ACT Test Accommodations

Submit for Approval

ACT is committed to providing appropriate accommodations for examinees who take the ACT test. To request accommodations, you will need to work with a school official, because the accommodations requested should be similar to the accommodations you currently receive in school. Accommodations MUST be approved by ACT before testing. A request alone is not enough.

All requests, including appeals, must be submitted by the late registration deadline for your preferred test date. If your request is not properly submitted, it may not be approved in time for your preferred test date.

How to Make a Request

Not in school?

Please see Examinees Who Are Homeschooled or Are Not Currently Enrolled for instructions.

Step 1

Register to test.

Log into MyACT and complete the following:

  1. Link a valid high school to your MyACT account before you register to allow ACT to communicate your registration to the associated school official in TAA. Consider searching for your high school by postal (zip) code, which may be different than your home address.
  2. Select ‘Yes’ when prompted to confirm you need accommodations after beginning the registration process. If you selected ‘no’, you will need to contact ACT as soon as possible to update your registration if you need to test with accommodations.

Work with your school official to submit your request.

After you register, you will receive an email that you must forward to your school official. You also need to provide a completed Consent to Release Information to ACT (PDF) form.

Your school official must submit your accommodations request in TAA before the late registration deadline for your test. Once submitted, requests can take 5-10 business days to process.

Note: If the accommodations you need were previously approved, you should not submit a new request. Skip this step.

Review the decision notification with your school official.

Your school official will receive a copy of the decision notification. If your request was denied, review your decision notification with your school official. You have until the late registration deadline to submit an appeal.

Note: If after 10 business days, you have not received an update from your school official about your accommodations request, please contact them directly.

Approved for special testing? Make arrangements to test!

You are responsible for working with your school official to make arrangements to test within the special testing window. Students approved for special testing usually test at their own school. If your high school cannot administer the test, contact ACT as soon as possible.

Print your admission ticket.

Be sure to upload your photo (if you have not already done so) and review your admission ticket to ensure your registration shows your accommodations. If you are testing at a national test center, check your testing location. In some cases, we may need to change your testing location to provide your accommodations.

What kind of documentation will I need?

Special Testing Windows

Special testing is available during the designated testing windows below. Please note, some schools may be closed during part of the testing window, because schools are out of session.

2022-2023 Special Testing Windows

Test Date Testing Window
10–11 February, 2023
10 February – 26 February
14–15 April, 2023
14 April – 30 April
9–10 June, 2023
9 June – 25 June
14–15 July, 2023
14 July – 30 July

2023-2024 Special Testing Windows

Test Date Testing Window
8–9 September, 2023
8 September – 24 September
27–28 October, 2023
27 October – 12 November
1–2 December, 2023
1 December – 17 December
23-24 February, 2024
23 February to 10 March
12–13 April, 2024
12 April – 28 April
7–8 June, 2024
7 June – 23 June
12–13 July, 2024
12 July – 28 July

 

Additional Resources

Based on your approved accommodations, ACT will place you in either International or Special Testing.

Some accommodations (e.g., one-and-one-half time) may be administered in test centers. Examinees approved to test through computer-based testing will see an "Accommodations" label on their admission ticket once accommodations are approved by ACT.

If the approved accommodations cannot be provided at a computer-based test site (e.g., Multiple-day testing) the examinee and the school official must work together to make arrangements for testing within the applicable special testing window. If the examinee’s school is unable to administer Special testing, examinees may find a willing school and work with ACT to request testing at this location.

Examinees approved to test via Special Testing will see a “Special Testing” label on their admission ticket once accommodations are approved. Examinees will still need to continue to make arrangements with the school official to test.

If you are approved for multiple accommodations, you will receive the accommodations that provide the most amount of time and support. If you wish to test with fewer or no accommodations, please contact ACT more than one week before your test date.

If you were not approved for accommodations but still wish to test, contact ACT as soon as possible to update your registration to test without accommodations. Please note that your preferred test center may not be available.

Documents and Guides

Consent to Release Information to ACT Form (PDF) Must be printed, signed by parent or legal guardian, or examinee if over age 18, and filed at the school.
Center-Based vs. Special (PDF) Quick reference infographic as to which type of accommodations to select.
Preparing for the ACT Test - Special Testing (PDF) Learning resource for examinees taking the ACT through Special testing.
Preparing for the ACT Test
- Scoring Keys (PDF)

Download this guide for instructions on how to score your practice tests and review your performance.
Accommodations
Checklist for Non-US Examinees (PDF)
Quick visual reference for the steps to request accommodations.
Quick Start Guide for Requesting Accommodations (PDF) An explanation for school officials about accommodations and how to apply for them.
Available Testing Supports for the International ACT Assist students, families, and school staff in planning to take the ACT International test with accommodations. 

Your Privacy

ACT will treat all information you provide to support your request as confidential and will use it solely to determine your eligibility for accessibility supports. Details about these supports will be shared only with the testing staff and will not be released to anyone else, including your chosen score report recipients. The only exceptions are for those instances in which an examinee’s related documents and information are the subject of a subpoena or other court order, or an enforceable request from a government entity. ACT Score Reports do not include any specifics about the accessibility supports provided.

Contact Us

If you have a more specific question, please use the Contact Form.

Still have questions?
Call to speak with an ACT representative at (319) 337-1332, Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (GMT-6)
Call wait times may vary.