ACT Test Dates: Full Guide to Choosing (2024, 2025)

Looking for info on 2024-2025 ACT test dates? Knowing the correct ACT test dates is crucial for a solid test-taking plan. Though you might be tempted to go ahead and register for the next possible test date, what you should really be doing is finding a date that works well for you and your schedule.

In this guide, we offer an overview of upcoming ACT test dates, registration deadlines, and score release dates. We also give you tips on how to choose an ACT test date and go over which test dates work best for juniors, seniors, and more.

ACT Test Dates and Deadlines for 2024-2025

ACT test dates are generally on Saturdays, but you might be able to take the ACT on a different date if you have a religious exemption or are taking a special administration of the test.

Here, we give you the upcoming ACT test dates, normal registration deadlines, late registration deadlines, and score release dates. The dates are organized into two tables: one for the remaining 2022 test dates and one for the 2023 test dates.

ACT Test Dates 2024

The test dates for 2024 have all been confirmed by ACT, Inc., as have the registration deadlines and score release dates.

*The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out; the second date is when complete scores (with the Writing section) come out.

ACT Test Dates 2024

The test dates and registration deadlines for 2024 have been confirmed by ACT, Inc. through July 2025. The score release dates are based on estimates of past score releases.

*The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out; the second date is when complete scores (with the Writing section) come out.
**No test centers scheduled in New York on this date.

In the tables above, there are two dates in the "Online Score Release" columns. The first date is for multiple-choice scores—your composite ACT score and your individual section scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science. The second date is for complete ACT scores; these are your multiple-choice scores plus your Writing (essay) score.

If you take the ACT with Writing, note that the essay usually takes an additional two weeks for scoring, meaning you won't receive your full ACT score report (with your essay grade) until about four weeks after your test date. Also, be aware that any colleges you put down to get your scores won't have access to your official ACT score report until your essay has been graded as well.

ACT Test Dates 2024-25: Visual Calendar and Trends

To help you plan your test-taking schedule, we've created a handy visual representation of the 2024-25 ACT dates. This calendar shows us how ACT tests are staggered throughout the year, as well as where the overlapping of score release dates and registration deadlines often occurs:

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You probably noticed right away that ACT test dates are clustered closely together in the fall and more spread out in the spring. This is done to give seniors more chances at attaining their ACT goal scores before college application deadlines (typically in the late fall and early winter).

The tests in the spring target juniors and students studying for the test early. Of course, you don't have to be in a certain grade level to take any of the administrations—you're welcome to sign up for whichever ACT dates you want, regardless of where you are in high school.

ACT scores generally come out right around the registration deadline for the next test. This can make it tricky to take two back-to-back exams, but you will usually get at least your multiple-choice scores before the late registration deadline, so it's still possible (though not necessarily advisable) to sign up for the next test.

In addition, registering for back-to-back ACTs doesn't give you sufficient time to prep for your retake. With such a short amount of time to study in-between tests, you'll likely see only minor (if any) improvement in your scores.