exam-Day Checklist

By Kyle Tice · Updated October 19, 2026 · Facts checked against official exam pages

To pass an online-proctored AI exam without trouble, you need four things: a personal computer that passed the Pearson VUE system test on the same network you’ll use on exam day, a private room with a cleared desk and only one monitor, a valid government photo ID whose name matches your registration exactly, and a phone placed out of arm’s reach. Most people who lose an attempt lose it to one of those four, not to the questions.

Online proctored exams from AWS, Microsoft, Google Cloud (since March 2026) and Anthropic all run on Pearson VUE’s OnVUE system, so the same rules apply to all of them. Retake and reschedule policies are set by each vendor, though, and they differ. Both are covered below.

Which AI exams use Pearson VUE

Other AI exams use different systems (Linux Foundation, ISACA and CompTIA each have their own arrangements), so check the exam’s own page.

One week before: set up your machine

Run the system test, twice. Pearson VUE recommends running it about a week before the exam and again two to three days before, on the exact computer and network you will use. Background OS updates and new security software are the usual reasons a test that passed last week fails on exam day.

Use a personal computer, not a work laptop. Pearson VUE explicitly advises against employer-issued computers. Corporate firewalls, VPN clients, endpoint security agents and admin restrictions often block the OnVUE app or its video stream.

Hardware rules:

• A desktop or laptop. Tablets can only be used as a screen with an external keyboard, and touchscreens can’t be used at all.
• One monitor only. Remove extra monitors from the room, or at least unplug them before you take your check-in photos. If you use an external monitor with a laptop, keep the laptop lid closed and use an external keyboard, mouse and webcam.
• A working webcam and microphone.
• Your power cord.

Network rules:

• Use a wired connection if you can.
• On Wi-Fi, ask others in the house not to stream during your exam.
• Disconnect any VPN. Pearson VUE says OnVUE does not work well with VPNs.

Anthropic’s Pearson VUE page also lists specific domains your network must allow, which matters if you test on a managed network. Check it if you are taking a Claude exam.

The day before: prepare the room

Pearson VUE requires an enclosed, private room where you can close the door. Nobody may enter or pass through once the exam starts. Bathrooms are not allowed. Pearson also advises against libraries, coffee shops, hotels and corporate offices.

Position your screen so nobody can see it, and avoid sitting near windows or glass partitions. If another person appears in the camera’s view, you risk revocation.

Clear these out of your testing space:

• Phones (see the phone rules below), watches, other electronics
• Books and notes (unless your exam program allows them)
• Pens, pencils, stylus pens, paper and notepads
• Wallets, purses and bags
• Eyeglass cases
• Headphones or headsets (unless your exam sponsor approves them)

You may keep a drink in any container. You may not eat, chew gum or smoke. Coats and jackets are not allowed, and hair clips wider than a quarter inch aren’t either. Hats and religious head coverings are fine as long as your eyes stay visible.

Exam-day checklist

Print this or keep it on your phone (until you put the phone away).

60 minutes before

• Restart the computer. Pause automatic updates.
• Disconnect VPN. Plug in ethernet and power.
• Unplug any second monitor.
• Use the restroom. Many exams allow no breaks (see the vendor table below).
• Have your ID ready. It must be valid, undamaged, government-issued and original, and the first and last name must match your registration.

30 minutes before (check-in opens)

• Sign in through the vendor’s certification portal and select Begin Exam.
• Copy the access code when it appears.
• Close every other app, including chat apps, cloud sync clients and anything that pops up notifications. Use Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del) on Windows or Force Quit (Command+Option+Esc) on a Mac.
• Download and launch OnVUE manually. For security reasons it won’t start automatically.
• Take your headshot, ID photos (front and back for a license or ID card; photo page for a passport) and four photos of your testing space.
• Place your phone out of arm’s reach, for example on the floor behind you. Keep it in the room, since the proctor may call you if your connection drops.

At check-in, the greeter may ask you to

• Show your ears (to check for Bluetooth earbuds)
• Roll up your sleeves
• Empty your pockets
• Do a 360-degree room scan with your webcam

After the exam

• Follow the on-screen steps to close OnVUE before you leave the camera’s view. Walking away early can be logged as a violation.

How late can you be?

Pearson VUE’s general window is 30 minutes before to 15 minutes after your appointment time. AWS uses the same window: launch up to 30 minutes early, and if you are more than 15 minutes late you can’t start and the fee is forfeited. Google Cloud’s support page lists a narrower window of 10 minutes before to 20 minutes after. When the vendor’s own page and the general Pearson guide differ, follow the vendor. Start at the 30-minute mark either way.

Behavior rules during the exam

• Stay in view of the webcam the whole time, unless your exam program allows breaks.
• Keep your eyes forward. Repeatedly looking off-screen gets flagged.
• Don’t read questions aloud or mumble. Don’t cover your mouth or face.
• Don’t talk to anyone except the proctor, and use the chat icon to reach them.
• Don’t touch your phone unless the proctor gives permission (for example, to answer a call from Pearson VUE). Ignore texts. Pearson VUE says it won’t text you during an exam.
• Don’t move the webcam after the exam starts unless the proctor asks.
• Don’t copy, photograph or try to memorize questions. You also may not share them afterward. Sites that sell “real exam questions” violate every vendor’s agreement and can get your certification revoked.
• You may zoom with Ctrl+ and Ctrl-. Some programs offer an on-screen whiteboard for scratch work, but physical paper is not allowed.

Proctors usually give a warning first for minor issues. Pearson VUE states that some violations are serious enough for immediate revocation without warning.

The most common reasons people lose an attempt

These come from the rules above. Most of them are preventable in five minutes.

1. The system test failed or wasn’t run. A work laptop, an active VPN or a corporate firewall blocks the app, and the fee is forfeited.
2. ID problems. An expired ID, a photocopy or digital ID, or a first or last name that doesn’t match the registration. Fix your profile name well before exam day; Google, for example, forfeits the fee if your legal name doesn’t match your ID.
3. Arriving late. Past the window, you can’t launch.
4. Someone walks into the room. A partner, child or roommate entering the camera’s view can end the exam.
5. Leaving the camera’s view. This includes standing up to stretch or going to the bathroom on an exam with no breaks (AWS, Google).
6. Phone within reach, or touching it without permission.
7. Talking or reading aloud.
8. A second monitor still connected, even if it’s turned off.
9. Unauthorized items on the desk: notes, paper, a smartwatch, earbuds.
10. Closing OnVUE incorrectly or walking away before the exam app has exited.

If something does go wrong (power cut, internet drop, app crash), ask Pearson VUE support to open a case and save the case number. Vendors often need that number to grant a free reschedule or waive a retake waiting period.

Breaks: they differ by vendor

One more Microsoft-specific detail: associate and expert exams (such as AI-103 and AI-300) give you access to Microsoft Learn inside the exam, but without extra time. Fundamentals exams like AI-901 don’t.

Reschedule, cancel and retake rules by vendor

As of October 2026. Always check your confirmation email, since vendors change these.

Two traps to watch:

• Beta exams. AWS and Microsoft both allow only one attempt during the beta. If you take the MLA-C02 beta and fail, you wait for the live exam.
• Free vouchers. If your exam came from a promotion, the reschedule must usually still fall before the voucher expiry date. See current vouchers.

Online or test center?

Choose a test center if any of these is true:

• You only have a work laptop.
• You can’t guarantee a private room with a closed door for 2–3 hours.
• Your internet is unreliable.
• You need breaks and your vendor doesn’t allow them online.

Choose online if you have a personal computer, a quiet room and a wired connection. It saves travel, and appointments are available around the clock for many vendors (AWS offers 24x7 English proctoring).

FAQ

Can I use my work laptop for OnVUE?

You can try, but Pearson VUE recommends against it. Corporate security software, firewalls and VPNs are the top cause of failed launches. Run the system test on it well ahead if you have no choice, and have a test-center booking as your backup plan.

Can I have water during an online exam?

Yes. Pearson VUE allows beverages in any container. Eating, gum and smoking are not allowed.

What happens if my internet drops mid-exam?

OnVUE tries to reconnect, and the proctor may phone you. If you can’t resume, contact Pearson VUE support through your program’s online testing page and get a case number. Vendors generally decide on free retakes or waived waiting periods case by case and need that number. Microsoft, for example, only waives retake waits for documented connectivity or equipment failures.

Can I use scratch paper?

Not physical paper. Some programs enable OnVUE’s built-in digital whiteboard. If you want paper, book a test center.

How long does check-in take?

Plan for 15–30 minutes. Google says the proctor’s identity and room check takes 5–15 minutes after launch, and your exam time starts only after that.