Extend Test Duration for Candidates
Last updated: April 22, 2026
HackerRank for Work allows you to extend the test duration for candidates in two ways:
This ensures that candidates have a fair opportunity to complete their tests, whether due to accessibility needs or unexpected technical issues.
Add Time Accommodation
The Add Time Accommodation feature allows you to extend test duration either before or after sending candidate invites, as long as the candidate has not yet started the test.
Prerequisites
You must have a published test in your HackerRank account.
You must be the test owner or have editor access.
Adding time accommodation before sending invites
To add time accommodation:
Log in to your HackerRank for Work account using your credentials.
Go to the Tests tab.
Select the test you want to modify.
Click Invite
Select Time Accommodation dropdown from the upper-right corner.
Choose one of the following options:
Select 25%, 50%, 75%, or 100% to extend the test duration.
Select Custom to set a custom percentage:
Enter a percentage in multiples of five.
Select Save.
The system updates the invite template with the modified duration. You can then invite the candidate to the test. For more information, see 📄 Invite Candidates to a Test
Adding time accommodation after sending invites
You can extend the test duration for specific candidates after you send the invites, as long as the candidates have not started the test.
To add time accommodation for specific candidates:
Log in to your HackerRank for Work account using your credentials.
Go to the Tests tab.
Select the test you want to modify.
Go to the Candidates tab.
Select the checkbox next to the candidate(s) you want to accommodate time.
Click More > Add Time Accommodation.
Enter the accommodation percentage in multiples of five.
Click Save. A success message appears.
Note: After you apply time accommodation, the updated duration appears in the test invite email and on the test landing page before the candidate starts the test.
Add extra time
The test timer runs continuously and does not pause for technical issues. If a candidate loses time because of internet connectivity or other issues, you can add extra time during the test, after the candidate submits, or after the test ends.
Prerequisites
You must have at least one candidate who is currently attempting or has submitted the test.
You must be the test owner or have editor access.
Adding extra time
To add extra time for specific candidates:
Log in to your HackerRank for Work account using your credentials.
Go to the Tests tab.
Select the test you want to modify.
Go to the Candidates tab.
Select the checkbox next to the candidate(s).
Click More > Add Time.
Enter the time in minutes.
Click Confirm.
Note:
A candidate who is still in a test session must refresh the page to see the updated timer.
A candidate who has completed the test must log in again to view the added time.
Do not add time to a test that contains DevOps questions after it ends or after the candidate submits it. The system purges the virtual machine for DevOps questions upon submission, and added time does not restore access. To allow additional time, re-invite the candidate to take the test as a new attempt.
Adding extra time in variant-based tests
For variant-based tests, you can add extra time at the section level for candidates.
To add extra time for specific candidates in a variant-based test:
Log in to your HackerRank for Work account using your credentials.
Go to the Tests tab.
Select the test you want to modify.
Go to the Candidates tab.
Select the checkbox next to one or more candidates from the same test variant.
Click More > Add Time.
In the Add additional time dialog, enter additional time (in minutes) for the required sections.
Click Confirm.
Note:
The Add additional time dialog displays only the sections included in the selected variant (for example, Problem Solving, JavaScript, or CSS).
For bulk updates, select candidates from the same test variant. If you select candidates from different variants, the Add time option is disabled. Filter the candidate list to a single variant to continue.
Candidates who are actively taking the test must refresh the page to see the updated timer.
Candidates who have completed the test must log in again to view the added time.