To take a PTCB Certification exam, all candidates must present a valid, unexpired, government-issued original ID with a photograph and signature. The proof of identity must be an original document (not a photocopy or digital ID) and the name on the ID must match the candidate’s name as it appears within their PTCB Account (exceptions noted below).
Test Center
Candidates who arrive at the test center without an acceptable ID will not be allowed to test and will forfeit all fees. The following are approved forms of ID:
- Passport/Passport Card
- Government-issued Driver’s License or Learner’s Permit
- Government-issued Identification Card
- Military ID
- Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
- US Department of Homeland Security-issued Employment Authorization Card
If the primary form of ID does not include a signature, candidates must present a valid, unexpired secondary form of ID that contains the candidate’s first and last name and includes a signature. The secondary ID must be original and cannot be a photocopy or an electronic version. The following are examples of approved secondary forms of ID:
- Credit Card
- ATM/Debit Card
- Employee/School ID
Learn more about acceptable forms of ID.
Exceptions
If a candidate presents an expired driver’s license AND an electronic or hard copy receipt for renewal but has not yet received the license, they will be permitted to test if the renewal receipt has not expired. If the renewal receipt is expired, the candidate will not be permitted to test. Temporary licenses are acceptable with all required elements (contains a photo and accompanied by the expired license).
Pearson staff will match the name on the candidate's ID to the name in their system (i.e., the candidate's name as it appears within their PTCB Account). The name on their ID must match exactly, with a few exceptions:
- A hyphen is used on one document but not on another. (Disregard the hyphen). Example: Sarah Johnson Wells OR Sarah Wells are both acceptable matches for Sarah Johnson-Wells.
- Sara Johnson and Sara Myers are individually acceptable as the same person when compared to Sara Johnson-Myers, Sara Johnson Myers, Sara Myers-Johnson, and Sara Myers Johnson because one of the names, either the registration or the ID, has both last names.
- Sara Johnson is not acceptable as Sara Myers without an original marriage certificate, divorce decree, or other legal documentation of a name change since neither name contains both the candidate’s current and former last name.
- Sara Johnson Myers is acceptable for Sara Johnson without an original marriage certificate, divorce decree, or other legal documentation of a name change. If the candidate’s maiden and last names are on their ID, it is acceptable regardless of the order in which they appear.
- Names with initials and reversed names are acceptable:
- J Smith and John Smith are acceptable discrepancies
- Smith J and J Smith are acceptable discrepancies
- John Smith and Smith John are acceptable discrepancies
- Smith J and John Smith are acceptable discrepancies, as are J Smith and John Smith
Online Proctored Testing
Before testing online, candidates will need to provide a headshot photo of themselves, their identification (ID), and their testing space. Identification must meet the requirements outlined below.
- All IDs must be valid (unexpired) government-issued originals (i.e., not a photocopy or an electronic version)
- IDs must include the candidate’s name and a recent, recognizable photo
- The first and last name on the ID must match the first and last name used to register for the exam
For candidates under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian must present their own ID during check-in and give consent for the candidate to be recorded. If they have one, the candidate must also present a government-issued ID. If they do not, a student ID will suffice.
Learn more about acceptable forms of ID for online proctored testing.