> ## 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.

# Time Limits on Tests

> How time limits work on Equip library and custom tests.

<Tip>
  You cannot set a time limit for an entire assessment. Time limits apply at the **test** or **question** level, depending on the test type. Equip library content has fixed timers; only [Custom Tests](/custom-tests) let you control them.
</Tip>

## How Time Limits Work

An Equip **assessment** (for example, *Python Developer*) is a set of tests, and each test contains one or more **questions**. A quiz may have many MCQs, while a programming challenge has a single problem. See [Assessments, Tests, Questions: The Hierarchy](/assessment-hierarchy) for a refresher.

Time limits are never set on the assessment itself. Depending on the test type, the timer lives either on each question or on the test as a whole.

Here is an example assessment with two tests:

| Test | Test Type       | Questions | Time per Question | Test Time Limit |
| ---- | --------------- | --------- | ----------------- | --------------- |
| 1    | One-by-one quiz | 5 MCQs    | 2 min each        | Not settable    |
| 2    | Programming     | 1 problem | Not settable      | 30 min          |

In Test 1, each MCQ has its own timer and there is no whole-test timer. In Test 2, the single programming problem is governed by one test-level timer.

<Note>
  Because every Equip question carries a timer, the builder shows an **Estimated Assessment Duration** in the Test Order tab. See [Assessment Duration](/assessment-duration) for how that estimate is calculated.
</Note>

### Time Limits by Test Type

| Test Type                                                          | Where the Time Limit Is Set |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------- |
| One-by-one quiz (questions shown one after another, like Typeform) | Question level              |
| All-at-once quiz (questions shown together, like Google Forms)     | Test level                  |
| Programming, SQL, CSS                                              | Test level                  |
| Psychometric                                                       | No time limit               |
| English Communication (CEFR)                                       | Question level              |
| Video Response                                                     | Question level              |
| Excel                                                              | Question level              |

## Equip Library vs Custom Tests

If a test uses **Equip Content**, its time limits are fixed. You cannot lengthen or shorten Equip's timers, even if they feel too generous or too tight for your role.

To control timers yourself, create a **Custom Test** and select **My Content** when adding a test. Custom tests let you set the timer on each question or on the whole test, depending on the display mode.

| Capability                        | Equip Content | Custom Content |
| --------------------------------- | ------------- | -------------- |
| Set time per question or test     | No            | Yes            |
| Set time for the whole assessment | No            | No             |

For custom quizzes specifically, the display mode decides where the timer goes: one-by-one quizzes use per-question timers only, and all-at-once quizzes use a single whole-test timer. See [Time Limits on Custom Quizzes](/custom-quiz-time-limits) for details.

## Setting a Start Time Window

While you cannot cap when an assessment must end, you can control when candidates are allowed to **start** it. Use the **Cannot Start Before** and **Cannot Start After** settings, either one or both.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Assessment Settings">
    From the Recruiter Dashboard, open **Assessment Settings** for your assessment, then go to the **Settings** tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set the window">
    In the **Timer** section, enable **Cannot Start Before** and/or **Cannot Start After**, then pick a date and time for each.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Save the assessment. Candidates can now begin only within this window.
  </Step>
</Steps>

For example, you can require candidates to start between 11:00 AM and 11:15 AM on a given day. Once a candidate starts, the time they actually have depends on the question and test timers inside the assessment.

<Note>
  The times you pick are interpreted in your local time zone as the recruiter.
</Note>

## What Happens When Time Runs Out

Candidates see a persistent time-remaining display while taking a test, so the countdown is always visible. In one-by-one quizzes, candidates cannot return to earlier questions, so time spent on a question is final.

<Warning>
  You cannot control the time by which an assessment must end. Candidates may take a break between tests, so only the start window is enforceable. If you need a hard overall cap, such as 45 minutes, use a single test with a 45-minute duration; with two or more tests, the end time cannot be pinned down.
</Warning>

If a candidate faces a system or internet issue mid-test, how the timer is affected depends on the test type. See [Resume Your Attempt](/resume-your-attempt) for how interrupted attempts are handled.

## Related Resources

* [Assessment Duration](/assessment-duration) - How Equip estimates the total time an assessment takes
* [Time Limits on Custom Quizzes](/custom-quiz-time-limits) - Per-question vs whole-test timers on your own quizzes
* [Custom Tests](/custom-tests) - Build tests where you control questions, points, and timers
* [Resume Your Attempt](/resume-your-attempt) - What happens when a candidate is interrupted mid-test