<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFortinet’s proctored written exams (NSE 4 through NSE 7) are delivered by Pearson VUE<\/strong>, either at a Pearson VUE test center or online through OnVUE<\/strong>. OnVUE is Pearson’s remote proctoring service: you install an app, check in with your phone and webcam, and a live proctor watches through your camera for the whole session. The NSE 8 practical exams run separately and aren’t covered here.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhich exams you can take online depends on the level:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NSE 4, NSE 5 and NSE 6:<\/strong> available both online (OnVUE) and at Pearson VUE test centers.<\/li>NSE 7 (all tracks):<\/strong> test center only since 21 September 2026. Fortinet’s notice names the Public Cloud Security 7.6.4 Architect, SASE 26 Architect, Secure Networking 7.6 Architect and Security Operations 7.6 Architect exams. Pearson VUE contacts candidates who had NSE 7 OnVUE bookings on or after that date about rescheduling.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nRegional restrictions.<\/strong> Fortinet’s help desk lists five countries where online proctoring isn’t offered: China, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan and Syria. That article was last updated in February 2022 (confirm on the official page). Separately, Pearson VUE won’t accept an ID issued by Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria or restricted regions of Ukraine for OnVUE exams. Candidates holding only those IDs need to check test-center options instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\nItem<\/th> Fortinet NSE written exams (2026)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Exam codes<\/td> Named by level, product and version (e.g. “NSE 4 \u2013 FortiOS 7.6 Administrator”); check your exam’s description page for its exact code<\/td><\/tr> Duration<\/td> Varies by exam. Your appointment slot equals the exam time plus 15 minutes: 5 minutes at the start for exam information and the Candidate Agreement, 10 minutes at the end for an exit survey (confirm per-exam time on the official page)<\/td><\/tr> Number of questions<\/td> Varies by exam; not published in Fortinet’s policy articles (confirm on the official page)<\/td><\/tr> Delivery platform<\/td> Pearson VUE test center or Pearson VUE OnVUE (NSE 4\u20136 only online)<\/td><\/tr> Check-in window (online)<\/td> Opens 30 minutes before your appointment<\/td><\/tr> Late cutoff (online)<\/td> Pearson VUE’s OnVUE check-in generally closes 15 minutes after the appointment time (confirm on the official page)<\/td><\/tr> Exam fee<\/td> US$200 for NSE 4\u20137 until 1 November 2026; from 2 November 2026, US$210 for NSE 4\u20136 and US$420 for NSE 7 (excluding tax)<\/td><\/tr> Retake wait<\/td> 15 days after a failed attempt; a passed exam can’t be retaken<\/td><\/tr> Languages on Pearson’s Fortinet page<\/td> English, Canadian French, Japanese (confirm per exam on the official page)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\nScheduling details worth knowing: you can register up to four months ahead and hold at most three open registrations. Test-center appointments can be rescheduled or cancelled up to 24 hours before. Fortinet says OnVUE appointments can be cancelled at any time before the appointment time. Vouchers are valid for 365 days from purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Pre-exam Preparation<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Hardware and Network Requirements<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThese come from Pearson VUE’s Fortinet OnVUE page (updated October 2026). Fortinet doesn’t publish its own technical list; it defers to Pearson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Operating system:<\/strong> Windows 10 or later, or macOS 14 or later. Beta operating systems aren’t allowed. Linux and ChromeOS aren’t listed as supported (confirm on the official page).<\/li>Internet:<\/strong> at least 6 Mbps download and 2 Mbps upload.<\/li>No VPN, no corporate network, no public or shared network.<\/strong> Pearson prohibits all three. That rules out the office Wi-Fi, a caf\u00e9 hotspot and the network at a coworking space.<\/li>No virtual machines.<\/strong><\/li>One display only.<\/strong> Multi-monitor setups and touchscreen displays aren’t permitted. If you can’t physically remove a second screen, disconnect it and cover it.<\/li>Webcam, microphone and speaker<\/strong> must all work.<\/li>No headphones, headsets or earbuds.<\/strong><\/li>Close every application except OnVUE<\/strong> before you launch.<\/li>No other devices:<\/strong> phones, tablets, styluses, watches, smart speakers and smart glasses all need to be out of reach once check-in is done.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nRun Pearson’s System Test<\/strong> on the same computer and the same network you’ll use on exam day, then restart the machine. Ask everyone at home to stop streaming and large downloads during your slot.<\/p>\n\n\n\nExam Tip:<\/strong> Many Fortinet candidates are network engineers who’d naturally test from a work laptop on the company network. Both are problems: corporate networks are banned outright, and work machines often run VPN clients, endpoint agents and proxy settings that break OnVUE. Use a personal computer on home broadband, and run the System Test on that exact setup a few days before.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/span>ID Requirements<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nFortinet doesn’t publish its own ID rules for exam day; the Pearson VUE OnVUE rules apply. You need one valid, unexpired, government-issued ID with a recognizable photo, and the name on it must exactly match the name on your Pearson VUE booking<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAccepted for OnVUE:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
International passport<\/li> Plastic driver’s license<\/li> National, state, provincial or EU ID card<\/li> Green card, permanent resident card or visa card<\/li> Approved Aadhaar cards (India)<\/li> Non-US military ID (including spouse and dependent cards)<\/li> Japanese employee or student ID, but only together with a Japanese Health Insurance Eligibility Certificate<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nNot accepted: expired, digital, damaged, copied or privately issued IDs; birth certificates; naturalization papers; Geneva Convention cards; Canadian health cards; US military, CAC and other secure-access IDs; and IDs from Belarus, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria or restricted regions of Ukraine. Paper IDs are accepted only in Algeria, Brazil, Cameroon and the Dominican Republic. Pearson’s page doesn’t mention a secondary ID requirement for OnVUE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Name matching.<\/strong> Your booking name comes from your Pearson VUE profile, which is linked to your Fortinet Training Institute account. Before you book, open your Pearson VUE profile and compare it with your ID character by character. Watch for:<\/p>\n\n\n\nGiven name and family name in the wrong fields (a frequent problem for Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Hungarian names)<\/li> A nickname or English name in the profile that isn’t on your ID<\/li> A missing middle name or second surname that appears on the ID<\/li> Accents or special characters dropped in one place but not the other (confirm how Pearson treats these on the official page)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\nIf something doesn’t match, contact Pearson VUE customer service to correct the profile before exam day. Don’t count on a greeter overlooking it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which ID to use worldwide.<\/strong> A passport is the most reliable choice. It’s government-issued, carries a photo, and shows your name in Latin script, which is what the greeter compares against your booking. Your national ID card is on the accepted list, so use it if it’s plastic, current and matches your booking name exactly. Pick a passport if your national ID shows your name only in a non-Latin script, or if it’s a paper document outside the four countries where paper is allowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\nExam Tip:<\/strong> Check that your ID isn’t expired on exam day, not just today. Pearson rejects expired IDs, and a failed ID check means you can’t test and lose your fee.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Testing Environment<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\nTest in a private, quiet room where you’ll be alone for the whole session. Nobody may see your screen, even from a distance.<\/li> Don’t test in a bathroom, an office, a library, a caf\u00e9 or any other public space.<\/li> Clear the desk except for your computer. One drink in an unmarked container is allowed.<\/li> Remove everything on, under, or within arm’s reach of the desk: phones and other electronics, books, notes, paper, pens, tissues, makeup, food, bags, wallets and smoking products.<\/li> Wipe any wall whiteboard or note board in the room clean before you start.<\/li> Be fully dressed. The session is recorded.<\/li> Unplug or cover any second monitor and turn off any other computer in the room.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Step-by-Step Check-in Walkthrough<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFortinet doesn’t publish its own check-in sequence, so the steps below follow Pearson VUE’s OnVUE process. The exact screens can vary slightly between programs and app versions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sign in to your Pearson VUE account and start check-in.<\/strong> Check-in opens 30 minutes before your appointment. Sticking point:<\/em> there’s no start option yet because the window hasn’t opened. Fix:<\/em> sign in at 30 minutes before, not earlier, and don’t wait until your appointment time.<\/li>Download and run the OnVUE application.<\/strong> It checks your camera, microphone, network and running software. Sticking point:<\/em> the system check fails on bandwidth or a blocked connection. Fix:<\/em> switch off any VPN, move to a wired connection, and quit other apps. You should already have passed the System Test on this setup.<\/li>Close prohibited applications.<\/strong> OnVUE flags programs that must be shut down before you continue. Sticking point:<\/em> a background sync or chat tool keeps restarting. Fix:<\/em> restart the computer just before check-in and close system-tray apps manually.<\/li>Use your phone to photograph your face and your ID.<\/strong> OnVUE sends a link or code to your phone for this. Sticking point:<\/em> glare on a laminated ID or an unreadable name. Fix:<\/em> shoot with indirect light and retake the photo if the name isn’t sharp.<\/li>Photograph your workspace with your phone.<\/strong> Pearson describes this as the 360\u00b0 room scan. The common format is photos of the front, back, left and right of your desk area (confirm the exact number of photos on the official page). Sticking point:<\/em> the greeter rejects a photo because something is visible on the desk or floor. Fix:<\/em> clear the room the night before so there’s nothing to argue about.<\/li>Put your phone out of arm’s reach.<\/strong> You still need it nearby, out of reach, in case the proctor has to contact you about a technical problem. Don’t touch it unless the proctor tells you to.<\/li>Wait for the greeter.<\/strong> A greeter checks your ID against your face and booking, reviews the workspace photos, may ask you to show the room again on camera, then places you in the proctor queue. Sticking point:<\/em> waiting longer than expected. Fix:<\/em> stay seated and in frame; walking away now can be read as a violation.<\/li>Accept the Fortinet Candidate Agreement.<\/strong> The exam opens with the agreement. Pearson’s Fortinet page says you must accept it within five minutes or the exam ends and you forfeit the fee. Read the Candidate Agreement PDF before exam day so you can accept it quickly.<\/li>Take the exam.<\/strong> The proctor watches through your webcam and listens through your microphone until you finish the exit survey.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\nExam Tip:<\/strong> Start check-in the minute the 30-minute window opens. A slow upload, an extra room photo or a busy greeter queue can eat 15\u201320 minutes, and Pearson’s general cutoff is 15 minutes after your appointment time.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/span>What the Proctor Looks For During the Room Scan<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nOther people<\/strong>, or signs they could come in: an open door, voices, someone behind you.<\/li>Anything written<\/strong>: notes on the wall, sticky notes on the monitor bezel, an uncleaned whiteboard, open books, printed CLI cheat sheets or config printouts.<\/li>Extra screens and devices<\/strong>: a second monitor that’s still connected, a second laptop, a tablet, a smart speaker, a lab FortiGate with a console screen in view.<\/li>The area under and around the desk<\/strong> for anything within arm’s reach.<\/li>Wearables<\/strong>: watches, earbuds, smart glasses.<\/li>Your drink<\/strong>: an unmarked container is fine; a branded bottle or one with a label may be questioned (confirm on the official page).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/span>Rules During the Exam<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFortinet’s policy decides the consequences, and Pearson’s OnVUE rules decide what the proctor enforces in the session. Pearson’s Fortinet page says rule violations lead to exam revocation and fee forfeiture. Fortinet’s own Candidate Misconduct policy goes further: Fortinet can rescind scores, revoke certifications you already hold, and suspend you from the program for three to twelve months<\/strong>. The Candidate Agreement also lets Fortinet bar you from future certifications permanently or for a set period.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNeither Fortinet nor Pearson publishes an official warning-versus-termination list for Fortinet exams. The split below is based on how OnVUE proctors generally handle behavior. Treat Tier 1 as “you might get one warning,” not as permission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>Tier 1: Usually a warning first<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n