What to Expect at the Testing Center
Important Information for Taking ASE Tests in Person at a Testing Center
Prepare for your ASE testing appointment by knowing when to arrive, what to bring, and reviewing test security procedures.
Arrival Time
Plan to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment to allow enough time to park, find the test center office, and for check-in. Late arrivals may be turned away by the test center staff. If a test cannot be taken because of arriving late, all fees are forfeited.
When you schedule your tests, you’ll have a wide choice of daytime, evening, and weekend reserved appointments. An extra half-hour is included in each appointment to allow time for check-in, a pre-test tutorial, and a post-test survey.
Bring Your Photo ID with Signature
You must present a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID in original form with your photo and signature. Expired IDs or copies are not accepted. The name on your ASE record must match your ID. Acceptable primary IDs include a driver’s license, passport book, state or national ID, military ID, or (for students) a current school ID. In Canada, a permanent resident or health care card is also accepted. If testing outside your country of citizenship, a passport book is required.
If your primary ID is missing a photo or signature, you must provide a secondary ID with the missing element. A Social Security card can confirm a signature, while a permanent resident card or passport card can confirm a photo. If you fail to present valid ID or your identity cannot be verified, you will not be allowed to test and will forfeit your fees.
Test Center Security Procedures
To safeguard the test questions and ensure fairness for all candidates, enhanced security procedures are used at the test center. You will be given a copy of all test center regulations when checking in. Please read this carefully. You will be assigned a small locker to store all your personal items (cell phone, electronic devices, watch and other jewelry, keys, wallet, medications, food, drinks, etc.), so please limit what you bring with you to the test center.
Items not allowed in testing center
Water is allowed in the testing room. No other beverages are permitted. All water must be in a clear or transparent container with a lid or cap. All labels must be removed, and the container will be inspected for notes or other test aids. You will need to remove the lid/cap for visual inspection by the test center staff. If the container does not meet requirements, it must be kept in your assigned locker. No jewelry is allowed in the testing room, other than wedding bands and engagement rings. Bracelets, necklaces, earrings, headbands, hair clips, neck ties, etc. must be removed and stored in your locker. If you need tissues, the test center will provide them.
Screening process
You will be asked to pull up your pants legs and sleeves and turn your pockets inside-out. You will be screened with a hand-held metal detector. You will be asked to remove your eyeglasses for visual inspection. Wedding bands and engagement rings are also visually inspected. This screening process is repeated every time you return from a break. Please note that the same security procedures apply to everyone taking tests at an ASE testing center, regardless of the type of test - automotive, medical, business, or education. If you do not comply with the directions of the test center staff and security regulations, you will not be allowed to test and will forfeit your fees.
Why are the Security Procedures Necessary?
In short, to ensure your ASE certification retains its value.
- ASE invests a lot of time and resources every year to develop the tests. That also applies to the other professional and admissions testing programs that use Prometric test centers.
- Automotive service professionals like you work hard to honestly pass the tests and become ASE certified.
- If someone cheats, has someone else take the test for them, or the ASE test questions show up on the Internet, your hard work is devalued, and ASE could lose credibility.
- If the integrity of the test is questioned, technicians, employers, and consumers could lose confidence in the ASE credential.
Bottom line: ASE Testing Centers are not targeting service technicians; they use the same security procedures for everyone who tests there. No one likes security hassles, but they protect the value of your ASE certification.
Breaks
You can take a short break (less than 10 minutes) between tests. Do not take a break during a test as the timer will continue to run and you will not have time to finish.
Breaks are restricted to the testing area and restrooms. Leaving the area; accessing cell phones, study materials, or notes; or discussing test questions will result in cancellation of incomplete/untaken tests. Fees will be forfeited.
Test Questions
When you arrive for your ASE test, you’ll find the test contains multiple-choice questions that are designed to test specific knowledge needed for competent job performance. Every question has one single right answer, three wrong answers, and enough information to choose the right answer.
Taking the Test
You will receive scratch paper and pencils which must be returned to the test center staff when you finish your appointment. Once you are seated, the test center administrator will explain how to use the computer and mouse. Each test appointment begins with a short tutorial that will help you become familiar with the operation of the computer-based test.
If a question is difficult, mark the answer that you think is correct, flag the question using the on-screen button, then go on to the next question. When you have finished the test, you may have time to go back to those flagged questions. Your score is based on the number of correct answers, so it is to your advantage to answer every question.
Test results and survey
When you finish your last test, you will be given a short customer satisfaction survey. Your detailed score report is emailed to you after you finish your appointment. Test results can also be viewed and printed in myASE within 24 hours of taking the test in most cases.
Test Time Limit
Each test has a comfortable time limit, usually from 1 to 2 hours, depending on the test. Most recertification tests have fewer questions, with a time limit of 30 or 45 minutes. Advanced Level tests offer time limits between 2 and 2 ½ hours. As you take each test, the computer screen will continuously display the timer and a progress bar. If you finish early, you may review your answers or move on to the next test if your appointment includes multiple tests. Once you submit a test for scoring, you cannot return to it.
The length of each exam varies, select your Test Series to see the list of tests and the time allowed.
Take ASE Testing for a “Test Drive” Today!
To see a video "walk-thru" of what to expect when taking a test, watch the free ASE Testing Demo video.
FAQs
ASE tests focus on knowledge of the skills required to do a certain task, not on theory. This makes ASE tests relevant to what's done on the job, not in some laboratory. ASE's Test Taking Tips provides an interactive look at the different types of ASE questions: www.ase.com/testingtips.
ASE lists the number of questions and allowed times for each of its tests in the Study Guides. To learn how to use the computer testing interface, including time-saving tips, review the YouTube video, “A Look at the ASE Testing Platform” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utfNePc5kOA
If English is your second language, you may bring a standard, published English-to-foreign language dictionary to use during testing. If you speak Spanish, every ASE test features a button on the testing interface that launches an English-Spanish Glossary of Technical Terms.
Relax. ASE offers its tests at nearly 500 secure, proctored centers across the country and has a wide availability of times for testing appointments. You can search for a test center and testing appointment before you register and pay for tests.
You may take all certification tests without having yet earned the necessary experience, but keep in mind, some L series tests have prerequisites.
Regardless of how long it's been since your certifications expired, you're eligible to take the recertification versions of those tests. Except for the Advanced-Level series Recertification tests to have about half the number of questions as the regular tests, so this can ease the burden of recouping the certification status you seek.
You don’t have to be a computer nerd to take an ASE Computer-Based Test (CBT). In fact, you don’t even need to know how to use a PC’s operating system. To see how easy it is, take a test drive of the system to help prepare and feel comfortable with the testing technology.
The best place to start is with a free ASE Study Guide. Select your test series to view study guide materials. The guides contain a detailed "roadmap" for each test, along with sample questions and information on training resources. Also be sure to check out the Official ASE Practice Test: ASEpractice.com
