Writing Your Exams

SkilledTradesBC offers regularly scheduled exam sessions throughout the year around the province

You may sign up to re-write your exams at one of these sessions. Challengers may also sign up to write at these sessions. You can schedule an exam either through the SkilledTradesBC Portal or by completing this form to Customer Service. 

Please continue to visit this page frequently for updates on venue locations and exam dates available for new requests.

2022 Exam Schedule - Updated as of August 2, 2022

2023 Exam Schedule - Updated as of January 25, 2023

Location Maximum capacity per session
Chilliwack 11 candidates
Courtenay 15 candidates
Fort St John  16 candidates
Kamloops 18 candidates
Kelowna 20 candidates
Nanaimo  18 candidates
Penticton 12 candidates
Prince George 10 candidates
Surrey 24 candidates
Vancouver 24 candidates
Victoria  20 candidates

If you can’t write your exam at one of these sessions, we can arrange for you to write your exam at one of the 60 Service BC offices around the province. 

Mandatory photo ID

Bring one of the following types of PHOTO Identification with you to the exam. Your photo identification MUST BE VALID AND CURRENT on the day you write your exam.

Expired identification and identification with no expiry date will not be accepted.

  • Provincial Driver’s License (issued by a Canadian Province or Territory)
  • Provincial Identification Card (for example, BC Identification Card, Alberta Identification Card)
  • Passport (Canada or foreign)
  • BC Services Card
  • Combination Driver's License and BC Services Card
  • Canadian Permanent Residency Card
  • Canadian Certificate of Indian Status
  • Nexus Card

All the above documents must be originals, legible and not torn or altered in any way. Copies or certified copies will not be accepted.

If you can’t show one of these types of identification, you won’t be allowed to write your exam. You will need to reschedule with SkilledTradesBC and pay any necessary rescheduling fees.

Arrive early and check in

Arrive 30 minutes prior to exam start time and register for your exam.  An invigilator will supervise your exam to make sure you are registered, that the rules are followed and that you have the materials you need.

Materials supplied for certification challengers

You will be provided with all the materials you need to write the exam. These include:

  • Exam booklet
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Calculator
  • Answer sheet
  • Exam question feedback form

Diagram booklets and code books will be supplied when required. No outside code books or calculators will be permitted in the exam room.
SkilledTradesBC Notice Regarding Electronic Code Books

Permissible Material
Certification Exams – government issued photo ID
Level Exam – government issued photo ID, non-programmable calculator, applicable codebook

Prohibited Items
Any material other than the permissible items listed above cannot be present on the candidate’s desk without the prior written approval from the SkilledTradesBC (eg. food and beverage for medical reasons, word for word language dictionary). All prohibited items must be stored away from the candidates at the side or front of the exam room.

Invigilators have the authority to request that candidates remove items they feel will compromise the security of the exam.

Materials For Standard Level Exams

For standard level exams you are required to bring your own code books and calculators.

You may bring a cordless, pocket-sized calculator to the examination. Scientific calculators are permitted when writing an examination; programmable or trade specific calculators, cellular phones, watches, wireless communication devices, personal data assistants, cameras and all other electrical equipment that can store or transmit data are prohibited when writing an SkilledTradesBC level examination. 

Code Books must not have any additional sheets of paper. Acceptable markings in the code book include:

  1. Clarifications, i.e. notes to define or clarify a legal or technical terms
  2. References/Tables – to mark sections for easy references
  3. Highlighting – i.e. to mark sections that are important
  4. Page references to sections to locate the relevant appendices and tables/charts quickly

For Paper exams, you will be provided

  • Exam booklet
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Answer sheet
  • Diagram Booklet if required
  • Exam question feedback form

For online exams you will be provided:

  • Scrap paper
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Online access code

Additional instructions

Time limits

Inter-Provincial Red Seal 4 hours
Certificate of Qualification 3 hours
Level Exam 3 hours
Foundation and Completion Exams 3 hours

Feedback on SkilledTradesBC Exams

When you write an SkilledTradesBC exam, you will have the opportunity to tell us what you think the problem is. Providing exam feedback will not affect your mark but will be used to improve the quality of questions on future exams.

How To Videos

How To Prepare For Your SkilledTradesBC Exam Day

ITA How To: Exam Eligibility for Apprentices

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