If you have booked an Ontario 313A Red Seal exam, there is a second account to check after your Skilled Trades Ontario booking: rsexam.ca. Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) says this is the online exam delivery system and recommends using its practice view before exam day. This is a checklist for a booked candidate, based on STO's instructions checked 2026-09-25; it is not an announcement of a new exam or a change to the 313A occupational standard.
When should the activation email arrive?
STO says the activation email is sent 7 to 14 days before your booked exam. Its published example names ccda.alerts@gmail.com and the subject “Red Seal Examination Account Activation / Activation du compte pour l’examen du Sceau rouge.” Verify any message against your STO booking and the official scheduling page before using a link. Your rsexam.ca username is the email address STO has on file and is case sensitive.
Your exam confirmation controls the date and location. STO asks candidates to check that their location is delivering the online exam. Keep the Authorization to Test letter and confirmation together; the 313A exam information page explains the format and current-exam outline.
What if the temporary password expires?
STO says the temporary password expires 72 hours after the activation email. Sign in during that window and set your own credentials. If you miss it, STO's current scheduling instructions say to call 1-855-299-0028 to request a credential reset. If the email has not arrived in the stated 7-to-14-day window, or your address has changed, contact STO rather than guessing at another account.
Once activated, candidates can return to their profile, including after a cancellation, rescheduling or rewrite. Save the official login address and practise signing in while you still have time to resolve a problem.
Which exam details should you verify in the portal?
STO lists five fields to inspect: trade, session, time, duration and session status. Compare them with your booking confirmation. If something is missing or out of date, STO says to call 1-855-299-0028 as soon as possible. The portal practice is for learning its interface and answer submission; it is not a released copy of your certifying exam.
Do a short interface practice, then return to the current-exam standard and your study planner for content review. Red Seal still labels its newer 313A trade standard as having exams under development, so the account setup does not imply a new exam blueprint.
Do you need your personal portal password on exam day?
STO's current online-exam instructions say the invigilator provides exam-day directions and that your personal password is not required that day. They also say the invigilator can help launch the exam if you are locked out or did not activate the account. Set it up early anyway so you can see your session details and use the practice interface. Follow your own confirmation and the invigilator's instructions at the centre.
For a separate, original concept check, the free five-question sample is available without an account. It is unofficial draft practice, not the rsexam.ca interface or official exam content.
Sources
- Skilled Trades Ontario: exam scheduling and online Red Seal instructionsActivation, session checks and exam-day login; checked 2026-09-25
- Red Seal: Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic trade pageCurrent versus newer exam standard; checked 2026-09-25
Examen Studio is independent and not affiliated with the Red Seal Program or Skilled Trades Ontario. This article is a study aid; on the job, follow current codes, regulations and manufacturer instructions.