The ACT late registration fee is $42, charged on top of the standard $68 registration fee. Add a date change or standby testing and the total climbs fast — a single missed deadline can cost $185 or more.
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Each layer is charged on top of the last. Source: act.org Fees page.
| Charge | Amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Regular ACT registration | $68 | Sign up before the regular deadline (~5 weeks before test) |
| + Late registration fee | + $42 | Sign up after the regular deadline closes |
| + Test date or center change | + $49 | Move to a different date or center |
| + Standby testing | + $75 | After the late deadline closes (refunded if not seated) |
| Worst case total | $234 | Late + change + standby on one test |
Optional add-ons (Writing test, late score reports) come on top of these.
These three charges trip up most students because they all sound similar, but they apply at different moments and stack on top of each other. Here's what each one is and when you trigger it.
The most common trigger. The day after the regular deadline closes, ACT switches your registration into the late window. You can still register through the same online flow — the system just adds $42 to your total. Pure timing penalty.
Charged any time you move test dates, switch test centers, or change format. If the change happens during the late period, the $42 late fee can stack on top, making a single change about $91 total.
For when you've already missed the late deadline. Submit at least 8 days before the test through MyACT, show up early on test day, and you test only if seats remain. The $75 is refunded if you aren't admitted, but the gamble itself is real.
ACT publishes the regular registration deadline more than a year in advance. It does not move. It is not contingent. The only thing that determines whether you pay $68 or $110+ is whether you remembered the date.
That's why a reminder isn't optional even though it sounds optional. The deadline is five weeks before a test you've been planning for months — easy to forget precisely because the test date is the thing you're focused on. A reminder set once for the registration deadline saves you the same $42 every test you take, with zero ongoing effort.
The full ACT registration reminder guide walks through how to set this up and what triggers each follow-up. If you've already passed the regular deadline, see the recovery guide for what to do right now.
The $42 late fee isn't a penalty for being a bad planner. It's the cost of trying to track a deadline in your head.
A reminder is the cheapest insurance policy in standardized testing.
The ACT late registration fee is $42 in addition to the standard $68 registration fee, bringing the total to $110 if you register during the late period. The fee applies to any registration or test date change made during the late window.
The late period begins the day after the regular registration deadline closes, which is about five weeks before the test date. It runs for roughly two more weeks, then closes about three weeks before the test. After that, your only option is standby testing.
Standby testing costs $75 in addition to the regular registration fee. The standby fee is refunded if you aren't admitted to test that day. You also still pay any other applicable fees like the optional Writing test.
ACT charges $49 for any test form, test day, or test center change. If the change happens during the late period, the $42 late fee can also apply on top, raising the total to about $91 for a single change.
Yes. The fee is the price of crossing the regular deadline by even one day. Setting a reminder for the regular deadline (five weeks before the test) is the only reliable way to avoid it. Calling ACT to register during the late period still incurs the late fee.
Submit a standby request through your MyACT account at least eight days before the test date. On test day, you bring your Standby Ticket plus photo ID and check in early. You only test if seats remain after registered students arrive — so it's never guaranteed.
No. The $42 late fee is non-refundable. Standard refund policies apply to the rest of your registration, but the late fee itself stays charged regardless of whether you take the test.
Free reminder. Set in 30 seconds. Get notice before the regular deadline closes — and follow-ups until you've registered.
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