SAT calculator policy: allowed and banned calculators

You can use a calculator on every question in the SAT Math section, and you don't have to bring one. Bluebook has a Desmos calculator built in, with graphing and scientific versions you can switch between at any point in the Math section. If you'd rather bring your own, College Board allows most graphing calculators, all scientific calculators, and four-function calculators, as long as the calculator has no computer algebra system (CAS). Everything below comes from College Board's SAT calculator policy page unless another source is named.

The built-in Desmos calculator

Every student gets the Desmos calculator inside Bluebook. You choose between two versions:

• Graphing. Graphs equations and inequalities, shows intersections and intercepts, builds tables, and runs regressions.
• Scientific. Works like a standard scientific calculator.

According to Desmos, the scientific version on the test is the same as the one on desmos.com, and the graphing version turns off images, folders, and notes. Desmos also notes that work you do in one version doesn't carry over to the other, so check which one is open before you start typing.

You can practice on the exact test versions on Desmos's Testing page (desmos.com/testing), in the Bluebook test preview, or in a full-length Bluebook practice test. For the techniques that save the most time, read how to use Desmos on the SAT.

Calculators you can bring

College Board permits these handheld calculators:

College Board no longer keeps a list of approved graphing calculators. Instead, it publishes a list of banned ones. Texas Instruments says these TI graphing models are approved for the SAT: TI-84 Evo, TI-84 Plus CE, TI-84 Plus CE Python, TI-84 Plus, TI-83 Plus, TI-Nspire CX, and TI-Nspire CX II. TI also says all of its scientific and four-function calculators are approved.

Calculators and devices that are banned

Calculators with CAS functionality are no longer allowed on any SAT Suite test. A CAS calculator can factor and expand algebraic expressions and solve equations with exact symbolic answers. College Board's quick check: if the model name includes "CAS," or the calculator can rearrange algebra symbolically, it's out.

College Board lists these banned CAS models as examples:

• Texas Instruments: TI-Nspire CAS, TI-Nspire CX II CAS, and every model that begins with TI-89 or TI-92 or has "CAS" in its name. TI-Nspire models without "CAS" in the name are allowed.
• Casio: ClassPad 300, 330, and 400; ClassPad II (fx-CP400); ClassPad fx-CG500; Algebra fx 2.0; and every model that begins with CFX-9970G.
• Hewlett Packard: HP Prime, HP 48GII, and every model that begins with 40G, 49G, or 50G.

Check the full model number on your calculator, not just the first few characters. Similar names can belong to very different machines.

College Board also bans calculators and devices with any of these:

• Apps, menus, or programs that do symbolic algebra
• A QWERTY keyboard
• Wireless internet, Bluetooth, or cellular connectivity
• A built-in camera or audio or video recording
• Paper tape

Tablets, laptops, electronic writing pads, pen-input devices, and phone calculator apps aren't allowed either. The one exception is a tablet or laptop that's part of an approved accommodation.

If an older sibling or a prep book told you a TI-89 or a CAS Nspire was fine, that advice is out of date. Texas Instruments notes that CAS models stopped being allowed starting with the August 2025 weekend SAT.

Test day rules for handheld calculators

If you bring your own calculator, these rules apply:

• No calculator during Reading and Writing. It has to stay under your desk during those modules.
• No sharing. Each student uses their own.
• Clear it out. Remove any programs that solve equations, expand expressions, or factor expressions, and delete any stored documents.
• Sound off.
• Batteries only. Only battery-operated, handheld calculators are allowed, and no power cords.
• Covers go under the desk for the whole test.
• Large displays. If your calculator's characters are one inch tall or larger, or it has a raised display that other students could see, the proctor decides where you sit.

College Board says students who use a calculator to share information or to take test questions or answers out of the room will be dismissed and have their scores canceled.

The policy can change once a year. College Board says any changes are finalized in time for the August weekend SAT and fall testing at schools, so check the policy page at the start of each school year.

Desmos or your own calculator

College Board's advice is to use whatever calculator you know best. Here's how to decide:

Use the built-in Desmos if you've practiced with it. It draws graphs instantly, it sits on the same screen as the question, and it has no batteries to die.

Bring your own if you're fast with it and use it every day in math class, especially for arithmetic and fractions. You can also use both: a handheld for quick arithmetic and Desmos for graphs.

Don't bring a calculator you just bought. College Board says to bring one you know and to practice with the same calculator you'll use on test day.

If your calculator dies during the test and you don't have a backup, you can keep going with the built-in Desmos calculator. That's one more reason to practice with Desmos even if you plan to use a handheld.

Tips for calculator use on the SAT

1. Not every question needs a calculator. College Board points out that some Math questions are easier without one. If you can see the answer in two lines of algebra, write it down.
2. Set up the problem on paper first. Write the equation before you type it. Many calculator mistakes are setup mistakes, like a missing parenthesis or a negative sign in the wrong place.
3. Use parentheses generously. Type (3+5)/2, not 3+5/2. On a four-function calculator, avoid long chains of operations altogether.
4. Check angle mode before trig questions. Degrees and radians give very different answers.
5. Bring fresh batteries. Change them a few days before the test and make sure the calculator turns on.

Quick checklist for test day

• Decide whether you're using Desmos, a handheld, or both.
• If you're bringing a handheld, confirm the model has no CAS and isn't on College Board's banned list.
• Delete stored programs and documents.
• Put in fresh batteries and turn the sound off.
• Practice with it on at least one full-length practice test.

To practice with Desmos on SAT-style questions, try SAT Owl's free 24-question diagnostic. It gives you a predicted score and shows which math skills to practice first.