PSI remote room checklist
How to set up your room for the Illinois PSI remote exam
Use a quiet, private room, clear the desk of prohibited items and arrange the camera so the proctor can see you and complete the room scan. The standard Illinois remote rules prohibit scratch paper, physical calculators and breaks. Prepare the room and computer together, then follow the instructions for your actual appointment.
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Which instructions apply to your room?
The Illinois Candidate Information Booklet dated June 24, 2026 contains this exam's ID and security rules on printed pages 8-10. PSI's general room setup guide, published August 19, 2025, explains room preparation. Use the Illinois rules when general advice allows items only if the exam sponsor permits them.
The checklist below describes the ordinary setup. If you need a medical item, assistive device or other arrangement, use the PSI accommodations process before booking and confirm how the approved arrangement will work. A general checklist cannot grant an exception or promise that a particular room will pass.
Prepare the room before you launch
| Check | What to arrange | What to fix before check-in |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy | A quiet room with a door you can close and control | A shared area where people, children or pets may enter |
| Desk and nearby area | Only required exam equipment and permitted materials | Notes, paper, books, mail, calculator, extra electronics or other prohibited items |
| Lighting | Even light on your face and enough light to inspect the room | A bright window behind you, glare, shadows or changing light |
| Camera and audio | The assigned camera arrangement and working microphone | A blocked view, fixed desktop camera that cannot scan, or unauthorized extra devices |
| Power and network | The exam computer and connection checked in this room | A different location from the one you tested or equipment that cannot stay connected |
Tell household members that the room stays unavailable until you say the session is over. Arrange pet care, calls and deliveries around that window. Leave time for launch, identification, room inspection and checkout as well as the question timer.
Before check-in, close study materials and remove personal papers that should not appear in the scan. Stop background TV, smart-speaker announcements and other avoidable noise. These are preparation steps, not a promise that an interruption will be excused.
Example: a desk can be clear while the space is not private
A dining table may hold only a laptop, yet still be beside a walkway used by everyone in the house. Moving the mail does not solve that problem. Arrange a private room or consider a test center before committing to remote delivery.
Position the camera and practise the room scan
Put the camera head-on, with your face and eyes clearly visible. Use front lighting and adjust reflections on glasses. Frame your working position so you can keep your hands visible as instructed without blocking your face.
PSI's general room guide describes four scan areas:
- All four walls in a full 360-degree sweep.
- The desk surface, including beneath the laptop or keyboard.
- The floor beneath the workspace through to the ceiling.
- Your wrists, ears and accessories such as glasses.
Check that you can show those views without unplugging the camera or pulling equipment off the desk. The current PSI system requirements say laptop users can move the whole laptop; desktop users need a freely movable external webcam. The camera must stay connected and on for the examination. Move the camera slowly enough to show a clear image. After the scan, return it to the approved testing position and keep it stable. Follow the actual prompts, which may include another view or a setup change.
Check the assigned setup before disconnecting extra equipment. PSI's public page discusses second-camera monitoring only for exams that require it. Check your confirmation and assigned instructions before buying or adding another camera. If a second camera is required for your appointment, keep that required device in the setup.
Use the method named in your confirmation. PSI directs booked Secure Browser candidates to its tutorial in My Tests. Run the applicable tutorial or checks with the computer, network and room you will actually use. The system-requirements guide explains why a public compatibility result does not test everything or guarantee test-day performance.
Handle ID, phones and prohibited items separately
| Item | Ordinary remote setup | Do not assume |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted ID | Ready for check-in; store as directed afterwards | That a military ID accepted at a test center is accepted remotely |
| Phone | Use only if the assigned check-in process directs it, then put it away as instructed | That ID capture permits texting, exam use or phone troubleshooting |
| Paper and calculator | No scratch paper or physical calculator under the Illinois remote rules | That test-center permissions apply at home |
| Headphones and earbuds | Remove ordinary headphones, earbuds and headsets | That a headset microphone is acceptable because it works technically |
| Food, drinks and personal items | Remove prohibited items from the testing area | That a personal need creates approval without an arranged accommodation |
PSI's standard camera instructions allow a phone to capture photo ID, not to replace the exam webcam. For an actual assigned second-camera arrangement, follow its specific instructions and confirm any ambiguity with PSI in advance. During testing, use the proctor's official chat channel for a problem; do not reach for your phone to fix it yourself.
Keep a current, valid, unexpired accepted ID with the required photo and signature. The booking name must match. The booklet specifically excludes U.S. military ID for remote testing. See the ID requirements guide for the accepted-document details.
Bookshelves need care. The general PSI blog says background bookshelves are not an issue if you do not access them. The Illinois booklet says prohibited materials must not be within reach or line of sight. Move or cover readable notes and references, including a whiteboard or calendar beside the screen. Ask PSI about a questionable background before the appointment, rather than relying on a blanket promise that all bookcases are acceptable. A general blog statement does not override this exam's security rules or settle your room's approval.
What should happen once testing starts?
- Stay in the approved space and camera view. Do not switch computers or rooms.
- Keep the camera connected and follow instructions about your eyes, hands and desk.
- Do not read questions aloud, whisper, mouth words or communicate with another person.
- Keep study apps, notes, phones and unapproved software closed or put away.
- Use the authorized proctor channel if a problem occurs.
The standard Illinois remote exam does not allow breaks. Do not plan to leave after one portion or assume a pause button supplies permission. The break-policy guide explains the test-center difference and approved-arrangement questions.
If the available room or required break arrangement will not work, review the delivery comparison and appointment-change rules before the deadline. Asking a question does not itself change the reservation, preserve the fee or authorize a rule exception.
Illinois PSI remote room questions
Can I leave a bookshelf in the background?
PSI's general room guide says background bookshelves are not an issue if you do not access them. The Illinois booklet also says prohibited items must not be within reach or line of sight. Do not treat the general blog as permission to display readable notes or references. Move or cover questionable materials and confirm the proposed setup with PSI before exam day if needed; follow the check-in instructions.
Can I use scratch paper or a physical calculator at home?
The Illinois booklet prohibits both for remote-proctored delivery. Test-center scratch-paper and physical-calculator rules do not carry over to your home desk. An empty sheet, calculator app or phone is not an approved substitute. Any approved accommodation must be confirmed through the applicable PSI process; do not assume one.
Does every Illinois remote exam require a second camera?
The public PSI system page links a second-camera guide conditionally, for exams that require it. That link alone does not establish a requirement for every Illinois appointment. Check your confirmation and assigned instructions. Follow the required arrangement, and ask PSI about an unclear requirement before launch.
Can I leave for a bathroom break during the remote exam?
Under the booklet's standard remote rules, no breaks are allowed. Do not assume a break appears between portions or that the timer can be paused. Choose a suitable delivery format and arrange any needed accommodation in advance. A test-center restroom trip requires proctor permission and does not add exam time.
Finish studying before the room check
For practice before exam day, you can download Pass Illinois. Finish the study session, close the app and put the phone away before proctored testing; exam prep is not an allowed exam aid.