Exam day

What happens on CRPO exam day? Online proctoring, ID and rules

Facts checked against CRPO's and Ontario's official sources on October 21, 2026.

The CRPO Registration Examination is written online from a room you choose, with a live MonitorEDU proctor watching you through your computer's webcam and your phone's camera. Log in at least 15 minutes before your start time with your government-issued ID and your CRPO unique identifier ready, wait in the queue for a proctor, and your three hours begin only when you start the exam on the welcome screen. Breaks are allowed but the clock keeps running, and nothing may be on your desk except what the rules permit.

Before the day

CRPO's Requirements & Writing the Exam page and the online exam documents ask you to:

Run the MonitorEDU pre-exam check at least 5 days before the exam, on the same device and in the same location you will use on the day, and test again on exam day.
Finish the required downloads (such as the Google Meet app and the secure lockdown browser) at least 5 days ahead.
Use a computer, not a tablet or phone. Tablets, iPads, Chromebooks and Linux systems are not compliant. You need Google Chrome, a webcam, Windows 7 or later or macOS 10.15 or later, and administrator rights on the computer.
Have a mobile phone to act as the second camera and connection point, and a way to prop it up.
Plan to keep everything plugged in for the whole exam.

A trackpad is permitted, though CRPO says a mouse is preferred. Bluetooth devices (mouse, speakers, keyboards) are prohibited by the Resource Manual. COMPASS sends booked candidates a navigational tutorial once the booking window closes: use it to learn how a selection looks once made. If you have not received your start time two days before the exam, the tip sheet says to email [email protected] (opens in a new tab).

ID, log-in and the queue

Step	What the official documents say
ID	CRPO's exam page asks for two pieces of government-issued ID, one with a photo, and your CRPO-issued unique identification number. The Resource Manual and tip sheet say two valid government-issued photo IDs. Bring two with photos and you satisfy both.
Log-in	At least 15 minutes before your start time (the manual says 10 to 15). Arriving more than 15 minutes late forfeits your registration and fees.
The queue	You state your exam language, whether you need an English- or French-speaking or a female proctor, any approved accommodation, religious requirements and whether you wear a hearing aid.
Proctor checks	The proctor checks your photo ID and that you have no prohibited items and that your pockets are empty.
Start	Exam time starts only when you start the exam on the platform's welcome screen.

The wait depends on how many candidates are booked in your time slot and on whether people completed their checks in advance. The manual is direct about one thing: do not leave the queue and come back, or you lose your place and go to the end.

Room and desk rules

The room must be private, quiet, secure and uncluttered, with no exam-related material in it. Nobody may come in while you write.

Not permitted during the exam:

electronic devices other than those the exam requires;
a watch (including a smartwatch), wrist jewellery or smartglasses;
a hat, hood, coat or bulky clothing, unless it is religious attire;
headphones or earplugs (foam or silicone earplugs are allowed);
anything in your pockets;
a pen, pencil, paper, notes or books on your desk;
reading exam content aloud, or sharing any exam content afterwards.

Permitted: food and water in clear containers, and medication or medical equipment only where you declared it in advance through CRPO's accommodation process.

Timing, breaks and the screen

You have a strict three hours unless accommodations were approved. That is ten simulations, so roughly eighteen minutes each. A countdown clock and an electronic notepad sit on the taskbar. Your notes are saved automatically and disappear once you submit that simulation, so practise typing short notes rather than writing them by hand.

You may take breaks of up to five minutes each. Tell the proctor first. The exam clock keeps running and no time is added. An unusual pattern of breaks can lead the proctor to question you, and in rare cases to a brief video recording that COMPASS and MonitorEDU may review.

Inside a simulation, NEXT moves forward and PREVIOUS takes you back to reread. Selections cannot be changed once clicked. A section you skip without selecting anything cannot be answered later, and SUBMIT SIMULATION ends your access to that simulation. The exam strategy module covers pacing and what to do when a simulation runs long, and the format guide explains the structure.

If something goes wrong

Technical difficulties on the day go to COMPASS at [email protected] (opens in a new tab), and MonitorEDU's live chat handles technical questions. The manual says that after a temporary power outage during your scheduled exam, the exam resumes where it stopped, and that MonitorEDU decides whether a wider outage or severe weather justifies rescheduling. Note this rule: a failure caused by not meeting the minimum technical and room standards is not grounds for appeal. That is why the five-day check matters.

Results come six to eight weeks later as a pass or fail, with a one-page score report from COMPASS and a results notice from CRPO.

To rehearse the mechanics, the CRPO Exam Lab's 10-minute diagnostic and free practice case use the same irreversible, one-click selections.

Common questions

Can I take a bathroom break during the CRPO exam?

Yes. Breaks of up to five minutes each are allowed if you tell the proctor first, but the three-hour clock keeps running during them.

Can I use scrap paper?

No. Pens, pencils, paper and printed material are not allowed on your desk. Use the electronic notepad on the taskbar, which clears when you submit each simulation.

What ID do I need?

Two pieces of government-issued ID with your CRPO unique identifier. CRPO's exam page requires one with a photo, while the Resource Manual asks for two photo IDs, so bring two with photos.

What happens if I am late?

Log in at least 15 minutes early. The Resource Manual says a candidate who arrives more than 15 minutes late forfeits the registration and the fees paid.