Apply to write an exam
Examination candidates must submit an application for an exam through the TSSA Client Portal. TSSA will review the submission and if you are eligible to write, an eligibility email will be sent within 48 hours. Please note response time may range between 10 and 15 days for exams that require an assessment of your experience.
Scheduling an Exam
TSSA examinations will be proctored by a third-party partner, Prometric. The computer-based exams will be held in person at Prometric testing centers. TSSA will review the submission and if you are eligible to write an exam, a confirmation email will be sent 48 hours after your application was submitted, along with instructions on how to schedule the exam through Prometric’s website. Once you schedule the exam with Prometric, you will receive an email confirmation with all relevant details.
Cancellations
Candidates can cancel the scheduled exam directly with Prometric. There is no charge for canceling 22 days prior to your scheduled examination date. If you cancel your examination less than 22 days prior to your scheduled exam date, you will forfeit your fee. Please visit Prometric to cancel the exam.
Reschedules
Exam date: Candidates can reschedule an exam date directly with Prometric, it must be done 22 days prior to the scheduled exam date. Please visit Prometric to reschedule the exam. Only one reschedule is allowed.
Exam Type: Applicable only to Operating Engineers. To change the type of exam a candidate is scheduled to write, you must contact the Examination and Certification Department at certandexams@tssa.org 22 days prior to the scheduled exam date. This will count as a reschedule, only one reschedule is allowed.
Examination Day
Permitted Materials:
Candidates are responsible for bringing their own permitted reference materials to the test centers on examination day. The test centers will not provide candidates any reference materials. Please refer to Section 8 of the TSSA Certification Examination Preparation Guide for detailed information on the permitted materials for all the TSSA examinations. Please ensure reference materials do not contain any writing or notes. We do allow reference materials with highlighted text, page divers and tabs.
Calculators:
Candidates are not allowed to bring calculators into test centres. A basic and a scientific calculator will be available within the computer-based exam.
Arrival
- Candidates must arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts
No food or drink is permitted inside the exam room
If a candidate arrives late for an exam, the invigilator reserves the right to permit or deny entry.
Please note: Candidates who are permitted to enter late will not receive additional time to write the exam.
Identification
- Candidates must provide valid government issued photo identification on the day of the exam. Acceptable forms of government-issued photo identification must include your legal name, date of birth, photo and signature. This includes the following common identification:
- A valid Provincial Driver’s Licence
- A valid Canadian Passport or international Passport
- A valid Ontario Provincial Health Card
- A valid Provincial Identification Card
- For candidates who do not have a valid government-issued photo identification or the name on your ID does not match your TSSA account name, please contact TSSA in advance of any exam or certification appointment.
Examination security will be strictly enforced. The examination administrator or invigilator reserves the right to revoke an exam at any time if the candidate violates Prometric’s exam procedures. The candidate will be subject to further investigation, which may result in the revocation of an authorization or the application of restrictions to all future exams.
For more information on preparing for a TSSA exam, please read Certification and Examination Preparation Guide.
Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities
The TSSA is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities have an equal opportunity to become certified to work in TSSA-regulated occupations.
In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the TSSA ensures our certification and examination practices meet the needs of all qualified candidates wishing to take the required examination(s) for the appropriate TSSA-issued certificate of qualification.
For more information, please view our Examination Disability Accommodations page.
To request accommodation, please complete the Accommodation section of the application to write an exam on the TSSA Client Portal.
All accommodation requests must be pre-approved by TSSA before the candidate schedules an exam. If you are scheduling an exam through your training provider, they will ensure TSSA is aware of your accommodation.
NOTE: You must identify the approved accommodations required for each application request.
After Examination Day
Multiple Choice Exam Results
Prometric will send the results to the candidate’s email address used to schedule the exam within 24 hours after completing the exam. TSSA will send an official result letter 48 to 72 hours after the exam date.
Essay Exam Results
An email with the results will be sent to the candidate’s email address on their TSSA account 10 to 15 business days from the exam date.