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§ Verdict file · fe/ti-83-plus

Is the TI-83 Plus Allowed on the FE Exam in 2026?

No. The Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus is not allowed on the NCEES FE exam in 2026 because the NCEES whitelist only approves TI-30X and TI-36X Texas Instruments models, not TI-83 models.

Last verified 2026·05·20highSource NCEES
iThe plain answer

Answer.

Banned

No. The Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus is not allowed on the NCEES FE exam in 2026 because the NCEES whitelist only approves TI-30X and TI-36X Texas Instruments models, not TI-83 models.

iiThe reasoning

Why this verdict.

The TI-83 Plus is not in the NCEES 2026 approved calculator families; Texas Instruments approval is limited to TI-30X and TI-36X models.

The FE calculator policy is controlled by NCEES, and the current rule works as a strict whitelist. That means the question is not whether the TI-83 Plus is useful, common, old, non-CAS, or familiar from school. The question is whether the printed model family appears on the approved list. For Texas Instruments, NCEES lists TI-30X and TI-36X models for the 2026 exams. The TI-83 Plus belongs to the TI-83 graphing family, so it does not match either allowed family. This verdict is intentionally conservative because examinees do not get a general graphing-calculator exception at FE check-in. If a calculator is outside the listed family, do not rely on clearing memory, removing programs, disabling apps, or explaining the model to a proctor.

iiiPrimary evidence

Official source.

Official source · 01NCEES Calculator Policy

NCEES says the listed models are the only acceptable calculators for the 2026 exams. For Texas Instruments, the accepted families are TI-30X and TI-36X models. The TI-83 Plus is not in either family, so this verdict treats it as banned for FE exam use.

The following calculator models are the only ones acceptable for use during the 2026 exams

NCEESAccessed 2026·05·20
ivWhat to watch

Caveats.

01

Do not pack the TI-83 Plus for FE exam day even as a backup; a banned backup can create avoidable confusion during check-in.

02

The TI-83 Plus being older than some modern graphing calculators does not make it acceptable under a current model-family whitelist.

03

A calculator can be non-CAS and still fail the FE policy if its exact family is not listed by NCEES.

04

Do not rely on classroom permission, study-group advice, or old forum posts unless they point to the current official NCEES wording.

05

If you are replacing a TI-83 Plus, practice with the new approved calculator before solving timed FE practice problems.

06

Check labels carefully when borrowing from a school drawer, because TI-83, TI-84, TI-30X, and TI-36X names are easy to blur under time pressure.

07

Older hardware is not automatically safer; the FE policy is based on named families, not release date, screen resolution, memory size, or resale value.

08

If a prep instructor demonstrates graphing steps on a TI-83 Plus, rebuild those steps on an approved scientific calculator before relying on that method.

09

Avoid bringing multiple questionable calculators in the same bag because extra barred devices can slow check-in and distract from exam-day routine.

10

When shopping online, search the full approved family name rather than generic labels like engineering calculator, programmable calculator, or statistics calculator.

11

Test your replacement on interpolation, logarithms, polar coordinates, regression, probability distributions, and unit conversions before retiring the TI-83 Plus.

12

Recheck the NCEES calculator policy close to your appointment because the list is reviewed annually and this page is a dated editorial summary.

vEquivalent models

Alternatives.


Reader questions

FAQ.

Q.01Is the TI-83 Plus allowed on the FE exam in 2026?

No. The TI-83 Plus is not allowed on the FE exam because it is not part of the Texas Instruments TI-30X or TI-36X families listed by NCEES for the 2026 exams.

Q.02Does the TI-83 Plus being non-CAS make it okay for FE?

No. Non-CAS status is not enough for the FE exam. NCEES uses a whitelist, and the TI-83 Plus still fails because its model family is not listed among the approved Texas Instruments families.

Q.03Can I use a TI-83 Plus if my instructor allowed it?

No for the FE exam. Course rules and exam-center rules are separate. A calculator that is allowed for homework, quizzes, labs, or a review class can still be barred by the official NCEES FE policy.

Q.04Which calculators are safer FE replacements?

Use an exact model that matches the current NCEES whitelist. Common options include the TI-36X Pro, TI-30XS MultiView, Casio fx-991CW, Casio fx-991EX, Casio fx-115ES Plus, and HP 35s.


Cross-exam matrix

This calculator in other exams.

No other verified exam verdict exists for this calculator in the current data set.

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