The ACT is offered 7 times a year in the U.S. The ACT is also offered internationally 5 times a year.
Many students take the ACT for their first time during their junior year of high school and many opt to take the ACT more than once. Students can take the ACT through the fall of their senior year in high school.
ACT Test Dates and Deadlines
Below is a table with ACT test dates and registration deadlines. Don’t wait until the deadline to register! You should register as soon as you know which test date you are going to choose to take the ACT. Test date locations may fill up and you’ll want to take the ACT at your high school or close to your home so that you don’t have to drive too far on test day.
| Test Date | Registration Deadline | Late Registration Deadline | Scores Back |
| Saturday, September 10, 2022 | August 5, 2022 | August 19, 2022 | September 20 – November 4 |
| Saturday, October 22, 2022 | September 16, 2022 | September 30, 2022 | November 8 – December 16 |
| Saturday, December 10, 2022 | November 4, 2022 | November 11, 2022 | December 20 – February 3 |
| Saturday, February 11, 2023 | January 6, 2023 | January 20, 2023 | February 28 – April 7 |
| Saturday, April 15, 2023 | March 10, 2023 | March 24, 2023 | April 25 – June 9 |
| Saturday, June 10, 2023 | May 5, 2023 | May 19, 2023 | June 20 – August 4 |
| Saturday, July 15, 2023* | June 16, 2023 | June 23, 2023 | July 25 – September 8 |
*No test centers are scheduled in New York for the July test date.
View SAT test dates and deadlines here.
How to Register for the ACT
There are two ways you can register for the ACT — online or by mail. To register online, you must first have an ACT account. Setting one up is pretty easy! Just visit the ACT website to set up your free account. Once you have your account, you’ll need a few things to register:
- Your photo I.D. – you’ll also need this on test day!
- A photo of yourself that you can upload to the registration site
- A credit card to pay the registration fees (more on this later)
- A printer to print your admissions ticket – you’ll also need this on test day!
- Your high school course details
- Your high school code
Do I need to register by mail?
You need to register by mail if you are younger than 13 years old or if you cannot pay by credit card. You’ll need to request a Register-by-Mail packet. For more information on registering by mail visit the ACT website.
Can I make changes to my ACT Registration?
Life happens. Sometimes you make a mistake, or you need more time to prep for the test and want to change your test date. Maybe you decide you do want to test with the optional essay. The test-maker understand this, so they enable students to make some changes to their ACT registration. For more information on what you can change and the fees associated with changes visit the ACT.
How much does it cost to take the ACT?
The cost to take the ACT without the essay is $42.50. If you decide to take the ACT with the essay then the cost is $58.50. Make sure to research the schools to which you plan to apply before you decide to skip the essay section – some schools require it!
There may be additional fees to take the ACT. See the test-maker’s site for more information.
Can I get a fee waiver?
Fee waivers are available for 11th and 12th grade students who:
- Are either a US citizen or testing in the US, US territories, or Puerto Rico.
- Meet one or more indicators of economic need listed on the ACT Fee Waiver form
You cannot request a fee waiver directly from ACT; you must contact your high school counselor. For more information and to find out if you are eligible for a fee waiver review the ACT website.
Where do I take the ACT?
There are ACT test centers across the U.S. To find out where you can take the test on the test date you’ve chosen visit the ACT test center tool.
