SAT and ACT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines, Verified

Testing calendars get republished and lightly revised often enough that a screenshot from last spring isn't something to trust blindly -- the dates below are pulled directly from College Board's and ACT's own current registration pages, not a third-party aggregator. Still, confirm the exact date on the official site before you register; testing organizations occasionally add or adjust a date after publishing the initial schedule.

SAT dates, 2026-2027

All deadlines fall at 11:59 p.m. Eastern the day listed. The base registration fee is $68. Registering inside the late window (after the regular deadline, before the late deadline) adds a $38 late fee. Beyond that: changing your test center runs $34, canceling before the change deadline is $34, and canceling after it jumps to $44 -- all real, current figures from College Board's own fees page, not last cycle's numbers.

ACT dates, 2026-2027

Base registration is $70 for the ACT alone (no writing) or $95 with the optional Writing section added. Registering or changing your test date inside the late window costs an extra $42. If you miss even the late deadline, ACT's own standby testing option exists for $75 -- a real, if pricier, last-resort path to sit for a specific date rather than waiting for the next one, though standby seating isn't guaranteed the way a confirmed registration is.

How to actually pick a date

Work backward from what a school's deadline actually needs, not from whichever date is soonest. If a school's Early Decision or Early Action deadline is November 1, a test date with scores releasing after that -- even a "close enough" late-October sitting -- doesn't help you; you need the sitting whose score release date comfortably beats the application deadline, not just the test date itself. Our piece on when to start and how long to study for the SAT covers the actual prep-timeline math behind picking a target date, and if you're still deciding which test fits you better in the first place, see our SAT vs. ACT comparison before you lock in a date on either calendar.

What this means for you

• Confirm the exact date on the official site before registering. This table is current as of publication, but testing organizations do occasionally add or shift a date after the initial schedule goes live.
• Registering by the regular deadline, not the late one, is the real target. The late window exists as a real option, not a recommended default -- it costs extra and, for the ACT specifically, doesn't guarantee your first-choice test center.
• Work backward from your earliest application deadline, not forward from today. Pick the test date whose score release date comfortably beats your earliest school deadline, with a real buffer, not the bare minimum.
• Standby testing (ACT) is a real safety net, not a plan. It costs more than a normal late registration and doesn't guarantee a seat -- treat it as a last resort, not a strategy.
• If a specific date matters for your situation (a scheduling conflict, testing accommodations, or an international test center), check availability and deadlines for that circumstance directly on the official site well before the regular deadline, since some options fill or close earlier than the general dates above.

Sources

• SAT Dates and Deadlines — SAT Suite, College Board
• SAT Test Fees — SAT Suite, College Board
• ACT National Test Dates 2026-2027 — ACT
• ACT Registration Fees — ACT