ACT Test Dates 2027: Deadlines and Score Dates
The 2027 ACT dates are February 27, April 10, June 12, and July 10, then projected fall dates from September 11. Deadlines, fees, and score release dates.
The ACT has four national test dates in the first half of 2027: Saturday, February 27, Saturday, April 10, Saturday, June 12, and Saturday, July 10. Regular registration closes on January 22, March 5, May 7, and June 4, and online scores start posting on March 16, April 15, June 17, and July 15, 2027. For fall 2027, ACT lists projected dates of September 11, October 16, and December 11, with no deadlines yet. One 2026 date is still open: Saturday, December 12, 2026. Its regular deadline has passed, late registration runs until November 29 with a $42 fee, and scores start on December 17 (online) and December 22 (paper). Every date here comes from ACT's test dates, scores, and fees pages on act.org, read on November 13, 2026. ACT's deadlines fall at 11:59 p.m. Central Time.
ACT test dates and registration deadlines for 2027
These are ACT's national test dates, which apply in the United States, U.S. territories, and Puerto Rico. A late fee applies after the regular deadline.
| Test date | Regular registration deadline | Late registration deadline | Photo upload and standby deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, December 12, 2026 | Closed (November 9, 2026) | November 29, 2026 | December 7, 2026 |
| Saturday, February 27, 2027 | January 22, 2027 | February 9, 2027 | February 22, 2027 |
| Saturday, April 10, 2027 | March 5, 2027 | March 23, 2027 | April 5, 2027 |
| Saturday, June 12, 2027 | May 7, 2027 | May 25, 2027 | June 7, 2027 |
| Saturday, July 10, 2027 | June 4, 2027 | June 22, 2027 | July 5, 2027 |
Three things to notice:
- The pattern is the same for every 2027 date. The regular deadline is 36 days before the test, the late deadline 18 days before, and the photo upload and standby deadline is the Monday of test week. If you remember one number, remember five weeks.
- Standby is a last resort. If you miss the late deadline you can request and pay for standby testing ($75 on ACT's fee page), but ACT says seats are not guaranteed. ACT's pages differ on whether accommodations are available for standby, so ask ACT before relying on it.
- July in New York. ACT's test dates page says July testing will be available for learners in New York starting in 2027. Its registration page still carried a note on November 13 that no New York test centers were scheduled for the July date, so New York students should confirm in MyACT before planning on July 10.
Projected ACT test dates for 2027-28
ACT has posted projected national test dates for the next school year, without registration deadlines or score release dates, and says projected dates are subject to change:
| Projected test date | Status |
|---|---|
| Saturday, September 11, 2027 | Projected |
| Saturday, October 16, 2027 | Projected |
| Saturday, December 11, 2027 | Projected |
| Saturday, February 26, 2028 | Projected |
| Saturday, April 8, 2028 | Projected |
| Saturday, June 10, 2028 | Projected |
| Saturday, July 15, 2028 | Projected |
When do 2027 ACT scores come out?
ACT publishes an initial score release date for each test date, one for online testers and one for paper testers, and no time of day. It says scores keep processing during business hours and that over 97% are available online within one to four weeks of the test.
| Test date | Online initial score release | Paper initial score release |
|---|---|---|
| December 12, 2026 | Thursday, December 17, 2026 | Tuesday, December 22, 2026 |
| February 27, 2027 | Tuesday, March 16, 2027 | Tuesday, March 16, 2027 |
| April 10, 2027 | Thursday, April 15, 2027 | Tuesday, April 20, 2027 |
| June 12, 2027 | Thursday, June 17, 2027 | Wednesday, June 23, 2027 |
| July 10, 2027 | Thursday, July 15, 2027 | Tuesday, July 20, 2027 |
February is the slow one: 17 days for both formats, against 5 days online and 10 or 11 on paper for the other dates. If you take the optional writing test, ACT reports your scores once all scores from your test date are available, and writing can take longer. Our ACT score release guide covers MyACT, missing scores, and superscoring.
What the ACT costs in 2027
ACT's fee page lists these current amounts:
- The ACT (English, math, and reading): $70.
- Science: $5 more ($75 with science).
- Writing: $25 more ($95 with writing, $100 with science and writing).
- Late registration: $42.
- Standby testing: $75.
- Additional score reports: $20 each, the same as reports to a fifth and sixth college choice.
- My Answer Key: $36 if you order it before the test begins, $44 after.
ACT describes fee waivers separately on the same page, so check there if cost is the obstacle.
Which 2027 ACT date should you take?
The useful question is whether you will have your score before the next deadline. Reading the score dates against the registration dates:
- February 27 scores arrive after April's regular deadline. February scores start on March 16, and regular registration for April 10 closes March 5. To see a February score first and still take April, you register late, by March 23, and pay the $42 late fee.
- April 10 gives you the most room. Scores start April 15 (online) or April 20 (paper), more than two weeks before the May 7 deadline for June 12.
- June 12 to July 10 only works if you test online. June scores start June 17 online and June 23 on paper. Regular registration for July closes on June 4, before any June score arrives, and late registration closes June 22, so an online tester can decide with a score in hand and a paper tester cannot.
- April 10 comes before AP Exams and June 12 after them. The 2027 AP Exams run May 3-7 and May 10-14 (see our AP exam dates guide), so neither ACT date collides with them.
- Juniors have six more dates before November 2027. February, April, June, and July 2027, then the projected September 11 and October 16 dates.
If you are deciding between tests, the SAT's 2027 dates are March 6, May 1, and June 5; see our SAT test dates guide.
Use the weeks before your test date
From November 13, 2026, the February 27 ACT is 15 weeks away and the December 12 test is four. Whichever you pick, spend the time on the section you can realistically move.
- Paste notes or a prep book chapter into the practice test generator for an untimed set of questions with answers, no account needed.
- Use the quiz generator for quick drills on one weak topic, such as comma rules or linear functions.
- Put your test date, the regular and late deadlines, and the score release date in a short document and upload it to the AI calendar generator for an .ics file. It uses one AI Creation Credit, and downloading the file needs a paid plan.
To work from a whole PDF, upload it to Scholarly and turn it into a timed exam or a narrated video lecture. On the Free plan that means one AI Creation, one upload (8 MB, first 32 PDF pages), and one exam attempt, with no reset.
ACT test dates 2027: quick FAQ
What are the ACT test dates for 2027? February 27, April 10, June 12, and July 10, 2027 are the published national dates. ACT lists September 11, October 16, and December 11, 2027 as projected dates.
When is the next ACT? Saturday, December 12, 2026. Regular registration is closed and late registration runs until November 29. After that, the next ACT is February 27, 2027.
When is the registration deadline for the February 2027 ACT? January 22, 2027, with late registration until February 9 and the photo upload and standby deadline on February 22.
When is the registration deadline for the April 2027 ACT? March 5, 2027, with late registration until March 23 and the photo upload and standby deadline on April 5.
When do February 2027 ACT scores come out? Initial scores start on Tuesday, March 16, 2027, for both online and paper testers.
Is there an ACT in January or March 2027? No. ACT's national dates go from December 12, 2026 to February 27, 2027, and then to April 10.
What time do ACT registration deadlines close? At 11:59 p.m. Central Time, per ACT's test dates page.
Sources
- ACT, Test Dates: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration/test-dates.html
- ACT, Registration: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html
- ACT, Scores: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores.html
- ACT, Fees: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration/fees.html
Last verified: November 13, 2026. ACT can change a date or deadline (it extended the December 2026 regular deadline), and the 2027-28 dates are projected, so check the official pages above before you plan around a specific day.
