What to bring to the IELTS test
What to bring to your IELTS test: the same passport or ID you registered with, what the centre provides, and the phones, watches and notes that are banned.
Bring only the identity document you registered with — for most candidates a valid passport — and nothing else you can leave at home. The centre provides pen, pencil and scratch paper. Phones, watches, notes and all personal items are banned from the test room and stored outside.
Packing for IELTS is short work: the centre supplies everything you write with, so the one thing that truly matters is the identity document you registered with. Get that wrong — a different passport, an expired card — and you can be turned away at the door. Almost everything else you own stays outside the test room.
Your ID is the one thing you cannot forget
Bring the exact identity document you gave when you registered — for the large majority of candidates that means a valid, in-date passport. It must be the same document, not a renewed or replacement version, and the name and number must match your booking precisely. Some centres accept a national identity card for their own citizens, but the passport is the safe default; your confirmation email states what your centre requires.
You do not normally need to bring passport photos. On test day the centre photographs you and, in most places, takes a finger scan for identity verification — that captured image is what appears on your result. If your ID has changed or expired since you booked, contact the centre well before the day rather than turning up and hoping.
What the test centre provides
For computer-delivered IELTS you bring nothing to write with. The centre supplies a pen or pencil and scratch paper — sometimes a small booklet or laminated notepad — for rough working, and it is collected at the end. Headphones for the Listening test and the computer itself are provided and set up for you.
A bottle of water is usually allowed at your desk, provided it is clear and the label has been removed. Rules on food and other small items vary by centre, so treat your confirmation email and the official test-day guidance as the authority rather than any general checklist.
What has to stay outside the room
Personal belongings are not allowed at the desk, and the list of banned items is long: mobile phones, smartwatches and watches of any kind, fitness bands, notes, books and study material, bags, wallets and any other electronic device. The centre provides lockers or a supervised storage area for everything you arrive with.
The rule on phones and watches is strict for a reason — they are the classic tools for cheating, so a device found on you during the test, even switched off in a pocket, can be enough to void your result. Leave watches at home: the test room has a clock, and the on-screen timer counts your remaining time on the computer-delivered test.
Allowed vs not allowed on test day
A quick reference for what belongs in the test room and what stays outside. Exact rules vary slightly by centre and test type, so confirm anything unusual on your confirmation email or the official test-day guidance.
| Item | Test room | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Passport or registration ID | Required | Must be the same, still-valid document you booked with — name and number matching exactly. |
| Pen, pencil, eraser | Provided | The centre gives you these; there is no need to bring your own. |
| Scratch / note paper | Provided | Handed out for rough working and collected at the end — do not take it away. |
| Water | Usually allowed | In a clear bottle with the label removed; check food rules with your centre. |
| Mobile phone | Banned | Switched off and stored outside — not in your pocket. Being caught with one can void your result. |
| Watch or smartwatch | Banned | No watch of any kind at the desk; a clock and an on-screen timer show the time. |
| Notes, books, study material | Banned | Nothing written may be taken into the room. |
| Bag, wallet, other electronics | Stored outside | Lockers or a supervised area are provided for everything you arrive with. |
Item lists differ a little between centres and between the computer-delivered and paper-based tests. Where anything is unclear, the official test-day rules and your booking confirmation are the authority.
Common questions
Do I have to bring the same passport I registered with?
Yes. Your ID must be the exact document you used to book — the same, still-valid passport or national ID, with the name and number matching your registration. A renewed or replacement document can cause problems, so if yours has changed since booking, contact the centre before test day.
Do I need to bring my own pens or pencils?
No. For computer-delivered IELTS the centre provides a pen or pencil and scratch paper for rough notes, and collects the paper at the end. You bring nothing to write with — just your ID.
Are watches or smartwatches allowed in the test?
No. Watches of any kind, including smartwatches and fitness bands, are banned from the desk and must be stored outside. The test room has a clock, and the computer-delivered test shows a countdown timer on screen.
What happens to my phone and bag during the test?
They are left in lockers or a supervised storage area outside the test room, and your phone must be switched off. A phone found on you during the test — even off, even in a pocket — can be treated as cheating and void your result.
Can I bring water into the test room?
Usually, yes — in a clear bottle with the label removed. Rules on food and other items vary by centre, so check your confirmation email or the official test-day guidance if you are unsure.
Do I need to bring passport-style photos?
Generally no. The centre photographs you on the day and, in most places, takes a finger scan for identity checks — that image is what appears on your result. Confirm your centre's requirements on your booking confirmation.
Official sources
Confirm the current figures — fees, dates and exact policies — on the official sites, which set them.
Prepare for the test itself — full timed mocks in the real computer-delivered interface.
Start a mock testReviewed 10 September 2026. Procedures follow the official IELTS partners; always confirm current fees and dates on the sources above.