You can change your SAT date, but the window to do it is narrow and the fee depends on how far ahead you request the change
The College Board lets you move your SAT to a different test date, but you must request the change before a specific important date. If you change your date more than four weeks before your originally scheduled test, you pay a $35 fee. If you change it fewer than four weeks before, the fee is $65. You cannot change your date after the test has already happened, and you cannot change it on the day of the test itself.
The exact important date for requesting a date change is typically four weeks before your originally scheduled test date. This means if your SAT is on a Saturday in March, you would need to submit your change request by the Saturday four weeks earlier. Missing this important date means you forfeit your test fee entirely — you cannot move the date, and the College Board will not refund your money.
Key Takeaways
- You must request a date change at least four weeks before your originally scheduled test date, or you lose your test fee with no refund.
- Changing your date costs $35 if you request it more than four weeks in advance, or $65 if you request it between two and four weeks before the test.
- You change your date through your College Board account online, not by phone or email.
- If you miss the important date, your only option is to register for a new test date and pay the full registration fee again.
How to request a date change through your College Board account
Log into your College Board account at collegeboard.org using your username and password. Go to your SAT registration and look for the option to change your test date. The system will show you available test dates and let you select a new one. You will see the fee amount before you confirm the change.
After you submit the change, College Board will send you a confirmation email with your new test date and admission ticket. Print or save this ticket — you will need it on test day. The change is final once you confirm it, so double-check the new date before you submit.
What happens if you miss the four-week important date
If you do not request a date change by the four-week important date, College Board will not let you move your test through your account. Your original test fee is forfeited, meaning you lose the money you paid. You cannot get a refund for a missed important date.
Your only path forward is to register for a new SAT date as a brand-new registration. This means paying the full registration fee again — currently $65 for the SAT without the essay. You will go through the registration process from the start, selecting a new test date and test center.
Fees for changing your date at different times
| When you request the change | Fee | important date |
|---|---|---|
| More than 4 weeks before your test | $35 | At least 29 days before test day |
| 2 to 4 weeks before your test | $65 | Between 14 and 28 days before test day |
| Fewer than 2 weeks before your test | Not allowed | Cannot change after 14 days before test day |
Changing your test center versus changing your test date
If you only need to change where you take the test — not when — the process is different. You can change your test center up to one week before your test date, and there is no fee for this change. You make this change in the same College Board account, under a separate option from date changes.
If you need to change both your date and your location, you will need to change the date first (if you are still within the four-week window), and then you can adjust your test center. Some students find it easier to cancel and re-register if they are close to the important date, since re-registering lets them pick both a new date and a new location in one step.
What to do if you cannot test on your scheduled date
If you have a conflict you did not know about when you registered — a family emergency, a school event, or a medical issue — contact College Board as soon as you know. While they cannot waive the important date, they may be able to work with you if your situation is documented. Call the SAT customer service line or use the contact form on the College Board website.
If you are sick on test day itself, you can request to take the test on a makeup date. College Board offers makeup test dates a few weeks after each regular test date. You will need to contact them within a few days of missing your test and provide documentation of your illness or emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my SAT date the day before the test?
No. The important date to request a date change is four weeks before your test. Once you are within two weeks of your test date, you can no longer change it through your account. If you need to cancel at that point, you forfeit your fee.
What if I change my date but then want to change it again?
You can request another date change as long as you are still at least four weeks away from your new test date. Each change incurs its own fee — $35 if you are more than four weeks out, $65 if you are two to four weeks out. After you change your date once, the four-week window resets from your new date.
Do I get a refund if I change my date?
No. The fee you pay to change your date is separate from your original registration fee. You keep your original registration fee, and you pay the change fee on top of it. If you decide not to test at all, you can request a refund of your registration fee, but only within a certain window — check College Board's refund policy for the current important date.
Can I change my SAT date if I registered through my school?
Yes, but the process may be slightly different. If your school registered you as a group, you still change your date through your personal College Board account. Contact your school's test coordinator if you have trouble accessing your account or if your school has specific instructions for date changes.