Rules checked 7 November 2026
You schedule the CompTIA Security+® exam from your CompTIA account, which hands you to Pearson VUE to choose online testing (OnVUE) or a test center, pick a slot and pay with a voucher or card. Online, you need a private room, a computer that passes Pearson’s system test and valid photo ID, and check-in opens 30 minutes early.
Written by the SecurityMocks team with AI assistance and checked against the sources below. Last reviewed 7 November 2026. SecurityMocks is an independent practice-test site, not affiliated with CompTIA or Pearson VUE: book and get help only through their sites.
Where to take Security+
Both are proctored by Pearson VUE and booked the same way. The difference is who controls the room and the equipment: you, or the center.
| Detail | Online (OnVUE) | Test center |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Your own private room and computer | A Pearson VUE center, some on military bases |
| When | Pearson says 24/7 | Hours vary by center |
| ID | One government photo ID, say Pearson and CompTIA’s online guidelines; two, says CompTIA’s ID policy (see your ID). No US military IDs | Two IDs: government photo ID plus one with name and signature or photo |
| Scratch space | Digital whiteboard | Erasable note board |
| Water | Rules conflict (see what’s allowed) | One clear plastic bottle, up to 750 mL |
| Breaks | None; stay in camera view | No scheduled breaks; sources differ on unscheduled ones |
| Change the booking | Up to the start time, though CompTIA’s voucher terms say 24 hours (see Plan B) | At least 24 hours before |
Do you have a quiet room with a door, a personal computer and steady internet?
No travel and almost any hour. Run the system test before you pay, on the computer and network you’ll use.
CompTIA suggests a center if you lack privacy or reliable internet, or if English is a barrier: online proctors speak only English.
These change often, so check the linked pages when you book.
OnVUE isn’t offered everywhere, and three published lists of excluded countries disagree: CompTIA’s guidelines, Pearson’s CompTIA page and a CompTIA help article, the only one naming China, South Korea and Slovenia. If you’re in a listed country, ask CompTIA before you pay.
IDs must come from the country you test in, or bring your passport plus a secondary ID. Vouchers are tied to one country and currency, and testing where you’re neither a citizen nor a permanent resident needs CompTIA’s approval first.
SY0-801 is English only. In non-English-speaking countries without a translation, CompTIA adds 30 minutes automatically.
Booking
To register for the Security+ exam you use two sites: CompTIA sells the voucher and holds your account, and Pearson VUE runs the booking and the exam.
A voucher is a prepaid code for one attempt, sold on CompTIA’s site. The US list price of the current (SY0-701) voucher was $439 on 7 November 2026.
Security+ exam costUse an email you check, because results go there. Choose Schedule Now and confirm your profile; your name must match your ID exactly.
Pick the exam code, online or a test center (compare up to three), your language, then a date and time.
Paste the voucher into the Voucher/Promotion Code box and click Apply, or pay by card. Submit, and keep the confirmation email.
Vouchers are non-refundable and usually expire a year after purchase. Online times follow your Pearson VUE profile’s time zone, so check it. Accommodations such as extra time must be approved before you book. SY0-801 is expected on or around 17 November 2026: compare SY0-801 vs SY0-701.
Before exam day
Pearson warns that failing an OnVUE requirement on the day can cancel the exam and forfeit the fee.
Five CompTIA and Pearson pages, compared on 7 November 2026, disagree on operating systems and connection speed.
| Source | Operating system | Mbps down / up |
|---|---|---|
| Pearson OnVUE technical requirements (July 2026) | Windows 11 or 10, 64-bit, not S Mode; macOS 14+ | 6 / 2 |
| Pearson’s CompTIA OnVUE page | Windows 10; macOS 14+ | 6 / 2 |
| CompTIA online-proctored guidelines | Windows 10; macOS 13+ | 6 / 2 |
| CompTIA help: OnVUE technical requirements (15 October 2026) | Windows 11 or 10, 64-bit; macOS 10.15+ | 6 / 3 |
| CompTIA help: testing options (21 August 2026) | Not stated | 1 / 1 |
Run the OnVUE system test (5 to 10 minutes, says CompTIA) on the computer and network you’ll use. A Security+ aside: Pearson asks network admins to keep ports 80, 443 and 1935 open. The first two are on our ports and protocols list.
CompTIA’s ID policy asks for two IDs online and at a center: a government photo ID, plus one with your name and a signature or photo. Pearson’s OnVUE page and CompTIA’s own online guidelines ask for one government photo ID. Have both ready.
A greeter checks photos of your space before the exam starts.
Enclosed, quiet and well lit. Never a public space or bathroom.
Only your computer. Paper, pens and food beyond arm’s reach.
Unplug extra monitors; wipe or cover whiteboards.
Keep it nearby: a proctor who needs you will call, not text.
No watch, earbuds, hat or hood.
Anyone entering the frame, even a pet, can end the exam.
OnVUE exam day
Nobody publishes how long each step takes, so these are the fixed points around your appointment time.
Launch the exam from My Exams in your CompTIA account. Use the restroom first: from now on you can’t leave the camera view.
OnVUE checks your equipment, then photographs you, your ID and your room. Your phone can do this step.
You complete a 360° room scan, and a greeter may ask you to move items. Then the phone goes out of reach.
More than 15 minutes late and CompTIA won’t let you test. Missed appointments can’t be rescheduled.
Pearson’s CompTIA page allows 28 minutes to review it. Decline it and you lose the fee.
One session, no breaks. Stay silent, eyes on the screen, notes on the built-in whiteboard.
Stay seated, don’t photograph the result, and close OnVUE before you stand up.
The exam shows in your CompTIA account. Passed? Credly emails you to claim your badge.
At a test center, arrive at least 15 minutes early (CompTIA’s advice; your confirmation email gives the center’s time). You sign the rules, show two IDs, sign a pad, have your photo taken and maybe your palm scanned, lock away your belongings and pat yourself down before staff seat you.
Is Security+ open book?
No, it isn’t open book. There are no notes, no phone and no second screen, online or in person. Your only scratch space is the one Pearson provides.
| Item | Online (OnVUE) | Test center |
|---|---|---|
| Phone | DENY · out of reach | DENY · in a locker |
| Watch, smartwatch | DENY | DENY |
| Headphones, earbuds | DENY | DENY |
| Paper, pens, notes | DENY | DENY |
| Scratch space | ALLOW · whiteboard | ALLOW · note board |
| Water | CHECK · rules conflict | ALLOW · 1 clear bottle |
| Food | DENY | DENY · unless accommodated |
| Talking, reading aloud | DENY | DENY |
| Leaving your seat | DENY | No scheduled breaks |
Water online is the muddle: CompTIA’s guidelines want drinks off the desk; Pearson’s CompTIA page allows one in an unmarked container. Follow CompTIA unless the greeter says otherwise. At a center, CompTIA’s testing policies and Pearson’s FAQ allow the bottle from 2 November 2026, but Pearson’s rules agreement (September 2026) still bans drinking; staff inspect bottles at check-in. On breaks, CompTIA’s guidelines require an approved accommodation, while Pearson’s rules agreement says the clock runs during unscheduled ones. Plan for none. Try Pearson’s practice whiteboard first; its contents are wiped if your connection drops.
Our full-length SY0-801 practice exams share exam day’s shape. Take one at your desk, phone in another room, no notes. Start with the free Security+ practice test.
Plan B
A proctor can’t stop the timer, give you extra minutes or repair your setup, so know the fallbacks before you start.
Relaunch OnVUE from your downloads folder and chat with the proctor. Afterwards, ask Pearson VUE to open a case; Pearson’s general FAQ says most test-day cases are resolved in 3 to 5 business days.
CompTIA’s testing policies allow online changes until the start time and test-center changes up to 24 hours ahead, but its voucher terms set a single 24-hour minimum with no online exception. Change at least 24 hours ahead to be safe. To switch from a center to online, cancel and rebook. Cancelling reinstates a voucher; card refunds take up to five business days.
A no-show forfeits the fee, the voucher counts as used, and the appointment can’t be rescheduled.
Send CompTIA a name-correction help request well before exam day; a misspelling or legal name change needs copies of your ID and supporting documents.
Book a second attempt straight away; later attempts need a 14-day wait, and every attempt is paid for. Your score report lists the objectives behind the questions you missed.
Getting your results
You see your result as soon as you finish. Security+ is scored from 100 to 900, and 750 passes.
The score report lists the objectives behind your wrong answers, not the questions. You can request a manual rescore through the CompTIA Help Center. After passing, download your PDF certificate, claim the badge and read how Security+ renewal works.
Print it or screenshot it
Four stages, in order. Every item comes from the rules above.
Settle the computer and the paperwork.
Make the space pass a greeter’s look.
Start early and stay in view.
Leave time for security checks.
FAQ
Sign in to your CompTIA account and choose Schedule Now, which takes you to Pearson VUE. Pick the exam, online or a test center, and a time, then pay with a voucher code or a card.
Yes, through Pearson VUE’s OnVUE with a webcam proctor, except in a few excluded countries. You need a private room, a computer that passes the system test and acceptable ID.
No. Notes, books, phones and second screens are banned. You get a digital whiteboard online or an erasable note board at a test center.
Check-in opens 30 minutes before your appointment, and CompTIA advises logging in then. More than 15 minutes late and you can’t test.
Yes. CompTIA’s testing policies let online bookings change up to the start time and test-center bookings up to 24 hours before, though its voucher terms list a single 24-hour minimum, so earlier is safer. Miss the deadline or the appointment and you lose the fee.
Primary sources
Dates are each page’s last update, where one is shown.
How Do I Schedule My Exam? (28 Oct 2026) · How Can I Take a CompTIA Test Online? (26 Oct 2026) · How Can I Take a CompTIA Test In Person? (24 Sep 2026) · Testing options (21 Aug 2026) · What Is an Exam Voucher? (29 Oct 2026) · How Do I Reschedule My Exam? (31 Oct 2026) · I Missed My Exam (3 Nov 2026) · OnVUE technical requirements (15 Oct 2026) · OnVUE testing space (4 Oct 2026) · Accommodations (24 Sep 2026) · Technical issues (28 Oct 2026) · How Are CompTIA Exams Scored? (29 Oct 2026) · Exam information missing (27 Oct 2026) · PDF certificate (6 Nov 2026) · Digital badge (3 Nov 2026) · Common OnVUE violations (25 Sep 2026) · Correct or change your name (6 Nov 2026) · Buying vouchers (6 Nov 2026)
Take free Mock Test 1 at the desk you’ll test from: 90 questions in 90 minutes, PBQs first, phone out of reach. Every option is explained afterwards.
