> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.equip.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Can a Candidate Re-Attempt?

> Attempt limits, how to allow a candidate to try again, and what a re-attempt costs in credits.

Candidates sometimes ask for a second chance: a laptop died mid-test, a link expired, or you simply want to give a strong applicant another shot. This page explains Equip's one-attempt rule and the exact steps to allow a re-attempt.

<Tip>
  tl;dr: A candidate can attempt an assessment only once. To let them try again, delete their existing attempt from the Results page and re-invite them. Every invitation deducts a credit, so a full re-attempt costs one extra credit.
</Tip>

## One Attempt Per Candidate

Every candidate can attempt an assessment **only once**. There is no setting that raises this limit; giving someone another attempt always requires action from you as the recruiter.

Because of this rule, an unfinished assessment is **always resumed** for the same email ID. Even if you send a fresh invitation with a brand-new link, clicking that new link continues the original attempt from where the candidate left off.

<Note>
  Equip identifies a candidate by their **email ID**. If the same person uses two different email IDs, Equip counts them as two different candidates, since it has no way to know they are the same person.
</Note>

Before deleting anything, check whether the candidate actually needs a re-attempt. Many requests are really resume situations:

| Situation                       | Candidate's status      | What to do                                                                                    |
| ------------------------------- | ----------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Device or connection issue      | Has not started Test 1  | Candidate clicks the same link again, on any device. The assessment starts from Test 1        |
| Device or connection issue      | Finished Test 1 of 2    | Candidate clicks the same link again. The assessment resumes from Test 2                      |
| Invitation link expired         | Any                     | Re-invite them, then reclaim the credit from the previous invitation                          |
| You want to give another chance | Finished the assessment | Delete their attempt and re-invite them, or clone the assessment and invite them to the clone |

## Allowing a Re-Attempt

To give a candidate a true fresh start, delete their existing attempt (finished or not) and invite them again.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Results page">
    Go to the assessment's Results page and locate the candidate whose attempt you want to remove.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Delete the attempt">
    Click the red **Delete** icon at the far right of the candidate's row. This clears the attempt completely.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Re-invite the candidate">
    Send a new invitation. Since the old attempt no longer exists, the candidate starts the assessment from scratch.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
  Deleting an attempt permanently removes the candidate's scores and answers. If you may need the results later, download the candidate's report before deleting.
</Warning>

### Alternative: clone the assessment

If you want to keep the original attempt on record, **clone the assessment** and invite the candidate to the clone instead. Their first attempt stays intact on the original assessment, and the clone gives them a clean slate.

### If the candidate never received the invite

Check the invitation's **Status** on the Track Invitations tab before re-inviting:

* **Bounced**: the email ID is likely wrong. Correct it and re-invite the right address.
* **Delivered, Opened, or Clicked**: the email reached them. Ask the candidate to check Spam and other folders.
* Still missing: re-invite them and reclaim the credit from the earlier invitation.

## Credits and Re-Attempts

Equip **always deducts a credit on each invitation**, including re-invitations. What changes between scenarios is whether you can reclaim the earlier credit:

| Candidate's progress           | Previous credit                               | What you pay                                                               |
| ------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Has not started the first test | Reclaimable, since the invitation went unused | Only the new invitation's credit                                           |
| Started but did not finish     | Not reclaimable once the first test has begun | One more credit; delete the old attempt first so they restart from scratch |
| Finished the assessment        | Not reclaimable                               | One more credit, so the candidate costs 2 credits in total                 |

<Note>
  Credits are reclaimable only when the invitation was sent more than 24 hours ago and the candidate has not started the first test. Reclaiming a credit also revokes the candidate's link and deletes any test data tied to it.
</Note>

## Related Resources

* [Resume Your Attempt](/resume-your-attempt) - What candidates should do after a refresh, crash, or device change
* [Reclaim Credits](/reclaim-credits) - Conditions for getting credits back on unused invitations
* [Email Invitations](/email-invitations) - Sending and tracking assessment invitations
* [Email Status](/email-status) - What Sent, Delivered, Opened, Clicked, and Bounced mean