Which AP exams allow a calculator, which require one, and which ban them entirely - plus what kind of calculator to bring for your specific exam.
The short answer: it depends entirely on the subject. Roughly half of AP exams allow a calculator, several require one (usually a graphing calculator, though Bluebook now embeds Desmos), and the human readable subjects - history, English, languages, government - ban them outright.
Calculator allowed:
- AP Calculus AB & BC - graphing calculator required for part of the exam (built-in Desmos in Bluebook).
- AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science - a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator is allowed.
- AP Physics 1, 2, and C, AP Precalculus, AP Micro/Macroeconomics - calculators allowed (several with requirements or restrictions).
Calculator not allowed:
- AP English (Language and Literature), all AP History exams, AP Government, AP Psychology, AP Human Geography - no calculator, ever.
- AP Computer Science A & Principles - no calculator, but the provided Java reference sheet covers what you need.
Before exam day, confirm two things: your exact subject's policy on the College Board website, and whether the allowed list changed since the year the list was published (it does occasionally). Each subject calculator page here lists its own calculator policy in the "How the exam is structured" section, so check there for the subject you're taking.
Calculator policy by exam (all 38 subjects)
Search by subject name or tap a policy chip to filter the table. Click the Subject header to re-sort.
| Subject | Policy |
|---|---|
| AP Calculus AB | Required |
| AP Calculus BC | Required |
| AP Physics C: E&M | Required |
| AP Physics C: Mechanics | Required |
| AP Precalculus | Required |
| AP African American Studies | Allowed |
| AP Art History | Allowed |
| AP Biology | Allowed |
| AP Chemistry | Allowed |
| AP Chinese | Allowed |
| AP Comparative Government | Allowed |
| AP Computer Science A | Allowed |
| AP Computer Science Principles | Allowed |
| AP English Language | Allowed |
| AP English Literature | Allowed |
| AP Environmental Science | Allowed |
| AP European History | Allowed |
| AP French | Allowed |
| AP German | Allowed |
| AP Human Geography | Allowed |
| AP Italian | Allowed |
| AP Japanese | Allowed |
| AP Latin | Allowed |
| AP Macroeconomics | Allowed |
| AP Microeconomics | Allowed |
| AP Music Theory | Allowed |
| AP Physics 1 | Allowed |
| AP Physics 2 | Allowed |
| AP Psychology | Allowed |
| AP Research | Allowed |
| AP Seminar | Allowed |
| AP Spanish Language | Allowed |
| AP Spanish Literature | Allowed |
| AP Statistics | Allowed |
| AP US Government | Allowed |
| AP US History | Allowed |
| AP World History | Allowed |
| AP Studio Art | None |
'Required' means part of the exam can't be done without one (Bluebook embeds Desmos on eligible digital exams). 'Allowed' means four-function, scientific, or graphing calculators are permitted. 'None' means calculators are banned.
What to actually bring
- Graphing calculators (TI-84 family, Casio fx-9860, etc.) - fine for every exam that allows calculators, and required on the parts that need one.
- Scientific calculators - accepted on 'allowed' exams, but not enough where graphing is required.
- Bluebook's built-in Desmos - available on eligible digital exams; you don't need to bring a physical device if your school allows it.
Confirm the exact policy for your exam on the College Board website, and check each subject calculator page, which lists that exam's policy in the exam-structure section.
Which calculator models are allowed?
| Calculator type | Where it's accepted |
|---|---|
| Graphing (TI-84, TI-89, Casio fx-9860, NumWorks) | Every AP exam that allows a calculator, and required on the calculator-mandatory parts of Calculus, Statistics, Precalculus, Physics, and the AP sciences |
| Scientific | “Allowed” exams (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Physics 1/2) — but not enough where graphing is required |
| Four-function | “Allowed” exams; simplest and least useful for STEM work |
| Bluebook built-in Desmos | Eligible digital exams only — no physical device needed where your school uses Bluebook |
Two practical notes: any calculator with a QWERTY keyboard, a camera, or wireless capability is banned on every AP exam, and the exact allowed models change occasionally — always confirm against the College Board’s policy for your exam year before test day.
If you’re buying a calculator for AP season, a used TI-84 is the value pick that works for every required exam — the current digital releases still support the classic function set AP questions rely on. And if you already own a calculator, do a two-minute charge and memory check the night before, because a dead battery on a calculator-mandatory section is the one equipment failure you can fully prevent.
The bottom line for test-day prep: know your exam’s bucket (required, allowed, or none), bring the right level of calculator for that bucket, and confirm the digital-vs-paper path with your school. Everything else — brand, extra memory, fancy apps — is a distraction. The policy table at the top of this guide is your reference; the section-by-section rule for your subject is on your calculator page; and a quick read of both the night before is all the equipment planning most students need.
Why the policies differ so much
The calculator rules aren’t random — they track whether computation is part of what the exam is testing.
- “Required” exams (Calculus, Statistics, Physics C) assume computation is a core skill being measured. The question text sometimes presumes a graphing calculator, and Bluebook embeds a Desmos graphing calculator on eligible digital versions so everyone has one.
- “Allowed” exams (Biology, Chemistry, Physics 1/2, Environmental Science) permit four-function, scientific, or graphing calculators — you can use one, but no question depends on it, so leaving it at home doesn’t hurt.
- “None” exams (English, History, Languages, Art) test reading, writing, listening, or production — computation isn’t part of the task, so any calculator is banned.
That means the honest answer to “do I need to buy a graphing calculator?” is: only for the required subjects, and even then, if your school runs digital exams you may be able to use the built-in Desmos instead of owning a physical one.
Two more details are worth locking in before test day. First, the calculator rules apply section by section — a graphing calculator might be required for Part B of the MCQ and Part A of the FRQ but not for the rest, so you can’t assume one blanket rule for the whole exam. Second, the ban on wireless and QWERTY-keyboard devices (phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth keyboards) is absolute on every AP exam, and proctors check. If you plan to rely on Bluebook’s Desmos, confirm in advance that your school’s exam is on the digital path — a paper administration may require a physical calculator after all.
Can You Use a Calculator on AP Exams? - quick answers
Can I use a TI-84 on AP exams?
Yes for exams that allow graphing calculators. AP Calculus, AP Statistics, AP Physics, AP Precalculus, and the AP sciences that allow calculators accept the TI-84 family. Bluebook also embeds a Desmos graphing calculator for eligible digital exams.
Can I use a calculator on AP Biology?
Yes - AP Biology allows a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator on both sections.
Can I use a calculator on AP Chemistry?
Yes - a scientific or graphing calculator is allowed on both sections (the periodic table is provided).
Which AP exams ban calculators?
History, English, government, psychology, human geography, computer science, world languages (aside from the written sections), art history, music theory, and the Capstone exams all ban calculators.
Want a number, not just an explanation? Jump to your subject's score calculator and plug in your results.
Keep reading
Quick calculators: AP Lang · APUSH · AP Calc AB · AP Biology