CEM Exam Check-in 2026: AEE Remote Proctoring Guide

This guide is for candidates sitting the AEE Certified Energy Manager (CEM) exam online for the first time. If ProctorU’s general rules differ from AEE’s, the difference will be pointed out and AEE’s rules will prevail. Anything you need confirm on an official page is marked.

How This Exam Is Delivered

AEE gives you two ways to sit the CEM. The first is remote proctoring: you take the exam at home or in your office on your own computer, watched by a live proctor over webcam and screen share. The second is a live, in-person exam, normally held on the last day of an AEE training program. AEE’s own materials describe these two routes and do not list a network of commercial test centers. Some third-party sites say the CEM is also offered at “approved testing centers.” (confirm on the official page)

The remote exam runs on ProctorU, which is part of Meazure Learning, and you must use ProctorU’s Guardian Browser. It is not delivered through Pearson VUE or PSI. If you have done an OnVUE exam, the flow will feel familiar (photos, room scan, live proctor), but the software is different.

Regional availability is the part that trips up international candidates. AEE’s remote proctoring page tells candidates outside the U.S. to contact their local training provider for availability and registration, and AEE publishes no country list. The handbook also says the exam, when administered in the United States, is offered only in English. Ask your training provider about language and remote availability before you pay for anything. (confirm on the official page)

The sequence before check-in matters too. You complete an approved training program, submit the certification application (AEE asks for it at least four weeks before your desired exam date), wait for AEE’s approval email, and then receive a ProctorU invitation to the primary email on your application.

Pre-Exam Preparation

Hardware and Network Requirements

Your computer must pass ProctorU’s checks and AEE’s extra restrictions. Here is what to line up.

• A laptop or desktop. AEE says Windows or Apple OS; ProctorU lists Windows 10 or later and macOS 11.0 or later. Phones, tablets and Chromebooks are not accepted. ProctorU’s general page mentions a ChromeOS extension workflow, but AEE states it does not proctor Chromebooks, so follow AEE.
• Guardian Browser, installed and used to sign in. Chrome and Firefox will not work for this exam.
• Webcam and microphone. A built-in webcam is fine. ProctorU’s minimum is 640×480 resolution. The microphone cannot be the one built into headphones, and you need working speakers.
• Internet at 3 Mbps up and 3 Mbps down (ProctorU’s minimum). Wired or Wi-Fi is fine, but AEE says a phone hotspot is not approved.
• ProctorU’s other minimums: 8 GB RAM, 4-core 2.4 GHz CPU, 1366×768 screen resolution, and ports 80 and 443 open.
• One monitor only. ProctorU says all other displays must be disconnected, and AEE’s rules say no duplicated monitors.
• Administrator rights on the computer. The proctor needs to share your desktop, and AEE says that requires some admin privileges.
• No remote-control software running, such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer or Splashtop, and no virtual machine, remote desktop or VPN. Apple Boot Camp is also not allowed.

Exam Tip: ProctorU’s automated “Test Out Equipment” check cannot detect a virtual machine or a blocked port. AEE tells you to run it inside Guardian, then click the Support icon, connect to a live agent, and ask them to confirm there are no blocked ports and that the LogMeIn Rescue applet works. Do this days before the exam, not on exam morning.

If you plan to use a work computer, send your IT team AEE’s port and allow-list document early. Corporate firewalls are the most common reason candidates cannot connect to a proctor.

ID Requirements

AEE and ProctorU both require a government-issued photo ID, shown to the proctor on camera. The detail that matters most is the name.

When you create your ProctorU account, AEE tells you to use the name you used on your certification application. ProctorU’s general rule is that the name on your ID must match the name on your account, so the practical rule is: application name, ProctorU account name, and ID name should all match. Do not use a nickname, and keep any second surname, hyphen or suffix consistent across all three. If they do not match, contact AEE or your training provider well before exam day. ProctorU’s test-center guidance asks for at least 10 days; whether that applies to remote exams is not stated. (confirm on the official page)

AEE does not say which ID type candidates in a given country should use, and it does not mention a secondary ID for remote exams. ProctorU’s examples are a driver’s license or passport, and its guidance says the ID must be valid and include a signature. (confirm on the official page)

Testing Environment

• Take the exam in a private, well-lit room where nobody will walk in. AEE says no one is allowed in your exam space.
• Do not test in a room where a clear glass wall or door lets someone see your screen.
• Clear your desk. The proctor will ask you to remove everything that is not permanently attached or approved, and may check underneath. Do not open desk drawers during the exam.
• Allowed at your desk: a printed, bound reference binder (ring or coil bound PDFs and notes), reference textbooks, a four-function, scientific, graphing or financial calculator, a ruler, a protractor, and book tabs.
• For notes and calculations: a dry-erase whiteboard no larger than 12 × 16 inches with a marker and eraser (recommended by AEE), or four sheets of scratch paper if you have no whiteboard.
• Not allowed: food, smoking or vaping, headphones, earplugs, earbuds, watches, and non-religious head coverings.
• Not allowed in the room: cell phones, laptops other than your exam computer, and any device that can take images (handbook). Put your phone in another room before you start.

Drinks are a gray area. AEE’s page bans food but does not mention beverages, while a training partner’s copy of the rules allows a beverage if it is visible during the room scan. (confirm on the official page) Plain water in a clear glass is the lowest-risk choice.

Step-by-Step Check-in Walkthrough

AEE does not publish one numbered check-in sequence. The order below combines AEE’s instructions with ProctorU’s standard launch process, and the exact order of photos and scans can vary. (confirm on the official page)

1. Book your slot at least 72 hours ahead. ProctorU slots are available around the clock, but each time has limited capacity. Sticking point: no invitation email. Check spam and make sure you are looking at the primary email on your AEE application. Sticking point: time zone. Your exam starts at the time in the time zone you chose when you created the account, so double-check AM versus PM and time zone.
2. Test your equipment in Guardian several days before. Download Guardian, sign in, choose Test Out Equipment, then use the Support icon to confirm ports and the LogMeIn Rescue applet. Sticking point: a corporate or school network. Switch to a home connection or get the allow-list sent to IT.
3. Set up the room the night before. Clear the desk, assemble the binder, and unplug extra monitors. Hunting for a whiteboard marker at the start of check-in wastes time.
4. Log in on exam day. Open Guardian, go to ProctorU, and log in 5 minutes before your appointment as AEE instructs. Be fully set up 30 minutes earlier. AEE does not publish a late-arrival grace period or what happens if you miss your start time, so treat the appointment time as firm. (confirm on the official page) A no-show or cancellation within 24 hours costs $75.
5. Complete the pre-checks. Accept the terms, allow screen sharing, close third-party programs, then take a face photo and a photo of your ID. Sticking point: ID glare or a dark photo. Tilt the ID away from overhead lights and use the retake option.
6. Wait in the lobby, and do not leave the ProctorU site. AEE warns that leaving costs you your appointment time. If nobody has connected after 20 minutes, use the Support icon at the top left to reach a live agent, or call the ProctorU number on AEE’s page.
7. Connect to the proctor. They will run the support applet you tested, ask permission to share your desktop, compare your face to your ID, and confirm no other programs are running. Sticking point: a VM or remote desktop detected at this stage. You will be told to exit it and reconnect on your host operating system.
8. Do the room scan. You will pan the camera across the room and desk (see the next section). Expect to move items when the proctor asks.
9. Start the exam. The proctor launches your exam. AEE says the time spent connecting, verifying identity and preparing does not come out of your 4 hours.

Exam Tip: Candidates lose appointments by closing the ProctorU window while waiting. If the proctor is slow, keep the page open and use chat or phone support. Closing it forfeits your slot.

What the Proctor Looks For During the Room Scan

AEE says the proctor will have you pan your room and desk to confirm you are alone. In practice, expect them to check the following, and move your camera slowly so each item is clear.

• All four walls, and any door or window behind or beside you.
• The full desk surface, then the area under the desk.
• Your binder, textbooks and tabs. Pages should be bound, and loose papers will be a problem.
• The front and back of your whiteboard, which should be clean before you start.
• Your calculator, to confirm it is a standalone device with no internet capability.
• Other screens, devices, phones, watches, earbuds, and extra people.
• Your head and hands. ProctorU’s general process can also include a look at your ears or wrists. (confirm on the official page)

The scan repeats after any bathroom break, so keep the desk exactly as the proctor approved it.

Exam Tip: Your binder is the item most likely to cause trouble. AEE bans adding or removing paper from it during the exam, and writing on any workbook, textbook or printed note means an automatic failing score. Bring a clean whiteboard, take every note there, and leave your binder untouched except for reading.

Rules During the Exam

Tier 1: Fixable Problems (Session Continues)

• Unauthorized programs running: you are asked to close them.
• A virtual machine or remote desktop detected: you are asked to exit and reconnect on your host operating system.
• Clutter on the desk: you are asked to remove it.
• A dropped connection: ProctorU tries to reconnect you, and you can also reconnect from your ProctorU account.
• A bathroom break: you must redo the room scan when you return before the exam resumes.

Tier 2: Immediate Failure or Termination

• Talking, or reading questions aloud. AEE says you will be excused from the exam and receive a failing score.
• Writing on your workbook, textbook or printed notes: automatic failing score.
• Adding paper to, or removing paper from, your binder during the exam.
• Unauthorized materials, devices or people in the room.
• An active remote software connection, including a VPN or virtual machine: the exam may be terminated and the $75 reschedule fee applies.

The handbook says anyone found violating the testing rules is automatically disqualified, dismissed and reported, and cannot retake the exam for six months. A training partner’s copy of AEE’s procedures adds that AEE may investigate irregularities, require a retest, and revoke certification even after it is awarded. (confirm on the official page)

For appeals, the handbook says candidates may appeal exam results within 60 days of the result date. Start by emailing certification@aeecenter.org to request reconsideration; if that fails, request an appeal form. The Appeals Board then has 45 days to decide. Whether a misconduct finding goes through this same route is not spelled out. (confirm on the official page)

Rules on Breaks, Scratch Paper and Drinks

Breaks. There are no scheduled breaks. You can ask to use the bathroom, but the clock keeps running and the proctor will have you redo the room scan when you return. Use the bathroom just before you log in.

Scratch paper. Use a whiteboard up to 12 × 16 inches, or four sheets of scratch paper if you have none. At the end you must erase the whiteboard or destroy the paper on camera before you exit.

Calculator. A calculator is required. It must be standalone and cannot have internet capability. Phone calculators are banned.

Drinks and food. No food. See the note above on drinks.

Exam Tip: Four hours is long. Plan the bathroom trip before you launch and keep water within reach, because a break mid-exam costs you both time and a second room scan.

Online Proctored vs. Test Center

For the CEM, “test center” means AEE’s live exam held after in-person training, not a commercial testing center.

Online suits candidates who can control a quiet room, own a compatible personal computer, and need a flexible date. Live suits candidates who are already attending training, have unreliable internet or a locked-down work laptop, or do not want to risk a technical problem on a 4-hour exam. Candidates outside the U.S. should confirm with their training provider which of these options is offered. (confirm on the official page)

Exam Day Checklist

The Night Before

• Unplug your second monitor, and any dock, from the exam computer.
• Close or disable any VPN, remote-control tool and virtual machine.
• Restart the computer, then confirm Guardian opens and signs in to your ProctorU account.
• Confirm your appointment time, AM or PM, and time zone in ProctorU.
• Put your passport or other government photo ID where you will find it.
• Check that the ID name matches your application and ProctorU account name.
• Bind and tab your reference binder, and clean your whiteboard.
• Tell everyone in the house when you will be unavailable.

60 Minutes Before

• Plug in the laptop and use a wired connection if you can.
• Clear the desk completely, and check under it.
• Take off your watch and remove earbuds and headphones.
• Move your phone to another room.
• Close every app you do not need and turn off chat and update pop-ups.
• Use the bathroom.

30 Minutes Before

• Sit at the desk with the binder, calculator, whiteboard, marker, eraser and ID within reach.
• Check lighting on your face and on the ID.
• Check that the webcam shows you clearly, and that nothing glass-fronted shows your screen.
• Pour water if you plan to have it, and keep it clear and visible.
• Open Guardian and be ready to log in at the 5-minute mark.

During the Exam

• Stay silent and do not read questions aloud.
• Write only on the whiteboard or scratch paper, never in your binder or books.
• Keep your face and hands visible to the camera.
• Answer all 130 questions, since wrong answers are not penalized.
• Mark hard questions and return to them if time allows.
• If something breaks, tell the proctor and do not just keep going if you want to reschedule. Then contact AEE immediately.
• At the end, erase the whiteboard or destroy the scratch paper on camera before exiting.

FAQ

Questions Candidates Ask Most

What happens if my internet drops?

ProctorU will try to reconnect you, and you can also reconnect from your ProctorU account. If you lose time or have technical trouble, tell the proctor if you want to stop and reschedule, then contact AEE immediately. If you carry on and fail, AEE says the retest fee will not be waived.

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

Yes. AEE lists a working webcam, internal or external. ProctorU’s minimum is 640×480 resolution.

What if the proctor never connects, or check-in times out?

AEE does not define a check-in timeout. Its instruction is to stay on the ProctorU site, because leaving loses your appointment. After 20 minutes without a proctor, use the Support icon or call ProctorU. A no-show costs $75 to AEE before you can reschedule.

Can I use an external monitor with my laptop closed?

ProctorU’s general page allows one external monitor on a closed laptop if it is set to mirror, but AEE’s rules say no duplicated monitors. Follow AEE and use the laptop screen alone. (confirm on the official page)

Can I use my work laptop?

You can, but it is the riskiest choice. You need admin rights, open ports, and no VPN or remote tools running. Send AEE’s allow-list document to your IT team and test with a live ProctorU agent well in advance.

My ID name does not match my application. What do I do?

Contact AEE or your training provider before exam day so the record is corrected. Do not try to fix it at check-in, because the proctor cannot change your account details.

Can I use PDFs on a tablet or second screen as my reference?

No. Only printed, bound reference materials are allowed, and the handbook bans tablets, laptops and any use of the internet or email during the exam.

Can I take the exam from outside the United States?

AEE tells candidates outside the U.S. to contact their local training provider for availability and registration. Remote proctoring is not guaranteed in every country. (confirm on the official page)

References

Sources Checked for This Guide

References

• AEE Remote Proctoring page (procedures, exam rules, fees)
• AEE Certification FAQs
• CEM Candidate Handbook v2.15
• CEM Body of Knowledge & Study Guide v1.8
• AEE: Becoming a CEM
• Guardian port and allow-list information for IT teams
• ProctorU equipment requirements
• ProctorU: Exam Day, What to Expect
• ProctorU: ID requirements (test center page, reference only)
• Meazure Learning online proctoring FAQ
• CIET: remote proctoring procedures for international participants (training partner copy, reference only)

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