ACT Dates 2026-27: Next Test Dec. 12, With SAT Dates and Deadlines

The Nov. 7, 2026 SAT registration and late-registration deadlines (Oct. 23 and Oct. 27) have passed. The next open deadlines are Friday, Nov. 6 to register for the Dec. 12 ACT and Friday, Nov. 20 to register for the Dec. 5 SAT (late by Tuesday, Nov. 24).

The next registration deadlines are Friday, Nov. 6 for the Dec. 12, 2026 ACT and Friday, Nov. 20 for the Dec. 5, 2026 SAT, according to College Board and ACT. Registration for the Saturday, Nov. 7 SAT has closed, though the test still takes place. Between the two exams, SAT and ACT offer several more Saturdays this school year.

SAT test dates 2026-27

Test date	Registration deadline	Late registration
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026	Oct. 23 (passed)	Oct. 27 (passed)
Saturday, Dec. 5, 2026	Nov. 20	Nov. 24
Saturday, March 6, 2027	Feb. 19	Feb. 23
Saturday, May 1, 2027	April 16	April 20
Saturday, June 5, 2027	May 21	May 25

SAT deadlines are 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The SAT is digital, taken in the Bluebook app on a laptop or tablet. Students who need to borrow a testing device from College Board must register at least 30 days before test day, which for the Nov. 7 exam has already passed. College Board also runs in-school SAT testing on weekdays during two windows, Oct. 1-30, 2026 and March 1-April 30, 2027; ask your school whether it takes part.

There is no SAT in January or February 2027, so the gap between the Dec. 5 and March 6 tests is three months.

ACT test dates 2026-27

Test date	Regular deadline	Late deadline	Standby deadline	Scores (target)
Saturday, Dec. 12, 2026	Nov. 6	Nov. 29	Dec. 7	Dec. 22
Saturday, Feb. 27, 2027	Jan. 22	Feb. 9	Feb. 22	March 16
Saturday, April 10, 2027	March 5	March 23	April 5	April 20
Saturday, June 12, 2027	May 7	May 25	June 7	June 23
Saturday, July 10, 2027	June 4	June 22	July 5	July 20

ACT deadlines are 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Students who sat the Oct. 17 ACT had a target score release of Oct. 27. Standby testing means showing up without a confirmed seat; it costs extra and is not guaranteed.

What the ACT costs

The base ACT costs $70. Adding the writing test costs $25 more, and the optional science section $5, according to ACT. Late registration and standby carry additional fees. Students who qualify can request fee waivers from their school counselor for both the SAT and the ACT.

Picking a date

Juniors often take a first test in the spring and keep a summer or fall date for a retake. Seniors applying early should check each college’s score deadline before counting on the Nov. 7 SAT or the Dec. 12 ACT, since scores arrive weeks after test day. Watch for school breaks too. The March 6 SAT comes two weeks before spring break in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties (March 22-26), and the May 1 SAT falls the day after NYC public schools end spring recess on April 30.

Further along? See the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) dates for 2026-27 and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) 2027 registration schedule. Map the dates on our printable school-year calendar or the November and December pages, and print the one-page list below.