The short answer
Every OSCP+™ (OSCP Plus) exam is proctored. You join the session 15 minutes before your scheduled start through the link in your exam reminder email. A proctor checks your setup and government ID, has you scan your room on the webcam, then watches your webcam and every shared screen until the end. The proctor can't hear you, so you talk through the tool's chat.
The exam runs 23 hours and 45 minutes from the scheduled start, however long check-in takes. Breaks and sleep are allowed. Afterwards you get 24 hours to upload your report.
We're Hacker Blueprint. Our instructor holds the OSCP®, and our academy has more than 600 students. This page lays out OffSec's proctoring rules in exam-day order, from OffSec's help center as rechecked on November 3, 2026. We found no rule changes since our October 29 check. For strategy, see our OSCP exam tips. For tool and AI rules, see OSCP+ allowed tools.
Before exam day: booking and emails
Book in the OffSec Learning Library at least two weeks ahead, or up to six weeks ahead for a weekend slot. OffSec's AD preparation guide suggests at least three weeks. Check the calendar's time zone. You get three date selections and can reschedule until 48 hours before the start, when the calendar locks.
Your confirmation email explains the login, technical requirements, proctoring rules and report submission. The reminder email gives your start time and the proctoring link.
Your computer, webcam and network
| Item | OffSec's requirement |
|---|---|
| Hardware | 64-bit dual core at 2.2 GHz, 8 GB RAM recommended, 20 GB free disk, 1024x768 display |
| Host OS (minimum) | Windows 8.1 x64, OSX Yosemite or macOS, Kali 2017.x, Debian 9.3 or Ubuntu 17.10 |
| Browser | Chrome, Firefox, Chromium, Brave or Edge |
| Webcam | External or built in, sharp enough to read your ID; phones and tablets aren't allowed |
| Internet | At least 20 Mbps down and 10 Mbps up, on a "stable connection that does not drop" |
| Screens | Up to four, all shared with the proctoring tool |
You connect to the exam with Kali Linux and OpenVPN, and your VM runs locally on the same host as the proctoring tool. Linux hosts must try a test session first (request one by ticket) and should use X11, since screen sharing mostly fails on Wayland. Fedora isn't supported, and Debian only at 9.3. Use Chrome for three or four screens. The requirements don't mention a microphone.
If your host is a Mac, our guide to taking the OSCP+ exam on a Mac covers which Kali build and hypervisor to use on Apple Silicon. These specs only cover the exam host, which runs Kali and the proctoring tool. Practicing Active Directory at home takes more, and our OSCP+ lab requirements guide sizes the RAM, CPU and disk for that.
Your room and desk
Your desk can hold the host, the screens shared with the tool, printed books, notes, paper and a pen. Other electronic devices are prohibited, extra monitors and wall-mounted smart TVs go away from your workstation, and your phone goes out of reach. Two candidates can't share a room. OffSec also suggests a backup internet connection, a check for planned power outages, food and water, and a word with anyone sharing your space about the exam protocol.
Check-in: join 15 minutes early
Open the link from your reminder email (for most people, proctoring.offsec.com/student/login) and enter the numeric part of your OSID and your full MD5 value. Allow camera and notifications (they carry the proctor's chat), share "Your Entire Screen" for each monitor, and never click "Stop sharing".
Be on time. OffSec says "The time allocated for the exam remains constant regardless of the duration of the pre-exam process." Miss the one-hour grace period and the exam is automatically canceled.
The proctor then checks:
- Your technical setup.
- Your ID on the webcam.
- A Windows or macOS script, on those systems.
- A webcam scan of your room.
- Every screen shared, with all running programs shown.
- Your exam VPN, which must be your only VPN. Other systems run troubleshooting.sh from the VPN pack.
The ID must be a "physical, valid, government-issued photo ID" in English showing your full legal name, photograph, year of birth, country of issuance, issue date and expiration date. Show the front and back, or a fully opened passport. The name must match your OffSec profile, and if your ID recently expired, open a ticket ahead of time.
The exam guide says the connection pack arrives by email "at the exact start time of your exam and not in advance," and the requirements FAQ says a delayed one comes within five minutes of your pre-exam steps. Refuse a pre-exam step and the exam can't go ahead. Some gaps only get noted, while others, such as having no webcam, mean rescheduling.
During the exam: what the proctor sees
Your webcam must stay unobstructed, showing your face, at least half of your body and your surroundings. It's visual only, and you can't see or hear the proctor. Proctors are full-time OffSec employees who may change without announcement, and the current name shows in the tool.
Use the chat for any proctoring or exam question, including a request to test a machine. The proctor relays it to support, which handles technical problems only and gives no hints. Stay polite, since OffSec says rude behavior may cancel the exam.
Do all your work on the host, and on Windows keep the taskbar visible. A laptop's own display has to stay on, though you can mirror it to a monitor and share both. Calls and meetings on the exam machine aren't permitted, and neither is recording your screen. Someone may enter the room for personal reasons, as long as you don't discuss the exam with them.
Breaks, disconnects and the clock
Tell the proctor in chat when you step away and when you're back. You don't need to wait for a reply. Leave the session open: the webcam "must remain on at all times, including during breaks," and your VPN stays up. The proctoring tool manual also lists a Pause Webcam option for breaks, which asks the proctor to pause your feed, so check with your proctor in chat before you use it. If your phone or a work task needs you, take a break away from the desk, and do any work on a separate machine.
OffSec doesn't describe a way to pause the clock. A 09:00 GMT start ends at 08:45 GMT the next day, and the guide says that time "does take life and its situations into consideration." You're expected to rest, eat, drink and sleep inside it.
Close the proctoring tab or drop your connection, and the exam VPN pauses until you rejoin. If the tool freezes, clear the browser cache, try another browser, relaunch and tell the proctor, then use OffSec's exam support Live Chat if it still fails. Report VPN or target problems in the proctor chat. To change rooms, tell the proctor first and redo the room scan when you reconnect.
The guide expects backup internet, a backup Kali VM and power. For a legitimate outage, email OffSec at once with your OSID and evidence, such as a letter from your ISP. OffSec extends time only when the problem is on its side and your exam subnet isn't booked next. If the problem is on its side and the subnet is booked, you get a free retake instead.
Ending the exam and the 24-hour report
Submit your proof file contents in the exam control panel before time runs out. You can end early through the chat or the tool's end button, after which the VPN closes and you can't rejoin.
You then have 24 hours to upload the report as a .7z file at upload.offsec.com. Check the MD5 hash it shows against your copy, click "Submit File" and watch for the confirmation email. Answer any clarification request within 24 hours. OffSec suggests sleeping before you write, and our exam tips cover the report.
The exam guide promises a pass/fail email within ten business days. For exams starting on or after December 1, 2026 at 8:00 GMT, allow up to 15 business days, and a fail comes with a scaled score. Our scaled scoring guide explains the change.
Pre-exam checklist
| When | Check |
|---|---|
| Booking | Two weeks out (six for a weekend), time zone set |
| Linux host | Test session requested by ticket, desktop on X11 |
| Days before | Webcam reads your ID, ID valid and in English, name matches your profile |
| Days before | 20 Mbps down and 10 Mbps up, backup connection ready, no planned power cut |
| Day before | Extra monitors and TVs away, printed notes only, others in the room briefed |
| 15 minutes before | Reminder link open, OSID number and MD5 ready, camera on, every screen shared |
For the technical side of exam day, our OSCP Exam Prep Guide playlist has our full course, exam guides and roadmaps.
FAQ
Does the OSCP exam clock pause during breaks?
OffSec doesn't describe a pause. The exam ends 23 hours and 45 minutes after your scheduled start, and breaks, meals and sleep come out of that time.
Do I need a microphone for OSCP proctoring?
OffSec's requirements don't list one. The proctor can't hear you, so you communicate through the tool's chat.
What ID do I need for the OSCP exam?
A physical, valid, government-issued photo ID in English: a national ID, driver's license, passport or residence permit ID, in the name on your OffSec profile.
What happens if I'm late for the OSCP exam?
Your time still counts from the scheduled start. After one hour without logging in, the exam is automatically canceled, and you'll need a valid exam attempt or a retake to sit it again.
Is the OSCP proctoring session recorded?
Yes, and OffSec keeps recordings for up to six months. You may not record your own screen.
Can I use two monitors for the OSCP exam?
Yes. OffSec allows up to four screens or monitors, all shared with the proctoring tool, and recommends Chrome if you use three or four. A laptop's own display has to stay on, though you can mirror it to an external monitor and share both.
Can I run Kali in a VM for the OSCP exam?
Yes, as long as the VM runs locally on the same host as the proctoring tool, since all your exam work has to happen on that machine. OffSec's requirements list VMware Player, Workstation and Fusion as the virtualization software.
Rehearse exam day in advance
Run a timed mock exam on one of our free OSCP AD chains using your exam-day host, Kali VM, browser and screens, then write the report within 24 hours in OffSec's official template, set up the way our OSCP report template guide shows. Our free academy covers VM setup, and our OSCP notes give you open-book methodology to keep on the host.
One of our students, Liam, wrote: "I attempted my exam two times and failed. However, me following this course and the methodology really helped me pass on my third attempt!" (More reviews)
Try our 30+ hour course for OSCP prep with a free trial, or run a practice exam day on one of our free Active Directory chains.
Unsure about your exam setup? Ask in the Hacker Blueprint Discord, and confirm anything official with OffSec support before exam day.
Sources
- OffSec: Proctored Exam Requirements FAQ (updated Oct 14, 2026: hardware, OS, browser, webcam, internet, Linux test session, ID rules, pre-exam checks, arrival time, one-hour grace period, permitted items, up to four monitors, laptop display, virtualization software, webcam during breaks, screen recording, shared rooms, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: General Proctoring FAQ (updated Oct 26, 2026: breaks, VPN on disconnect, visitors, recordings, location changes, questions to the proctor, who the proctors are, ending early, frozen software, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: Proctoring Tool Manual (updated Oct 31, 2026: login, camera and notification access, screen sharing, Chrome for three or four screens, Pause Webcam option, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: OSCP+ Exam Guide (updated Nov 3, 2026: 23 hours 45 minutes, Kali and OpenVPN, connection pack timing, breaks and contingency plans, outages and extensions, contact protocol, report upload, results in ten business days, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: OSCP+ Exam FAQ (updated Oct 21, 2026: all exam work on the host running the proctoring tool, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: OSCP+ Exam with AD Preparation (updated Oct 28, 2026: at least three weeks to book, confirmation email, room logistics, sleep before the report, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: Managing OffSec Certification Exams (updated Aug 28, 2026: booking two to six weeks ahead, three date selections, 48-hour lock, time zone, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: OffSec Certification Exam FAQ (updated Oct 21, 2026: confirmation email, retakes after a missed or canceled exam, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: Exam Support Chat (updated Oct 25, 2026: Live Chat for proctoring tool problems, checked Nov 3, 2026)
- OffSec: OSCP+ Equated Scaled Scoring FAQ (updated Nov 2, 2026: up to 15 business days for results from Dec 1, 2026, proctoring rules unchanged, checked Nov 3, 2026)
