ACT Test Dates 2026-2027: Deadlines, Fees & Score Release

US ACT test dates and registration deadlines

This schedule covers the confirmed US national testing year from September 2026 through July 2027, not every school-day or international administration. Last verified: October 28, 2026. Check ACT’s live schedule and your MyACT registration before making plans.

ACT lists deadlines at 11:59 p.m. Central Time and says July testing becomes available in New York in 2027 as centers are added. The score column is specifically the paper initial release schedule, not a guaranteed personal release date. Source: ACT: national test dates and deadlines.

Fall 2027 dates belong to the next testing year. ACT currently labels September 11, October 16, and December 11, 2027 as projected; confirmed registration deadlines for those dates are not included here. Do not treat a projected date as a completed registration or a reserved seat.

Current ACT registration fees

Source: ACT: current fees and services. These prices are for national testing and may change. The core includes English, Math, and Reading. Optional tests and late registration change the total. For example, core plus Writing is $95 before any late or additional-service charge.

Check the final amount and selected options before paying. If cost is a barrier, ask your school counselor about ACT fee-waiver eligibility and the current application process. Do not assume that every optional service or later change is covered. The fee page links to current waiver information.

Budget for the complete plan, including transportation and any possible retake. Buying an extra test date without time to prepare or a clear reason to retest is not automatically useful. A free practice test can help you identify what you would work on before another official attempt.

How to register without missing a separate deadline

1. Check your school first. Ask whether it provides an ACT administration and what sections it includes.
2. Check your application timeline. Find the latest test date each college or scholarship accepts.
3. Register through MyACT. Select a date, available center, testing format, and optional sections.
4. Review details before paying. Confirm personal information and the test options you selected.
5. Complete the remaining requirements. Follow the photo, identification, and admission instructions supplied by ACT.
6. Save your confirmation. Put the relevant deadlines and test location in your calendar.

Regular registration, late registration, and photo/standby deadlines are different. A date in the last column does not extend regular registration. If you miss a deadline, read the current options in your account instead of arriving at a center expecting a seat.

Students requesting accommodations or English learner supports should work with their school early and follow ACT’s separate submission process. Do not use the photo deadline as the deadline for accommodation approval. Your counselor and official registration instructions are the right sources for your circumstances.

When will ACT scores be released?

ACT describes a typical release window of about two to four weeks. Initial paper releases are listed above, but individual scores can arrive later; Writing can affect when complete results are available. Follow your MyACT account and ACT’s current release guidance rather than an unofficial countdown.

There are three different milestones: the first release for an administration, the date your own result becomes available, and the date a college receives or processes what it needs. Do not collapse those into one date when planning an application.

Read each college’s instructions on self-reporting and official reports. Some deadlines refer to the application, others to the test date or receipt of scores. If the wording is unclear, contact admissions before relying on a late test. A published first-release date is not a guarantee that your application will be complete that day.

Choose a test date by working backward

Begin with your earliest meaningful college or scholarship deadline. Identify its last accepted testing date, then leave room for preparation, score processing, and a possible retake if your schedule allows it. Add school exams, sports, performances, work, and family commitments to the same calendar.

For an illustrative planning exercise, suppose a student considers the April 10, 2027 test. The regular deadline is March 5, so choosing to register during spring break might already be too late, depending on the school calendar. The lesson is to schedule the registration decision several weeks before the exam, not to wait until preparation feels finished.

For another example, a senior with an early November application deadline should not assume the December test can support that application. The deciding fact is the college’s policy, not whether December is the next available national date. Verify the policy before paying.

Choose optional sections after checking your schools and programs. The ACT format guide explains the required core and the separate Science and Writing decisions.

When to begin preparation and how to plan a retake

Take a baseline as soon as you begin choosing dates. It tells you whether your available weeks are mainly for learning missing skills, practicing timing, or maintaining an already useful level. The guide on how to study for the ACT includes review steps and an error log.

Build a plan you can actually sustain: a few focused sessions, enough review time, and occasional unfamiliar timed checks. There is no fixed number of weeks that guarantees a score. If your target and baseline are far apart, consider whether a later accepted date gives you time for meaningful work.

For a retake, name what will change before registering. Perhaps you have learned a topic, practiced answer transfer, or developed a more reliable pacing routine. Leave time between attempts to do that work. Repeating the test with unchanged preparation is not a substitute for a study plan.

During the final week, check the test-center instructions again, organize permitted supplies, and plan transportation. A practice schedule should reduce uncertainty about the day as well as improve academic skills.

Test-date and registration questions