Is Calculator Allowed in SAT Test? 2026 Rules and Approved Models

Yes — calculators are allowed on the SAT, but only during the Math section, and only if your model meets the College Board’s rules. The test is fully digital, and the built-in graphing calculator in the testing app is available to everyone for every Math question. So no student is ever left without one. That is the short answer: yes for Math, no for Reading and Writing. What follows covers the policy, approved models, and the test-day details that actually matter.

The SAT Calculator Policy

The Digital SAT has two sections: Reading and Writing, and Math. Calculators are permitted only in the Math section. You may use your own approved calculator, or the embedded graphing calculator (Desmos) built into the Bluebook testing app, which the College Board provides on the test device.

There is no longer a no-calculator math portion. The old paper SAT split Math into a calculator and a no-calculator section; the Digital SAT eliminated that split. Every Math question, in both modules, allows calculator use.

A few policy details that matter:

• The Reading and Writing section does not permit calculator use. Put your device away entirely during that section.
• You may not use a calculator on any other device, including phones, smartwatches, or tablets, even if the calculator app is open.
• The built-in calculator is available even if you bring no device of your own, so bringing a personal calculator is optional, not required.

One practical implication: if your own calculator dies, freezes, or is disallowed at check-in, you can still complete every Math question with the embedded tool. Practicing with both is a smart hedge.

Can You Bring Your Own?

Yes. Students may bring one approved calculator to the test. It must be a standalone device, and it cannot have any of the prohibited features covered below. Test centers do not supply calculators, and proctors will not lend you one, so plan on your own device or the built-in app.

Approved Calculator Models

The College Board permits four broad categories: graphing calculators, scientific calculators, four-function calculators, and certain calculator apps on a personal device you bring for testing. Using a phone as a calculator is never allowed.

Graphing calculators (most popular choices)

The following well-known models are permitted:

• Texas Instruments: TI-84 Plus and TI-84 Plus CE, TI-83 Plus, TI-Nspire (any model, including CAS versions)
• Casio: fx-9750GII, fx-9860GII, fx-CG50, and the Prizm series
• HP: HP 48GII, HP 49g+, HP 50g, HP Prime
• NumWorks graphing calculator

Scientific, four-function, and other types

• Any scientific calculator without a QWERTY keyboard or internet access
• Any four-function calculator, including basic models
• Graphing calculators with a computer algebra system (CAS), like the TI-Nspire CAS

What is banned

The following are not allowed:

• Phones of any kind
• Smartwatches and wearable devices
• Tablets (except the device you are officially testing on, if your school or the College Board issued it)
• Laptops or any device with a QWERTY keyboard, internet, or Bluetooth/Wi-Fi capability
• Calculators with paper-tape printers, stylus pads, or a loud operational noise
• Any calculator that can communicate with other devices

If a proctor sees a phone or smartwatch on your desk or in your hand, it is treated as a testing violation regardless of whether you were using it.

Calculator Use by Section

Math section

The Math section is two modules of about 22 questions each, roughly 35 minutes per module. Calculator use is allowed for the entire section, in every question type — multiple choice and student-produced response (grid-in). The embedded calculator is accessible via a button on the Bluebook toolbar. You can also use the reference sheet built into the app.

A simple worked example of when a calculator saves time: on a grid-in asking for the positive solution to 3x² − 12 = 0, you can divide by 3, add 4, and take the square root mentally. But on something like the intersection of y = 2.3x + 1.7 and y = −0.9x + 8.1, graphing both lines and using the “intersect” function takes seconds and eliminates arithmetic slips. On the digital test, speed matters more than showing algebra, so use the tool where it helps.

Reading and Writing section

No calculators. Not yours, not the built-in one — the toolbar calculator is disabled. Do not reach for a device during this section even between questions unless the proctor has paused testing. Reading and Writing is two modules of about 27 questions each, roughly 32 minutes per module.

Built-in digital tools

The Bluebook app’s calculator is a full graphing calculator. It can plot functions, find zeros, intersections, maxima and minima, and evaluate expressions. You can also type a full expression and see both the decimal and, where applicable, the exact form. There is no disadvantage to using it over your own device on computation-heavy questions, though many students find their own calculators faster for basic arithmetic.

Tips and Restrictions

A little setup before test day prevents most problems.

• Clear your calculator’s memory. Remove any notes, programs, or apps you would not want a proctor to see. Storing formulas is not prohibited outright, but apps or programs that mimic prohibited functionality can get you flagged.
• Charge or bring spare batteries. A TI-84 with fresh batteries and a backup set removes an easy risk. Test centers rarely have spares.
• Silence the device. Calculators that beep or click loudly are disallowed, and noise draws proctor attention.
• Do not share. Passing a calculator between students is a violation. Bring your own, or use the built-in one.
• Keep phones off and away. Even a powered-off phone on your person during the Math section can be treated as a violation in strict centers — check with your proctor about where to store it.
• Practice in Bluebook. The College Board’s free full-length practice tests in the College Board app use the same interface and the same calculator. If you only ever practice on a TI-84, the on-screen tool will feel unfamiliar on test day.
• Know when not to use it. Over-relying on a calculator for simple arithmetic wastes time. Many Math questions, especially early module 1 items, are faster by hand.

If you have an IEP or 504 plan that specifies a calculator accommodation, confirm with your school’s SSD coordinator that it is approved for your specific testing window. Accommodations are handled separately from the general calculator policy.

Key Takeaways

• Calculators are allowed on the SAT Math section, both modules, and are not permitted in Reading and Writing.
• Every test-taker has access to the built-in Desmos graphing calculator in the Bluebook app; bringing your own is optional.
• Approved personal calculators include graphing, scientific, and four-function models from TI, Casio, HP, and NumWorks.
• Phones, smartwatches, tablets, and any device with internet, QWERTY keyboard, or communication features are banned in the testing room.
• Clear memory, silence the device, charge batteries, and practice with the Bluebook built-in tool before test day to avoid violations and surprises.