Where to Take an In-Person IQ Test

Where can I take an IQ test in person? Find a licensed psychologist, school/university clinic, or hospital—costs $300–$2000 for real WAIS or Stanford-Binet testing. Discover how to get an accurate in-person IQ test near you.

Dr. Russell T. WarneChief Scientist

In-person IQ testing must be conducted by a qualified clinician, usually a licensed counselor, psychologist, social worker, or other professional. Professional administration guarantees standardized conditions, accurate scoring, and ethical handling of results. These professionals are trained to select appropriate instruments, observe test behavior, and interpret findings within the context of a person’s background and performance.

Individual Test Settings

Most IQ assessments occur in schools, psychology clinics, hospitals, prisons, or private practices. Licensed psychologists administer recognized instruments such as the Wechsler and Stanford–Binet scales for educational placement, diagnostic evaluation, or career guidance.

Schools and universities often perform IQ testing as part of broader evaluations. School psychologists assess students for learning difficulties or gifted programs under district or state guidelines. University psychology departments and training clinics may also provide testing at reduced fees, offering professional administration under faculty supervision. These environments combine clinical precision with educational relevance.

Medical and research institutions use IQ testing within broader neuropsychological or developmental assessments. Tests such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) are administered under strict standardization protocols. Results help evaluate cognitive functioning in relation to neurological or developmental conditions and are interpreted by qualified specialists.

In private practice, many clinicians use IQ tests to help decide which type of therapy is most effective for a client. An IQ test may also be part of a broader intake procedure that includes mental health, personality, and other tests. The experience will vary, though; whether an clinician in private practice offers an IQ test (or which test they offer) depends heavily on the individual preferences of the clinician.

Prisons and jails are another place where professionals sometimes administer IQ tests. There are a lot of reasons someone in custody may receive an IQ test, but these are usually part of a broader array of assessments administered to answer a legal question. The goal may be to determine whether the person is competent to stand trial, whether they qualify for an insanity defense, or an evaluation of their mental health needs while incarcerated. Outside of the prison system, courts sometimes mandate IQ tests as part of a psychological evaluation to determine whether a person is dangerous to themselves or others, or as part of legal disputes like custody battles.

Testing Procedure

An in-person IQ evaluation typically lasts approximately two hours. The clinician explains procedures, administers a series of verbal and nonverbal tasks, and monitors attention and effort throughout. After scoring, results are compared with age-based norms and summarized in a confidential report that may include educational or clinical recommendations.

Online Testing

In-person testing is expensive: usually $300 is a minimum, but the cost can be thousands of dollars. As a result, many people interested in taking an IQ test have turned to websites that offer IQ tests. The advantage with online testing is that the online environment reduces costs and makes testing more convenient.

Unfortunately, there are many web sites that claim to offer IQ tests but which lack scientific validity. Being administered online does not excuse a test from meeting the technical standards for scientific tests that experts say tests should meet. Many tests offered online are created by amateurs or even scammers. Before taking an online IQ test, users should ensure that the test has been evaluated by external professionals and that there is documentation for the research that has been done on the test’s technical properties.

Currently, the best online IQ test is the Reasoning and Intelligence Online Test (RIOT). The RIOT is the only test designed to meet all of the technical and ethical standards of the testing field. The test has been vetted by independent outside experts and is the topic of peer-reviewed research in scholarly journals. Most online tests do not meet these standards, and potential customers should not spend their money to take tests that have not been subjected to outside scrutiny.

Watch “How Does the RIOT Compare to Intelligence Tests Administered by a Psychologist?” with Dr. Russell Warne on the Riot IQ YouTube channel to learn where and how to take a professionally administered IQ test in person.