Which calculators are allowed on the FE exam?

For 2026 exams, NCEES allows only Casio models with fx-115 or fx-991 in the name, the HP 33s and HP 35s, and Texas Instruments models with TI-30X or TI-36X in the name. You may bring one approved calculator into the testing room, and the cover stays with your stored belongings. A TI-30XS calculator is also available on screen during the exam.

Which calculators are on the 2026 approved list?

NCEES defines the 2026 list by model name. The table below shows what to check on each brand’s calculator. Because the on-screen calculator is a TI-30XS, a physical TI-30XS also meets the Texas Instruments rule.

If the name on your calculator does not match this table, it is not approved for 2026. Read the face of the calculator before you buy it, and read it again when you pack. A nearby model from the same brand can fail the name test even when the keypad looks familiar.

What are the calculator rules in the testing room?

One NCEES-approved calculator may go into the testing room, and only after you remove the cover. Spare calculators and covers stay with your stored belongings; a spare can sit in your locker for the whole session, but it cannot sit on the desk beside the calculator you are using.

The other items allowed in the room are your ID, a locker key, the reusable booklets and markers Pearson supplies, eyeglasses without the case, a light sweater or light non-outerwear jacket, Pearson comfort aid items, and approved accommodation items. Phones and computers stay with your stored belongings, and so do smartwatches, other wearables, and any other electronics. Watches, wallets, and purses are stored in the same place. Coats and bags go there too. Books and notes stay out of the room, along with pens, pencils, and erasers. Food and beverages stay out as well, and the calculator cover is stored with them. Hats and other head coverings come off before you enter, and religious apparel may remain on. Pack from what you can bring to the FE exam and from your FE exam day checklist so the cover and the spare never get past the locker.

A TI-30XS is available on screen during the exam, and it becomes the calculator you use if check-in turns your calculator away or the one at your desk stops working. We suggest you be able to finish a problem on a TI-30XS even when your daily calculator is an allowed Casio or HP.

How should you choose among approved models?

Bring the approved model you have been practicing on. Any calculator that matches the 2026 name rule is allowed, but your speed comes from knowing one keypad.

Pick one allowed model and use it for every practice set until exam day. If you already own an HP 33s, an HP 35s, or a Casio or Texas Instruments calculator whose name matches, keep that unit. If you are buying, choose a model with fx-115, fx-991, TI-30X, or TI-36X in the name, or an HP 33s or HP 35s, that you can rehearse on for the rest of your study time, then take that same calculator to the test center. A different allowed model on exam day puts new key locations in front of you while the clock is running.

Does NCEES change the calculator list every year?

NCEES reviews the approved calculator list annually. The names on this page are the 2026 list. A model that matched in a prior year still has to match the list for the year you test, and a newer version of a familiar line is allowed only when its printed name still contains an approved string.

Check the current list when you register, and check it again during the week before the FE exam. If your calculator has dropped off the list, switch to a model that is approved and move your remaining practice onto that replacement; the test center uses the current NCEES list, so the year you bought the calculator is not the check that matters.

What should you practice on your calculator?

Learn the functions you will use until the key sequence is automatic on the calculator you are bringing. One way to organize that work is to tie every practice problem to the same moves you will make on exam day: find the relation in the FE Reference Handbook, enter it on your exam calculator, and check the angle mode and the sign before you accept the result.

Store intermediate values instead of retyping them from the booklet. Run that pattern on free FE practice problems with a clock running, and mark every key you still have to hunt for. A short session on the on-screen TI-30XS is also worth your time, so that model is familiar if your own calculator has to stay in the locker.

Frequently asked questions

Is the TI-84 allowed on the FE exam?

No. For 2026, a Texas Instruments calculator is allowed only when the model name includes TI-30X or TI-36X. The TI-84 includes neither string, so it is outside the approved list. Bring a model that matches the rule, and leave the TI-84 at home or with your stored belongings.

Can I bring two calculators to the FE exam?

You may bring spare calculators to the test center, and they must stay with your stored belongings. Only one NCEES-approved calculator may enter the testing room, and it has to be without its cover. If that calculator fails during the exam, the on-screen TI-30XS is available.

Is there a calculator on the FE exam screen?

Yes. A TI-30XS calculator is available on screen during the exam. You may still bring one approved physical calculator without its cover. Practice on your own model and on the on-screen TI-30XS so a problem at check-in does not put you on an unfamiliar keypad.

Does the PE exam use the same calculator policy?

The 2026 approved models are an NCEES rule for its exams: Casio names that include fx-115 or fx-991, the HP 33s and HP 35s, and Texas Instruments names that include TI-30X or TI-36X. The room limit is one approved calculator without its cover, with spares and covers left in storage. NCEES reviews the list annually, so confirm it again before a PE date. How the FE and PE exams differ is the page to read for the rest of the format, separate from this calculator rule.

Sources

1. NCEES: Exams (calculator policy). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
2. NCEES Examinee Guide, May 2026 (PDF). Retrieved October 3, 2026.
3. NCEES: FE exam. Retrieved October 3, 2026.