DCA Exam Check-in 2026: Mirantis Docker Certified Associate

The Docker Certified Associate (DCA) is now run by Mirantis, and the exam is proctored remotely through Examity. If this is your first online proctored exam, the biggest risks are not the Docker questions. They are a name that doesn’t match your ID, a second monitor you forgot about, and arriving outside a very tight start window. This guide walks through each of those in the order you’ll meet them.

A note on sources: everything below comes from Mirantis’s exam and policy pages and from Examity’s own test-taker documentation.

How This Exam Is Delivered

Mirantis sells the exam through its web store and describes it as remotely proctored on your own Windows or Mac computer, available globally in English. Scheduling, rescheduling and cancelling happen in your Examity account, according to Mirantis’s exam policy. Examity then handles identity checks and live proctoring on exam day.

Mirantis does not list a test center option for the DCA. Its FAQ mentions that equipment is provided for on-site deliveries at official events such as DockerCon, but that is not something you can book on demand. Plan on online proctoring being your only route (confirm on the official page). Mirantis states no regional restrictions beyond “available globally,” so check with Mirantis support before paying if you are in a sanctioned or restricted country (confirm on the official page).

You may also see this exam listed under newer names such as “Mirantis Certified Associate in Docker” on third-party sites. Buy only from the Mirantis store linked in the references.

Pre-Exam Preparation

Hardware and Network Requirements

Mirantis and Examity publish separate lists, and they do not fully agree. Mirantis’s exam page lists very old OS and browser versions (Windows 7, Internet Explorer 8) that clearly predate current software, so treat Examity’s system check as the real test. Here is what holds up across both sources:

• A Windows or Mac computer. Mirantis says Linux is not supported, and Examity says the same. Mirantis names only Windows and Mac, so don’t rely on a Chromebook even though Examity’s newer platform allows ChromeOS (confirm on the official page).
• Google Chrome, with your pop-up blocker and ad blocker turned off. Mirantis also asks for the ability to install a Chrome extension, and the Examity extension is installed during check-in.
• A working webcam, microphone and speakers (built-in or external). A laptop is easier because you can move the camera during the room scan.
• The Zoom desktop client. Mirantis lists it as required equipment, but Examity’s current guide doesn’t mention it, so install it anyway and confirm whether your session uses it (confirm on the official page).
• At least 2 Mbps upload and download, with 10 Mbps preferred, according to Examity. Mirantis repeats the 2 Mbps floor and says a connection below it can forfeit your attempt.
• A wired or strong home Wi-Fi connection. Both sources advise against mobile hot spots.
• One monitor only. Examity’s technical guides say multiple monitors are not supported and virtual machines are not allowed. Neither point appears on Mirantis’s own page, so unplug extra screens and run the exam on bare metal (confirm on the official page).
• No VPN and no locked-down corporate laptop. No official statement on VPNs or corporate networks, but the extension, screen sharing and camera permissions are exactly what corporate security tools block (confirm on the official page).

Exam Tip: Run Examity’s system check on the exact computer, in the exact room and on the exact network you’ll use on exam day. A check that passes at the office tells you nothing about the spare bedroom Wi-Fi. If you want a human to confirm, Mirantis points you to Examity support (support@examity.com) to arrange a system check.

ID Requirements

Mirantis is strict here, and a failure counts as a missed appointment, not a delay. The vendor’s rules, in plain terms:

• One valid government-issued photo ID that shows your signature, your full legal name and your photograph. Mirantis gives a driver’s license, state ID or passport as examples.
• A second ID may be required, and if so it must also carry your signature and full legal name. Mirantis does not say when a second ID is requested, so keep one ready (confirm on the official page).
• Every ID must match the name on your registration. If you recently changed your name, or your surname includes a suffix such as Jr. or III, make sure it is identical everywhere.
• Missing any required ID at check-in is treated as a missed appointment, and you forfeit the exam fee.

Examity adds its own step: you upload a photo of your government ID when you create your Examity profile, and you must hold the same ID up to the webcam on exam day. Use the same physical document both times.

Mirantis doesn’t publish a country-by-country ID list, so for a global audience the safest pick is a passport. It has a photo, your full name in the machine-readable format and a signature. Many national ID cards have no signature, and the Mirantis requirement says the ID must bear one. Email training@mirantis.com before exam day if your only ID is a national card (confirm on the official page).

Exam Tip: Compare three things letter by letter before you pay: the name on your Mirantis store order, the name in your Examity profile, and the name printed on your ID. Middle names, hyphens and diacritics are where mismatches hide. Fix a mismatch before the exam, because on exam day it costs you the fee.

Testing Environment

• Use a private room where nobody will walk in or talk to you. Mirantis does not allow you to leave the room once the exam starts.
• Clear your desk completely. Mirantis bans notes, books, bags, purses, briefcases, watches, cameras and any electronic device, including your mobile phone.
• Take food and drinks out of the room. Mirantis prohibits eating, drinking and smoking during the exam.
• Put your phone outside the room, not in a drawer. The phone is the item proctors care about most.
• Plug your laptop into power and close every other application, including chat, screen recorders and remote desktop tools.
• Sit facing a light source so your face is clearly lit for the identity photo.

Step-by-Step Check-in Walkthrough

This sequence follows Examity’s current live proctoring guide. Your exam sponsor can adjust some steps, and Mirantis lists a Zoom client that the generic guide doesn’t, so expect small differences (confirm on the official page).

1. Log in to Examity about 15 minutes early. Open Chrome, go to your exam card on the Examity dashboard and click “Connect to Proctor.” You can start up to 15 minutes before your appointment time. Sticking point: you open Edge or Safari by habit. Fix: close it and restart the session in Chrome.
2. Add the Examity browser extension. Follow the prompt, then click Next. Sticking point: a work-managed Chrome profile blocks extension installs. Fix: use a personal Chrome profile on a personal computer.
3. Grant permissions. Click “Grant Permissions” and allow camera and microphone access. You may need to do this twice, once for the browser and once for the extension. Sticking point: the green checkmarks don’t appear. Fix: check your operating system’s privacy settings for camera and mic access for Chrome.
4. Take the face photo. Center your face in the frame, click “Take Photo,” and retake it if it’s dark or off-center. Sticking point: glasses glare or a backlit window. Fix: face the light and remove the glare.
5. Show your photo ID. Hold the ID you uploaded to your profile in front of the webcam and take the photo. Sticking point: the text is unreadable. Fix: tilt the card slightly to kill the glare and hold it still before you click.
6. Answer your challenge question. You set up three challenge questions when you created your profile. Sticking point: you forgot the exact answer you typed months ago. Fix: record your answers somewhere safe when you set them.
7. Read the rules and accept the user agreement. Don’t click through. Mirantis also presents its Docker Certification Program Agreement before the exam begins.
8. Launch and share your entire screen. Click “Launch,” then choose the entire screen, not a window or a tab. Sticking point: sharing a single window. Fix: pick the Entire Screen option.
9. Wait for the proctor to connect. The wait is usually short. Don’t refresh the page. If nothing happens after several minutes, use the sidebar chat or Examity’s support line.
10. Complete the live authentication and room scan. The proctor verifies you and walks you through the room scan. The proctor does not know your exam content, so they may ask you to move or cover items.
11. Insert the exam password. After authentication, the proctor guides you to the “Insert Password” button in the sidebar. Your timer starts when you begin the exam, not during authentication.
12. Finish the exam and end the session. Tell your proctor you’re done, click Submit, then click “End Proctoring Session.”

Exam Tip: The 15-minute late limit is hard. Mirantis marks you as a no-show if you haven’t started within 15 minutes after your appointment time, you can’t reschedule at that moment, and you must register and pay again. Treat your appointment time as the time you should already be waiting for the proctor, not the time you start logging in.

What the Proctor Looks For During the Room Scan

Examity describes the room scan as a one-on-one, live check in which you show a 360-degree view of your workspace. The aim is to confirm your desk and testing area are clear. Prepare for these checks:

• Your desk surface: expect to lift your keyboard or laptop slightly if asked. Remove papers, sticky notes and books.
• Your walls: posters, diagrams and whiteboards with writing are common reasons for a request to cover or remove them.
• Other screens and devices: second monitors, tablets, phones, watches and smart speakers.
• Other people: the room must be empty apart from you.
• Food and drink: remove bottles, cups and snacks, since Mirantis prohibits them.
• Under the desk and behind you: proctors often ask you to point the camera at both.

Do the scan slowly and let the camera rest on each area for a couple of seconds. Fast sweeps lead to repeat scans.

Rules During the Exam

Neither Mirantis nor Examity publishes a list that sorts behaviors into “warning” and “invalidation” tiers for the DCA. The split below separates what Mirantis states outright from what is likely to draw a proctor’s intervention, so you can see where the published rules end.

Stated by Mirantis: Disqualification Risk

• Copying or communicating exam content. Mirantis says either can lead to disqualification of your results and possible legal action.
• Bringing notes or books into the exam. Mirantis states no notes or books are allowed, though it does not spell out the penalty for each prohibited item (confirm on the official page).
• Using any prohibited personal item, including a phone, watch, camera or other recording equipment.
• Leaving the room during the exam.

Likely to Trigger a Proctor Warning First

These are not defined in any published Mirantis or Examity DCA policy, so don’t read them as official (confirm on the official page).

• Looking away from the screen for long stretches.
• Talking aloud, reading questions out loud or muttering.
• Covering your face or mouth.
• Leaving your seat or moving out of camera view.
• Opening other applications or windows.

Mirantis does not describe an appeal process in the official pages. If you think a decision was wrong, email training@mirantis.com promptly with the details (confirm on the official page).

Rules on Breaks, Scratch Paper, Drinks and More

• Breaks: Mirantis says you may not exit the room during the exam, and an older Examity guide for another exam states there are no bathroom breaks. Plan to go before you log in. The exam is 90 minutes long, and there is no published break policy (confirm on the official page).
• Scratch paper and whiteboards: Mirantis bans notes and books, and no statement permitting paper, a pen or a digital whiteboard. Don’t bring any unless Mirantis confirms in writing (confirm on the official page).
• Drinks and food: Not allowed. Mirantis explicitly bans eating, drinking and smoking during the exam.
• Headphones: Mirantis bans electronic devices, and other Examity exams explicitly ban headphones. Assume headphones are not allowed (confirm on the official page).
• Talking to the proctor: Use the sidebar chat for technical problems. Examity’s guide says the proctor connects with you through chat.
• Accommodations: Mirantis asks you to email training@mirantis.com at least 21 days before your test date.

Online Proctored vs. Test Center

For the DCA, this is mostly a question of what you’d be missing, since Mirantis doesn’t offer a standard test center route. Many other vendors (Pearson VUE-delivered programs, for example) let you pick either, so don’t assume the DCA works the same way.

The DCA is aimed at working practitioners, many of whom test from home, so most candidates need to prepare for the online route.

Exam Day Checklist

The Night Before

• Unplug the second monitor and any docking station. Don’t leave it for the morning.
• Run Examity’s system check on your exam computer and network.
• Install Chrome updates and the Zoom desktop client, and restart your computer.
• Compare your name across the Mirantis order, the Examity profile and your ID.
• Test your upload speed several times at the hour you’ll test.
• Check your appointment time and time zone in your Examity account.
• If you need to change the appointment, do it now. Mirantis’s policy page refunds changes made more than 24 hours ahead, while its exam FAQ says 48 hours. Use the earlier 48-hour cutoff to be safe (confirm on the official page).

60 Minutes Before

• Turn off your VPN, ad blocker and pop-up blocker.
• Close every application except Chrome, and quit chat and cloud sync tools.
• Clear the desk and take food, drinks, notes and devices out of the room.
• Put your phone outside the room.
• Use the bathroom, since there is no published break.
• Plug in your laptop and check lighting and camera position.

30 Minutes Before

• Put your physical government ID next to your keyboard and keep any required second ID within reach.
• Open Chrome and log in to Examity.
• Confirm your camera and microphone work in the sidebar’s Help and Tips section.
• Keep Examity support details handy: support@examity.com, or the phone number for your region in Examity’s test-taker guide.
• Start checking in within the 15-minute early window.

During the Exam

• Stay in your seat and in the camera frame.
• Keep your eyes on the screen and don’t read questions aloud.
• Use the sidebar chat for any technical problem rather than leaving the room.
• Watch the 90-minute timer, which starts when you begin, not when the proctor connects.
• Submit, tell your proctor, then click “End Proctoring Session.”

FAQ

What happens if my internet drops mid-exam?

Mirantis and Examity don’t publish a reconnection policy for the DCA. Reconnect as fast as you can, use the sidebar chat if it loads, and contact Examity support right away if it doesn’t. Mirantis does warn that an internet connection below the stated minimum can forfeit your attempt, which is another reason to avoid hot spots (confirm on the official page).

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

Yes. Examity accepts a built-in or external webcam, and a laptop camera is easier to move during the room scan.

What if check-in times out or I’m late?

You must start the exam within 15 minutes after your appointment time. After that you’re marked a no-show, can’t reschedule at that point, and need to register and pay again. If a technical fault on Examity’s side caused the delay, contact Examity support and Mirantis immediately and keep screenshots (confirm on the official page).

Which ID should I use if I live outside the United States?

A valid passport is the safest option. It carries a photo, your full name and a signature, which matches Mirantis’s ID rule. Confirm with Mirantis if you only have a national ID card, since many don’t show a signature (confirm on the official page).

How soon will I get my result?

Mirantis says you get a score report on the testing screen immediately after finishing, with an option to request it by email. Certificate credentials are sent within 48 business hours to the email linked to your Docker ID, so check your spam folder. Mirantis doesn’t publish a numeric passing score.

Can I reschedule if something comes up?

Yes, through your Examity account. The policy page says changes more than 24 hours ahead are fully refunded, and a change inside 24 hours carries a $5 fee. The exam FAQ instead says changes within 48 hours forfeit the fee. Because the pages conflict, change your appointment at least 48 hours ahead (confirm on the official page).

How long should I wait before a retake?

Mirantis requires 14 days from your failed attempt and a new payment for each attempt.

Is the DCA only about Docker Enterprise?

Mirantis says the exam is designed around Docker Enterprise Edition, but much of the content also applies to Docker Community Edition. The study guide has sample questions and the topic breakdown.

References

Official and Vendor Sources

• Mirantis Training: Docker Certification (DCA) exam page and FAQ
• Mirantis Training: Cancellation and reschedule policies, including DCA exam policy
• Mirantis Webstore: Docker Certified Associate (DCA) product page
• Mirantis Docker Certified Associate study guide (v1.5, January 2025)
• Docker Certification Program Agreement (linked from the Mirantis exam page)

Delivery Platform Sources

• Examity: system requirements check for test-takers
• Examity Live Proctoring Test-taker Guide (v. 12.6.22, hosted by West Texas A&M University)
• Examity live proctoring technical guide (revised January 2021, hosted by Montgomery College), for multiple monitor and virtual machine rules
• Examity user guide for Okta certification exams (2017), for background on certification-style live proctoring
• Examity Live Authentication + Audit student resources (hosted by Austin Peay State University), for room scan expectations

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