Is the NCA exam open book? Online exam rules, proctoring and what to bring

Yes, NCA exams are open book, but hard copy only. You write online for three hours, watched by a remote proctor, and type every answer.

Everything below comes from the NCA's exam rules and FAQs (checked 18 Oct 2026). If something looks different when you read this, the NCA page wins; please reply so we can update this post.

What you can use

• Any reference material in hard copy: books, printed notes, handwritten notes. You can highlight, tab and annotate them.
• No electronic notes or books, and no electronic devices other than the ones the exam requires.
• Answers must be typed. Scans, attachments and photos aren't accepted.
• The online rules set no word limit, but read the instructions on screen at the start of each exam carefully.

Timing and your start time

• Each exam is three hours.
• Your start time appears in the NCA portal under Exam History about two weeks before the session. If it isn't there a week before, email exam@flsc.ca.
• To ask for a different start time, use the NCA Rescheduling Request Form or email schedule@monitoredu.com. Changes aren't guaranteed.

Before exam day

• Check the technical requirements. Complete the MonitorEDU pre-check no later than 6:00 pm Eastern the day before your first exam, and test again on exam day.
• Have government-issued photo ID ready for the proctor.
• Read the NCA's Online Exam Tip Sheet.

At your desk

• A drink in a clear container and a small bag of snacks are allowed.
• No breaks in the first hour: leaving during it ends your exam and disqualifies it.
• After the first hour, ask the proctor before leaving. Breaks are limited to five minutes, and the clock keeps running.
• Destroy any rough notes you make during the exam; the proctor checks. Your own study notes from before the exam are yours to keep.

If something goes wrong

• During the exam, tell your proctor immediately. Then report the problem to the NCA at exam@flsc.ca within five days of writing.
• If anything looks wrong when you submit, tell the proctor before you close anything, and include it in your report to the NCA. MonitorEDU's live chat (open 24/7) is for questions about the technical requirements before exam day.

Cancelling

• Cancel in the portal (My Course Info → Exam History → Refund) before midnight Eastern the day before your exam.
• The NCA keeps a $100 plus tax administrative fee for each cancelled exam.
• If you don't cancel in time and don't write, you lose the full fee. A cancelled exam doesn't count as an attempt, but there are no make-up exams: you re-register and pay again.

Accommodations: email accommodations@flsc.ca for the request form.

Wrote recently? Share practical set-up tips below: room, camera, lighting, how you laid out your books. Please keep them about logistics, not the exam itself.

Sources: Online exam rules, NCA FAQs