Bring your fully charged testing device with Bluebook installed and exam setup done, your admission ticket (a printed copy is preferred), a physical photo ID, pencils or pens for scratch work, and your College Board username and password. A non-CAS calculator, a watch without an alarm, a charger and a snack are optional. Your phone goes away for the whole test.
What to bring to the SAT: the must-have list
College Board's What to Bring page lists what you need for a weekend SAT. Pack these the night before, and confirm your date on our SAT test dates page:
| Item | The rule |
|---|---|
| Testing device | Fully charged, Bluebook installed, exam setup completed. It needs to stay on for roughly 3 hours. |
| Admission ticket | From Bluebook after exam setup, 1 to 5 days before the test. A printed ticket is preferred; you can also email it to yourself. |
| Photo ID | An original, physical ID. Digital IDs on a phone are not accepted. |
| Pencils or pens | For scratch work. The proctor collects your scratch paper at the end. |
| College Board username and password | College Board lists it as a must-bring. Know it by heart, since your phone will be put away. |
If you are approved for Text-to-Speech, you must also bring wired, non-Bluetooth headphones. Epinephrine auto-injectors such as EpiPens are allowed without an accommodation, stored in a clear bag under your desk. For other medicines, College Board says to contact Services for Students with Disabilities. Our SAT accommodations guide covers how to request them. Taking the SAT at school instead? College Board says your school will tell you how to prepare, and it keeps a separate in-school what-to-bring page.
Get a practice run on the format first. The Digital SAT practice test catalog lets you try five sample questions from any test without an account.
What else can you bring to the SAT?
Want a few more reps? The June 2026 Reading and Writing Question Bank is free with a free account.
Start 1-day free trial →College Board lists five "nice to have" items you may bring:
- A watch without an audible alarm. Bluebook shows a timer, but a watch helps you time your break.
- A charging cable or portable charger. College Board can't promise you an outlet.
- A bag or backpack.
- A drink or snacks for your break.
- A backup testing device.
Tablet users may bring an external keyboard, and anyone may bring an external mouse and mouse pad. You get one 10-minute break between the two sections.
What ID do you need for the SAT?
You need a valid photo ID issued by a government or by the school you attend now. It must be the physical card, and the name must match your admission ticket exactly. College Board's ID requirements page gives the full rules:
- Accepted: a driver's license or non-driver ID card, a current school ID, a passport or U.S. Global Entry card, a military or national ID card, or the SAT Student ID Form (U.S. centers, students under 21).
- Not accepted: digital IDs on a device, photocopies, birth certificates, Social Security cards, credit or debit cards, employee IDs, temporary IDs, or any worn or damaged card.
- Last year's school ID still counts until December 31. College Board's example: school IDs from 2025-26 work through December 31, 2026.
- 21 or older on test day? Only a government-issued photo ID works. Student IDs don't.
- Name change? Contact Customer Service at least 30 days before your test. A nickname on your ticket and your full name on your ID will get you turned away.
Keep your ID with you all day, breaks included. Staff check it every time you enter the testing room.
Can you bring a calculator to the SAT?
See which question types are costing you points
Start with a free mock, free drills, or preview sample questions before using all 45 question banks.
Yes, but College Board says calculators are not required. Bluebook has a built-in Desmos calculator with graphing and scientific modes for the whole Math section. If you bring your own, College Board's calculator policy sets these rules:
- No CAS calculators. College Board now bans calculators with a computer algebra system. Banned models include the TI-89, TI-92, TI-Nspire CAS, HP Prime and Casio ClassPad. A TI-Nspire without "CAS" in its name is still allowed.
- Graphing, scientific and 4-function calculators are allowed. College Board does not recommend 4-function models, because they typically don't follow order of operations.
- Clear it first. Remove stored documents and any programs that solve or factor equations.
- Math only. The calculator goes under your desk during Reading and Writing and stays on your desk during the break. No power cords, and no sharing.
To practice on the same calculator, use our Desmos for the SAT page. For the full calculator rules, read is Desmos allowed on the SAT.
What can't you bring to the SAT?
Unless you have an approved accommodation, you can't use these items during the test or on breaks, per College Board's prohibited devices list:
- Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers and smart glasses. A simple digital or analog watch is fine.
- Wireless earbuds or headphones, audio players and any other electronics except your testing and backup devices.
- Earplugs, separate timers and detachable privacy screens.
- An external keyboard for a laptop or Chromebook, or a stylus for an iPad.
- Notes, books, papers, rulers, compasses, protractors and banned calculators.
Staff will collect your phone or have you put it in your bag away from your desk. If it makes a noise or you touch it, even on a break, you can be dismissed and your scores canceled. Our post on how Bluebook prevents cheating explains the other test-day security rules.
What time should you arrive for the SAT?
Arrive by 7:45 a.m. unless your admission ticket says otherwise. Doors close at 8 a.m., and you can't get in once testing starts. This is College Board's sample Saturday schedule:
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:15 a.m. | Students borrowing a College Board device arrive |
| 7:45 a.m. | All students check in |
| 8:00 a.m. | Doors close |
| 8:15 to 8:30 a.m. | Testing starts |
| 10:45 to 11:00 a.m. | Standard-time testing ends |
If you are late or absent, you have to register again and pay the standard fee. The next test dates are November 7 and December 5, 2026. Our guide to the November 2026 SAT lists its deadlines, and the SAT registration deadline guide covers late registration.
What should you do in the week before the SAT?
Set up your device early, then do one timed practice run.
- Check your device now. Bluebook runs on Windows and Mac laptops, Windows tablets, iPads and school-managed Chromebooks. It does not run on personal Chromebooks or phones. College Board's device readiness page says to download Bluebook at least 30 days before the test. You must request a loaner device at least 30 days ahead too.
- Complete exam setup 1 to 5 days before. This downloads your test and creates your admission ticket. Print it.
- Take a timed practice section. A free account includes one full-length adaptive SAT section, with 27 questions in 32 minutes per Reading and Writing module and 22 questions in 35 minutes per Math module. For extra practice, try the free June 2026 Reading and Writing bank or the October 2026 Math bank.
- On test morning, close and reopen Bluebook to check for messages about your test center, and charge your device.
After the test, see what time SAT scores are released and how to check your SAT scores.
How we built this page
We read College Board's SAT pages on what to bring, ID requirements, prohibited devices, what to expect on test day, device readiness, the SAT Suite calculator policy and the SAT dates page. The practice timing comes from our own adaptive test database. All facts verified 2026-10-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
What else can you bring to the SAT?
College Board lists five optional items: a watch without an audible alarm, a charging cable or portable charger, a bag or backpack, a drink or snacks for the break, and a backup testing device. Tablet users may also bring an external keyboard.
What ID do you need for the SAT?
A valid, physical photo ID issued by a government or by the school you attend now, with your full legal name exactly as on your admission ticket. Digital IDs, photocopies and birth certificates are not accepted. Students 21 or older must use a government-issued photo ID.
Can you bring a calculator to the SAT?
Yes, though College Board says calculators are not required because Bluebook has a built-in Desmos calculator. Your own calculator must not have CAS functionality, so models such as the TI-89, TI-92, TI-Nspire CAS, HP Prime and Casio ClassPad are banned.
What can't you bring to the SAT?
Unless you have an approved accommodation, you can't use phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, wireless earbuds, earplugs, separate timers, privacy screens, laptop keyboards, iPad styluses, notes, rulers or banned calculators during the test or breaks.
What time should you arrive for the SAT?
Check in by 7:45 a.m. unless your admission ticket says otherwise. Doors close at 8 a.m. and testing starts between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. Students borrowing a College Board device arrive at 7:15 a.m.
Related Concepts
Sources and Citation Targets
- College Board: What to Bring on Digital SAT Test Day
- College Board: What to Bring for In-School Testing
- College Board: SAT ID Requirements
- College Board: SAT Suite Calculator Policy
- College Board: Prohibited Devices
- College Board: What to Expect on Test Day
- College Board: SAT Device Readiness
- Canonical URL