Certification exams
You will take your written exam online, via a computer or tablet, not a phone. Please be professional as you take this exam on your own, without help. Do not share questions or answers with others. The exam results are being monitored and no two exams are exactly alike. Carefully read the ethical acknowledgements before you begin the exam and only start the exam if you agree to all the statements.
Use the correct Login Code and Password
- Use your MnDOT TechID number for both the Login Code and Password.
- If you have a TechID with a leading zero (e.g., 07846), do not include the zero.
- If you do not remember your TechID, find it on your Technical Certification Card or look it up on the public portal.
Choose when to take the exam after it opens
The exam will open for you at the end of the last day of class and is available for you to take at any time, until it closes.
Complete the exam by the deadline
You must complete the exam within one week after it is open for you, meaning the same day the following week. For example, if it opens on a Thursday, you have until the end of the business day of the following Thursday to complete it.
If you miss the deadline to complete the exam and want to take it, you may register and pay for the full class again to regain access to the exam for another 7 day window. If you do not complete the exam during that time, you will have to register, pay for, and complete all requirements of the course again. Contact Suzanne Johnsrud to arrange this.
Take your exam in one sitting
Once you start the exam, the clock starts and runs through the time set for the exam. Make sure you have a quiet space and can work uninterrupted for the entire exam time.
Find your course exam specifics
See your course page for specific details about your exam, including time allowed, number of questions, exam topics, and what materials you are allowed to use during the exam.
Know the navigation features of the online exam
- Use the timer at the top of the screen to track your time and number of questions.
- Use the Submit Forward and Submit Backward buttons to move through the exam.
- If you want to go back to any unanswered questions, use the Jump Back button.
- Click on the grey Calculator button if needed for math calculations.
- If there is a "thumbnail file" within the question, click on it to make it larger and move that window around as needed.
- If you skipped or accidently missed questions in the exam, you will get a message noting that you have unanswered questions. To go back and check any) you missed, click the Cancel and Return button.
- When you sure you are done, click the Save and Finish button.
See your exam results
Once you have submitted your exam, you will see your summary results. Sub-scores for each section of the exam are included on the summary results page. Use that information to focus your study for a retest, if needed, or to better prepare yourself for the certification work.
Set yourself up to pass
Some people like to take the exam right after the class when the material is fresh in their mind. Others like to take a break after the class sessions, to study and review, or to reach out to the instructors or people at work to make sure they understand the material. Either way, make sure you have set aside time and space to focus on the exam when you are taking it.
- You must score 70% or higher to pass the exam.
- If you have score 60-69%, you may take one free re-test. See below for information about re-tests.
Check that your certification is posted
Within 24 hours after passing an exam, you will see your score posted in the Technical Certification Program public portal.
- If you are not seeing the certification, make sure you have completed the course prerequisites.
- If there is a performance exam required, make sure you have completed it and the records have been sent to our office.
If you have done these things and your certification still has not updated, please email us directly at tech-cert.dot@state.mn.us.
Request a retest if you need to and are eligible
If you have a score that is 60-69%, you may request to take one retest. To get access to a retest exam, email us (link to tech-cert.dot@state.mn.us with email subject line – retest request) with your name, Tech ID, and the name of the certification. You must complete a re-test exam in the same training season as the original class and by May 31