CFA Exam Calculator Policy — Approved Models & Rules
The CFA Institute permits exactly two calculator families in its exams, and the list has been stable for years: Texas Instruments' BA II Plus line and HP's 12C line. Everything else — phones, smartwatches, tablets, and any website — stays outside. This page summarizes the policy as of 2026 for study planning; always confirm details against the current CFA Institute rules before exam day.
Quick answer: Two families allowed: the TI BA II Plus (including the Professional edition) and the HP 12C (including Platinum and Elite). Bring the physical device — websites and simulators like ours are study tools only. Expect to clear calculator memory when instructed, and never share a calculator during the exam.
The approved list
- Texas Instruments BA II Plus
- Texas Instruments BA II Plus Professional
- HP 12C (the classic)
- HP 12C Platinum
- HP 12C Elite
What the rules expect of you
- Bring an approved physical calculator — a phone app or a website (including this one) is never a substitute in the room
- Clear memory when instructed by proctors — both families have one-keystroke reset sequences worth memorizing
- Do not share calculators with other candidates during the exam
- A backup calculator is commonly allowed, but it must also be an approved model — check current policy
Practicing within the rules
Online simulators (including this site's BA II Plus and HP 12C pages) are legitimate study aids: they teach the register-and-compute patterns and the sign conventions using the same TVM math the approved devices run. What they cannot do is put the muscle memory in your fingers — the physical keyboard layout, the CPT rhythm, the CHS placement — which is what you'll rely on under time pressure. The efficient split: learn concepts and check answers here, then drill final-week practice sets on the exact model you'll carry in.
The calculator mistakes that cost points
- Sign errors: forgetting ± / CHS on payments — the register then holds the wrong-direction flow
- Mode errors: BGN left on from a lease problem, silently shifting every annuity answer
- Register pollution: old values from the previous problem — clear between questions
- Period errors: annual rate with monthly periods (I/Y should be 0.5 for 6% monthly, N should be 60)