AP Exam Calculator Policy: Which Calculator to Bring

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Required, allowed, or banned

Every AP exam falls into one of three buckets, and it pays to know yours before exam day:

• Calculator required - you cannot complete the exam as designed without one (math, science).
• Calculator allowed - you may use one for all or part of the exam, but it isn't required.
• No calculator - using one (or a smart device) is a violation.

The full breakdown by subject is below. The broader rule is that calculators are for STEM subjects only: no AP history, English, language, government, or art exam permits a calculator on any section.

Which models are allowed

Where a calculator is permitted, the College Board's rules are stable and easy to remember:

Because most exams now run in the College Board's Bluebook app, the practical answer is simpler than it used to be: for digital exams, Bluebook provides the calculator where one is permitted, so you may not even need to bring a physical one. Always bring your familiar handheld anyway if your school recommends it.

Policy by subject (all 38)

Use the filters on the full calculator policy guide to sort and search this table, and see the subject calculators for the exact section-by-section rules as they apply to scoring.

Exam-day calculator rules to know

Bringing the right device is only half of it - how you use it matters too:

• Fresh batteries and a spare. A graphing calculator that dies mid-section costs real points. A backup is cheap insurance for a four-hour exam.
• Know your subject's section split. On AP Calculus, the calculator is required for Part A of free response and Part B of multiple choice but not the rest. Practice switching between "calculator" and "no calculator" sections exactly as the real exam does.
• No internet-capable devices, ever. Phones, smartwatches, and tablets are prohibited even where calculators are allowed - leave them in your bag (or at home) on exam day.
• Memory rules. Any stored programs must be cleared before the exam if an official asks. Arrive prepared to wipe your calculator's memory.
• Use the Bluebook calculator for digital exams. When your exam is delivered in Bluebook and a calculator is permitted, the on-screen Desmos tool is what you'll get - practice with it during prep so exam day isn't the first time you use it.

Why the policy differs by subject

The split between required, allowed, and none is driven by what the exam actually tests. A calculus exam assumes you can graph and integrate numerically, so a calculator is baked into the design. An AP English essay, by contrast, is scored on argument and prose - a calculator would be meaningless. And a subject like AP Chemistry tests conceptual reasoning plus calculation, so calculators are permitted but not assumed. None of it is arbitrary; the rule mirrors the skills the exam measures. When you're planning your study plan, build calculator fluency into the same weeks you take timed practice exams, so your device becomes an extension of your problem-solving rather than a thing you're fighting with.

Which AP exams require a calculator?

AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Precalculus, AP Statistics, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1 and 2, and both AP Physics C exams - the math and science exams that use one. The full policy-by-subject table is above.

Is the TI-84 allowed on AP exams?

Yes. TI-84 series graphing calculators are among the most commonly permitted models on exams that allow calculators. CAS models like the TI-Nspire CAS or TI-89 are not permitted.

Can I use a calculator on AP English or history exams?

No. Calculator policy applies only to STEM exams; history, English, language, government, and art exams do not permit calculators on any section.

Is there a calculator in the Bluebook app?

Yes. For digital exams, Bluebook provides an on-screen Desmos graphing calculator wherever one is permitted, so you may not need to bring a physical calculator.

Related reading

Quick calculators: AP Lang · APUSH · AP Calc AB · AP Biology