CodeSignal Proctored Test: What to Expect Step by Step

A proctored CodeSignal assessment walks you through nine setup steps before the timer starts, records your camera, microphone, and screen from that point until you submit, and then sends the recording to a CodeSignal review team that verifies the result within one to three business days. As of September 9, 2026, that is the documented flow for the General Coding Assessment and other proctored tests. This walkthrough follows it in order so nothing on the setup screen is a surprise.

Before you click the link

CodeSignal's technical requirements are short: an internet connection of "at least 500 Kb/s," "Camera, microphone, and screen sharing abilities," "A government-issued photo identification," and the current Chrome or Firefox. The test-taking guide adds Edge on Windows and Safari on Mac as options, with Chrome or Firefox preferred.

Sign in or create an account; the guide notes you can enter as a guest only once. The Assessments page shows whether proctoring is required. If you are unsure, how to tell whether a CodeSignal test is proctored lists the signs.

The setup steps

The proctoring documentation states: "The timer for your assessment does not begin until you complete all the setup steps." The sidebar in CodeSignal's screenshots lists nine:

1. Browser Compatibility. A check that your browser is supported.
2. Check Camera & Microphone. Both must connect. From here the recording runs until you submit.
3. Close Tabs & Apps. "Step 3 will prompt you to close all unrelated tabs, browser windows, and applications."
4. Share Screen. Grant the screen share; CodeSignal's screenshots show Chrome's "is sharing your screen" banner, indicating a full-display share.
5. Network Connection. A bandwidth check.
6. Take Photo. "You will be prompted to take a picture of your face."
7. Take Photo ID. "You will be prompted to take a picture of your official ID." Upload is allowed if the camera shot is unclear. Name, photo, and expiry must be visible; the rest may be redacted. You then confirm your name as it appears on the ID.
8. Check your surroundings. Three confirmations: "I will complete the evaluation in one session without breaks and without leaving my workstation," "I am alone in the room," and "I am connected to a power source."
9. Acknowledgements. The rules for your session. In the configuration CodeSignal shows, these include "I will not consult or copy content from any external source," "I will not use external generative AI tools," "I will not use other devices, including phones or tablets," "I will not use scratch paper," and "I will not search the web." The GCA rules Q&A allows syntax-only searches, so read your own list.

Click Done, choose a language, accept the rules, and the timer begins.

During the test

The GCA is four questions in 70 minutes, per CodeSignal's structure article, taken in the assessment's own editor: "outside IDEs are not permitted." You can move between questions, submit as often as you like, and CodeSignal keeps the highest-scoring submission per question. There is no pause: "Once you start the assessment, it must be completed in one sitting."

The rules stay available. The IDE's left menu has a Rules tab described as "The question guidelines and evaluation rules." Keep the camera, microphone, and screen share running throughout, since the review confirms all three "were shared for the duration of your evaluation."

After you submit

CodeSignal reviews the recording. Per the recruiter guide, "CodeSignal verifies the result within 1-3 business days," and the outcome is verified or "Proctoring Rejected." The common rejection reasons are being not alone, leaving the camera's view, using other devices, using an external IDE, and non-syntax web searches.

The company receives the score and Coding Report, including an editor replay with paste markers and a Suspicion Score. It does not receive the video. "Identification and proctoring data is reviewed by CodeSignal only and is stored and deleted within 15 days." Proctoring does not change the score; it decides whether the score is certified.

Is there a sample proctored test?

CodeSignal offers a practice assessment and sample questions before the real one, but those run without the proctoring steps. The setup sequence itself is the rehearsal, and it happens off the clock. Work through it slowly; a failed ID photo or a blocked screen share costs time, not score.

Preparation checklist

• Government ID on the desk, unexpired, name matching your account.
• One room, one person, one screen, phone out of reach.
• Laptop plugged in; CodeSignal asks you to confirm a power source.
• Chrome or Firefox, up to date, with no other tabs.
• A working webcam and microphone the browser recognizes.
• A written answer from the company on anything the acknowledgements leave unclear.

For the camera and ID details, see when CodeSignal uses your webcam. For attempt limits before you start, see CodeSignal cooldown and retake rules. For the complete inventory of what is recorded and who reviews it, see what CodeSignal proctoring records. For the GCA's format and practice plan, see the General Coding Assessment guide.