Yes, you can change your SAT test date, but the process and fees depend on how far ahead you request the change

The College Board allows you to reschedule your SAT to a different test date, but you must request the change through your College Board account before a specific important date. If you miss that important date, you cannot change your date—you would have to cancel and register for a new test separately. The important date to change your date is usually one week before your scheduled test, though this varies slightly by test administration.

Changing your date costs money. As of 2024, the fee to reschedule is $35 if you request the change before the important date. If you wait until after the important date, you cannot change the date at all through the normal process. You can only cancel your registration and lose your test fee, then register fresh for a later date.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your SAT date through your College Board account up to one week before your test, but you must pay a $35 rescheduling fee.
  • The important date to change your date is firm—if you miss it, you cannot reschedule and must cancel and re-register instead.
  • You can change to any available test date that the College Board offers, as long as registration is still open for that date.
  • If you need to change your test location instead of your date, that is a separate request with its own important date and fee.
  • International test-takers and students using school-based testing may have different important date and processes—check your registration confirmation.

How to change your date through your College Board account

Log into your College Board account at collegeboard.org using the email and password you used to register. Click on "My SAT" or "My Tests" (the exact label changes occasionally). Find your upcoming test registration and look for an option to reschedule or change your test date. Click that option and you will see a list of available test dates and locations.

Select the new date you want. The College Board will show you which dates still have open registration and which are full. Once you choose a date, you will be asked to confirm the change and pay the $35 fee. You can pay by credit card or debit card. After payment processes, you will receive a confirmation email with your new test date, time, and test center location.

Keep that confirmation email. Print it or save it to your phone—you will need to bring it to your test center on test day, along with your admission ticket and valid photo ID.

What happens if you miss the important date to change your date

If the important date has passed and you cannot change your date through your account, you have two options: take the test on the scheduled date, or cancel your registration and register for a later test date from scratch.

If you cancel, you lose your registration fee—the College Board does not refund it. You then have to pay the full registration fee again to sign up for a new test date. This is more expensive than paying the $35 rescheduling fee, so it is worth checking your important date before it passes.

Changing your test location versus your test date

If you want to keep your test date but change where you take the test, that is a separate request. You can change your test center location through your College Board account using a similar process. The important date to change your location is also usually one week before your test, and there is typically no fee to change your location.

If you need to change both your date and your location, you can do both in the same transaction through your account. Select the new date, then select the new test center for that date.

School-based SAT dates and rescheduling

If you registered for the SAT through your school—meaning your school administers the test on a specific date—you may not be able to reschedule to a different date through the College Board website. School-based testing dates are fixed by your school, and you usually cannot change to a different school date or to a public test center date.

If you need to change a school-based test date, contact your school's testing coordinator first. They can tell you whether rescheduling is possible and what the process is. Some schools allow you to test on a makeup date if you have a documented reason, but policies vary by school.

International test-takers and rescheduling

If you are taking the SAT outside the United States, the rescheduling process is the same—log into your College Board account and change your date before the important date. However, the available test dates and test centers may be different from what you see if you are in the US. Check your registration confirmation to see which dates are offered in your country or region.

International rescheduling fees are the same as US fees ($35), but payment methods and currency may vary depending on your location. The College Board will show you the accepted payment methods when you go to pay.

What to do if you cannot reschedule through your account

If you try to reschedule and your account will not let you, or if you get an error message, contact the College Board directly. You can reach them through the "Contact Us" page on collegeboard.org, or call their customer service line. Have your registration number and test date ready when you contact them.

If you have a documented reason for needing to reschedule after the important date—such as a medical emergency or a family death—the College Board may make an exception. You will need to provide documentation and contact them as soon as possible. There is no may provide they will approve a late reschedule, but it is worth asking if your situation is urgent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my SAT date the day before the test?

No. The important date to change your date is usually one week before your test. If you try to change it after that important date, your account will not allow the reschedule. You would have to cancel and register for a new test date, which means losing your registration fee and paying again.

Do I have to pay the $35 fee every time I reschedule?

Yes. Each time you reschedule before the important date, you pay $35. If you reschedule multiple times, you pay the fee each time. This is why it is worth deciding on your test date early if possible.

What if the test date I want is full?

If a test date shows as full in your account, you cannot reschedule to that date. You can choose a different date that still has open registration. Check back occasionally—sometimes spots open up as other test-takers cancel, but you cannot count on this.

Can I change my SAT date if I registered through my school?

School-based SAT dates are usually fixed and cannot be changed through the College Board website. Contact your school's testing coordinator to ask about makeup dates or other options. Policies vary by school.

Will changing my test date affect my score report or college applications?

No. Your score report will show the date you actually took the test, not the date you originally registered for. Colleges see only the test date you completed, and rescheduling does not affect how your score is reported or when it arrives.