CHFM Exam Check-in Guide: PSI Online Proctoring 2026

This guide walks through the whole process in the order you will meet it. It is built from the CHFM Candidate Handbook and PSI’s own help pages, and where the two disagree, it tells you which one wins.

How This Exam Is Delivered

The CHFM credential is promoted by ASHE, but the exam itself is run by the AHA Certification Center (AHA-CC), which contracts PSI to administer, score and report it. You can sit the exam at a PSI test center or by live remote proctoring, where a human proctor watches you through your own webcam. The handbook says you can switch between the two modes online, as long as you do it at least two business days before your appointment.

These figures come from the handbook (effective July 2024, with text last revised March 2022). Policies get updated, so open the current handbook before you book (confirm on the official page).

A note for candidates outside the United States. The handbook describes test centers as being located across the United States, and I could not find an official statement of which countries allow live remote proctoring for CHFM (confirm on the official page). The scheduling page in your AHA account is the place where you will see what is actually offered in your country. Also keep in mind that the content outline is built around US codes and agencies such as NFPA 99 and 101, CMS, OSHA and ASHRAE, so study for that framework wherever you sit.

Pre-Exam Preparation

Hardware and Network Requirements

PSI has two ways of running the exam: a downloaded Secure Browser or a Chrome extension. Your confirmation email says which one you get, and the requirements below apply to both unless noted.

• Operating system: Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), a macOS version on PSI’s supported list (Sequoia 15 and Tahoe 26 are listed, and so is 27), or Ubuntu LTS 22.04, 24.04 or 26.04. Windows in S-mode, Windows on Snapdragon, and Windows Education or Enterprise editions are not supported.
• Chromebooks: supported with the Chrome extension only, not the Secure Browser. If your exam uses the Secure Browser, borrow a Windows, Mac or Ubuntu machine.
• Memory and disk: 8 GB of RAM minimum and 16 GB recommended, with at least 50% of memory free when you launch. The Secure Browser needs about 500 MB of free disk space.
• Screen: 1920 x 1080 recommended, 1024 x 768 minimum.
• Internet: a stable broadband connection of 3 Mbps or faster in both directions (750 kbps is the stated floor). Wired is better than Wi-Fi. Ask the rest of the household to stop streaming.
• No VPN, no corporate firewall: both block the secure connection.
• Not allowed as your exam device: phones, most tablets (a Surface Pro with a front camera is the exception), and virtual machines such as VMware, VirtualBox and Parallels.
• Webcam: it must be able to do a full 360-degree room scan and stay connected for the whole session. On a laptop you will carry the whole machine around the room. On a desktop you need an external webcam you can move. Your phone can photograph your ID but cannot act as your webcam.
• Audio: use your built-in microphone and speakers. PSI says not to use headsets or earbuds.
• Admin rights: you must be able to install software and close banned applications. Work and school computers often block this.
• Extra gear: unplug additional cameras and microphones before launch. PSI’s troubleshooting page also tells Windows desktop users to unplug extra monitors, so unplug the second monitor the night before (confirm on the official page).

Run PSI’s System Compatibility Check on the computer and in the room you will actually use. The handbook says you must complete this check before you schedule your exam, not after. You can also test your camera, microphone and bandwidth together with PSI’s hardware and connection check.

Exam Tip: The compatibility check does not test whether the software can install or whether you can close banned programs. Only the tutorial does that. After you book, open the Test Taker Portal, go to My Tests, and run the Secure Browser tutorial on your exam computer a few days ahead. If it fails on a locked-down laptop, you want to learn that now, not at check-in.

ID Requirements

Here the vendor and the platform give different answers, and you should follow the vendor. The CHFM handbook says you present two forms of ID to get into a test center, a testing room or a remote proctored exam. The primary ID must be government-issued, current, and show your name, signature and photograph. The handbook’s examples are a driver’s license, a state ID card, a passport or a military ID. The secondary ID must show your name and signature, and the handbook’s examples include a signed credit card, a signed employment or student ID, or a signed Social Security card. Temporary IDs are never accepted.

PSI’s general online-proctoring pages are stricter. They ask for a valid government-issued photo ID with your full name and a recent, recognizable photo, with a passport, a driver’s license or a national ID card as examples. They state that military IDs, school IDs and credit cards are not accepted. So two of the handbook’s own examples (military ID and credit card) conflict with PSI’s online check-in rules, and I could not find anything that settles the conflict for CHFM (confirm on the official page).

For a global audience the practical answer is this: use a current passport as your primary ID, because it satisfies both rule sets and is not tied to any one country. For the secondary ID, pick something that shows your name and signature and is not a credit card, military ID or student ID, then email the AHA Certification Center to confirm it will be accepted online before you test (confirm on the official page). A national ID card with a photo is accepted by PSI’s general rules, but it is not named in the handbook’s examples, so confirm it too if that is all you have.

Name matching is where first-timers lose their appointment. The name on your ID has to match the name you registered with. If it does not, the handbook says to bring proof of the change, such as a marriage license, divorce decree or court order. It does not say how that proof is handled in a webcam check-in (confirm on the official page), so fix the mismatch in your AHA and PSI accounts days before the exam rather than trying to explain it on camera. Also confirm how PSI treats middle names and suffixes (confirm on the official page).

Exam Tip: Compare three things side by side the night before: the name in your AHA account, the name in your PSI account, and the name printed on your ID. Expired IDs, blurry photos and name mismatches are the most common reasons PSI lists for delayed ID checks.

Testing Environment

• Use a private room with a door you can close. No one else may be in the room, including children and pets.
• Clear the desk down to the computer and a mouse. PSI treats your room like a test center, so notes, books, extra devices and personal items go elsewhere.
• Light the room so your face is clearly visible for the whole session. A lamp behind your screen works better than a window behind your head.
• Put your phone out of reach but nearby enough to photograph your ID if PSI asks you to scan a QR code, then move it out of the room before the room scan. Check what your check-in screen asks for (confirm on the official page).
• Go to the bathroom before you launch. Leaving camera view during an exam is generally not allowed.

Step-by-Step Check-in Walkthrough

PSI’s on-screen order can vary slightly by program, so treat the sequence below as the typical flow rather than a script (confirm on the official page).

1. Run the tutorial days ahead. What to do: after booking, open My Tests in the Test Taker Portal and run the Secure Browser tutorial. Sticking point: the install is blocked or the banned-application check fails. Fix: switch to a personal computer, sign in as an admin, and contact PSI Support with plenty of time to spare.
2. Prepare the machine 30 minutes before. What to do: restart the computer, close every program you do not need, unplug extra cameras, microphones and monitors, and plug into power. Sticking point: antivirus software that blocks the exam. Fix: PSI advises temporarily disabling it for the exam and turning it back on afterwards.
3. Launch at the 15-minute mark. What to do: sign in to the portal and start the exam. The handbook says check-in can begin up to 15 minutes before your appointment and that you must log in no later than your scheduled time. Sticking point: PSI’s general advice is to go in 15 to 30 minutes early, but the handbook’s window starts at 15. Fix: do the heavy setup earlier (steps 1 and 2) and treat 15 minutes before as your launch time (confirm on the official page).
4. Install and close banned apps. What to do: let the Secure Browser or extension load and follow the prompts to close anything it flags. Sticking point: a stubborn background program. Fix: restart, then launch again with nothing else open.
5. Photograph your ID. What to do: take a clear photo of your government-issued ID, using your webcam or a phone if prompted to scan a QR code. Sticking point: glare and blur. Fix: lay the ID flat under even light, hold still, and retake until every character is sharp.
6. Take your selfie and confirm your details. What to do: look straight at the camera, let it compare your face to the ID, then confirm your details and agree to monitoring. Sticking point: hats, heavy shadows or a bright window behind you. Fix: face your light source and remove anything covering your face.
7. Scan the room and desk. What to do: pan the camera through a full 360 degrees, then show the desk surface, the floor, the ceiling and the area around your workstation. Sticking point: a cable that is too short to reach the corners. Fix: set up with the cable slack in mind, or use a longer USB extension for an external webcam.
8. Show your wrists and ears. What to do: show both so the proctor can confirm you have no hidden devices. Remove watches, earbuds, headphones and decorative jewelry, except items worn for religious or medical reasons. Sticking point: a smartwatch you forgot about. Fix: take it off in the earlier steps and leave it in another room.
9. Wait for the check-in specialist and the proctor. What to do: a check-in specialist reviews your documents and scans, then a live proctor releases the exam. Stay seated and in camera view while you wait. Whether the 2-hour clock starts at release or at some earlier point is not spelled out for online exams (confirm on the official page).

What the Proctor Looks for During the Room Scan

The scan is a search for anything that could give you help or let you capture questions. Here is what to have cleared before you start:

• Notes, books, sticky notes, whiteboards and anything with writing on it, including on the walls near your desk.
• Phones, tablets, second laptops, smart speakers and other screens.
• Extra monitors, cameras and microphones that are not part of the exam setup.
• Accessories on your body: watches, earbuds, headphones, decorative jewelry and hair ties.

Rules During the Exam

The rules come from AHA-CC, not from the proctor. The proctor’s job is to enforce them and record what they see. All sessions are recorded and reviewed, so a decision does not have to happen live. The CHFM handbook does not publish a list of which behaviors earn a warning and which end the session, so the split below uses PSI’s general description (minor concerns get warnings, serious violations end the exam) together with the handbook’s misconduct list. Which tier a given behavior lands in is the proctor’s and AHA-CC’s call (confirm on the official page).

Tier 1: Behaviors That Typically Draw a Warning

• Looking off-screen repeatedly.
• Covering your mouth or fidgeting near your face.
• Muttering to yourself or reading questions aloud.
• Drifting partly out of camera view.

Treat every warning as one step from the next tier. PSI notes that repeated or serious issues can end the session.

Tier 2: Behaviors That Can End the Exam, Void the Score and Forfeit the Fee

The handbook says a candidate who does any of the following may be dismissed, have the score voided and lose the exam fee. The AHA-CC Appeal Board then reviews the evidence to decide whether you may reapply, and reapplying means a full new application and fee.

• Having or using a phone or any other electronic device or communication equipment.
• Giving or receiving help, or appearing to.
• Talking with anyone during the exam.
• Recording, copying or making notes of exam questions in any form.
• Leaving the testing room or location during the exam.
• Using notes, books or other aids that have not been approved.
• Having a second person enter the room.

Exam questions are copyrighted by AHA-CC, and the handbook warns of civil and criminal penalties for sharing them.

Breaks, Scratch Paper, Drinks and Calculators

Breaks. The handbook’s rules were written with test centers in mind: you need the proctor’s permission to leave the room, and no extra time is added for the time you are away. For online exams, PSI says most programs allow no breaks and that stepping out of camera view can end the session. I found no CHFM-specific online break policy (confirm on the official page). Plan for two hours with no break, and request an accommodation in advance if you have a medical need.

Scratch paper and pencils. At a test center, the handbook says you get pencils and one sheet of scratch paper, which you hand back at the end, and personal writing instruments are not allowed. For an online exam, PSI says the desk should hold only the computer and a mouse. Whether CHFM allows paper, a pen or a digital whiteboard online is not stated in what I found (confirm on the official page).

Calculators. Several sample questions in the handbook involve FTE counts and depreciation, so this matters. The handbook allows a silent, non-programmable calculator with no paper tape and no alphabetic keypad, and says calculators are checked before admission. That rule is written for test centers and testing rooms. Whether a physical calculator is allowed on camera in an online session, or whether an on-screen one is provided, needs to be confirmed (confirm on the official page).

Food and drink. The handbook bans eating, drinking and smoking in the testing room. PSI says that in online exams only water in a clear, label-free container is typically allowed, and only when the program permits it (confirm on the official page). If you are unsure, do not have a drink at your desk.

Exam Tip: Do not assume the test-center rules for calculators and scratch paper carry over to your living room. Email the AHA Certification Center before exam day, ask what is allowed in a remote session, and keep the reply. If the answer is “nothing on the desk,” practice the arithmetic questions from the sample set by hand first.

Online Proctored vs. Test Center

Who Online Proctoring Suits

Choose it if you live far from a test center, you own a personal computer with admin rights, you have a truly private room, and your broadband is reliable.

Who the Test Center Suits

Choose it if your only computer is issued by your employer, your home is noisy or shared, your connection is unreliable, or you would rather not worry about software installs. The test center removes most of the technology variables, which is why it is a reasonable first-attempt choice.

Exam Day Checklist

The Night Before

• Confirm the appointment date, time and time zone in your portal.
• Compare the name on your AHA account, PSI account and ID.
• Put your passport and your second ID where you can reach them.
• Unplug your second monitor and any extra webcams or microphones.
• Run the Secure Browser tutorial one more time if anything has changed on your computer.
• Clear the desk and the wall around it, and check the room lighting.

60 Minutes Before

• Switch off your VPN and stay off any corporate network.
• Take off your watch, earbuds and decorative jewelry.
• Remove phones and notes from the room, keeping only what you need to photograph your ID.

30 Minutes Before

• Restart your computer and close everything you will not need.
• Turn off Bluetooth if you are on a Mac, and launch from the desktop if you are on Ubuntu.
• Check your connection and confirm 3 Mbps or better in both directions.
• Sign in to the portal and wait for the launch button.

During the Exam

• Launch at the 15-minute mark, and no later than your start time.
• Follow the check-in prompts in order and do not hurry the room scan.
• Stay seated and in camera view, with your eyes on the screen.
• Answer all 110 questions before ending the exam; the handbook says there is no penalty for guessing.
• If something breaks, use the chat box or the support number shown in the Secure Browser banner.

FAQ

Technical Problems

What happens if my internet drops during the exam?

PSI says the system tries to reconnect you, and in most cases you can resume where you left off. If the disconnections are long or repeated, the software can close, and you must relaunch and go through check-in again. I could not find a CHFM-specific policy on interruptions, including whether time is added back (confirm on the official page). Contact PSI Support through the number in the Secure Browser banner, then follow up with the AHA Certification Center in writing.

Can I use my laptop’s built-in webcam?

Yes. PSI recommends the built-in microphone and camera on a laptop, and you will carry the whole laptop around the room for the scan. Desktop users need an external webcam that can be moved. Do not unplug the camera while the exam is open, because PSI says this ends the session immediately.

Can I use my work laptop, a VPN or a virtual machine?

Do not. PSI recommends a personal computer because work and school machines usually block the software. Virtual machines are not supported, a VPN or corporate firewall blocks the secure connection, and Windows Enterprise and Education editions are on the unsupported list. If a work laptop is all you have, the test center is the safer choice.

ID, Timing and Rescheduling

What if I miss the check-in window or it times out?

The handbook is clear on lateness: more than 15 minutes after your scheduled time and you are not admitted, and you forfeit the application and fees. It does not describe what happens when check-in itself stalls (confirm on the official page). Contact PSI Support immediately through the chat or phone number in the software. For a genuine emergency, the handbook lets you ask AHA-CC in writing, within 30 days, to consider a no-fee reschedule with supporting documents. That is decided case by case and is not guaranteed.

My ID name does not match my registration. Can I still test?

The handbook asks you to bring proof of a name change, but it does not say how that works in a remote session. Do not rely on explaining it to a proctor. Contact the AHA Certification Center (certification@aha.org) before exam day, get your registration corrected, and keep their reply.

Can I switch from online to a test center, or reschedule?

Yes. The handbook says you can reschedule, or change between live remote proctoring and test center testing, through the AHA Certification Portal at least two business days before your appointment, and you must still test inside your original 90-day window. Miss either deadline and you forfeit the application and fees.

Rules and Appeals

Can I appeal if my exam is ended or my score is voided?

You can request reconsideration in writing to the AHA Certification Center within 45 days of receiving your score report or other official correspondence. You must show that you were seriously disadvantaged before or during the exam, and the handbook says to include a $100 fee, which is refunded if the appeal is upheld (confirm on the official page). Evidence of misconduct is separately reviewed by the Appeal Board, which decides whether you may reapply.

References and Sources

Where the Facts in This Guide Come From

Exam facts, scheduling, ID rules, late-arrival policy and misconduct rules come from the CHFM Candidate Handbook. Equipment, check-in steps and general online-proctoring rules come from PSI’s own help pages. Where they differ, the handbook is treated as the governing policy and PSI’s page is noted as the stricter or more specific rule.

References

• CHFM Candidate Handbook (AHA Certification Center)
• ASHE: Certified Healthcare Facility Manager (CHFM) page
• PSI: Online proctoring system requirements
• PSI: How to prepare for your remote online proctored exam at home
• PSI: Your questions answered about online exam ID checks
• PSI: Proctored exam rules and what to expect
• PSI: System Compatibility Check
• PSI: Hardware and connection check (camera, microphone, bandwidth)
• PSI: Online proctoring guide (linked from the CHFM handbook)
• PSI Support help desk
• AONL: Certification page noting AHA Certification Center remote proctoring through PSI (reference only)

Please follow and like us: