2025 Registration Dates For The SAT

Taking the SAT is a critical step in the process of preparing for college, but navigating the registration process can be confusing and overwhelming. Plus, the introduction of the new Digital SAT introduced a few changes to previous years. This step-by-step guide will explain what you need to consider before registering, when and where you can take the SAT, and how to complete your registration on the College Board website.

Things To Keep In Mind Before The Registration Process

Before you decide on a registration date, keep these things in mind:

• The SAT costs $68 (plus a $43 international fee) and lasts around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• CollegeBoard will send your SAT scores to up to four colleges of your choice, which you will pick during the registration process. It may be a good idea to gather a list of colleges to which you are applying and their respective reference IDs ahead of time. You can choose to send scores to additional colleges for $14 each.
• Colleges differ on the SAT score ranges they are looking for, how they process scores (i.e. some take the highest overall score, whereas others take the highest score from each section or a “superscore”), and the latest date they will accept SAT scores. Be sure to double-check this information as you are making a testing plan.
• Fee waivers are available to qualifying applicants. Visit your local high school guidance counselor to see if you qualify.

Before you register for the SAT, it may be a good idea to find out when your college admissions applications are due. You may want to take the SAT more than once, and you definitely want to leave yourself plenty of time to prepare for the test. Even if you have a firm grasp of the concepts you’ll be tested on, it’s still a good idea to plan for 2-3 months of prep time to take practice tests and become comfortable with the timing and format of the SAT.

For example, if your college has an early application deadline of November 15, 2025, the November test date would be too late to submit your SAT scores. If you want to take the SAT twice before submitting your application, you’ll want to register for the August and October tests by July! Most colleges will accept updated scores after your application, but they also usually require initial scores to submit your application. Some schools may also stop accepting new scores after a certain cutoff. Check your prospective college’s admissions webpage to ensure you submit your best scores.

As you can see, you’ll need to plan your test registration very far in advance. It might even be helpful to write out a timeline with the following information to help you make a study plan:

• Dates of SAT Practice Testing at your school
• SAT Registration Deadlines for your planned test dates.
• SAT Testing Dates
• Score Release Dates
• College application deadlines

Not sure where to start on test prep? Head to SoFloTutors.com to schedule tutoring sessions with highly qualified and engaging tutors.

Deadlines To Register For SAT In 2023-2024

The following table shows the schedule for 2025 SAT testing dates, the deadlines to register for the SAT, the late registration dates, and SAT score release dates. All registration deadlines expire at 11:59pm U.S. Eastern Time.

SAT Test Dates	Registration Deadline	Late Registration Deadline	Score Release Date
Mar 8, 2025	Feb 21, 2025	Feb 25, 2025	Mar 21, 2025
May 3, 2025	Apr 18, 2025	Apr 22, 2025	May 16, 2025
Jun 7, 2025	May 22, 2025	May 27, 2025	Jun 20, 2025
Aug 23, 2025	TBD	TBD	TBD
Sep 13, 2025	TBD	TBD	TBD
Oct 4, 2025	TBD	TBD	TBD
Nov 8, 2025	TBD	TBD	TBD
Dec 6, 2025	TBD	TBD	TBD

SAT Late Registration Dates

Missed the deadline to register for your test at your school? No worries! You can still register up to two weeks before a scheduled test date by registering online.

Who Is Eligible For Late Registration? 

Anyone can register late for the SAT by registering online. However, do keep the following considerations in mind:

• Late registration, changes to an existing registration, or cancellations incur a $25-35 fee.
• Testing centers have a limited number of seats, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to take the test at your desired location if you wait until the last minute.
• Waitlist registration is not available as of the 2024-2025 testing season.
• If you are taking the test under special circumstances, your test center options may be limited.

SAT Device Lending

You can take the Digital SAT with any personal or school-managed laptop or tablet, but College Board also lends devices if you don’t have access to a device and cannot borrow one. To borrow a College Board Device, you will need to do the following during registration:

1. Select a test date that is at least 30 days from the day you register. This will allow enough time for the device to be shipped by test day.
2. Select “I don’t know if I have access to the necessary device” when asked to choose the device you intend to use on test day. If you complete the registration without selecting this option, you will need to contact College Board for assistance.

Once you register, the option to choose Request a Device will appear in your registration details on My SAT. This option links to a short questionnaire where you’ll need to provide an adult reference, such as a teacher, counselor, or adviser. Be sure to complete your request at least 30 days before your test date. Please note that submitting a request does not guarantee that the College Board will provide a loaned testing device.

Once approved, the device will be available to you at your test center on test day but note that you will need to arrive 30 minutes early on test day to sign in and complete exam setup.

How To Register For The SAT Online

Navigating the CollegeBoard registration website can be tricky. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensuring that you register for the correct date and location and complete all necessary steps to confirm your place.

Determine Which Date Suits You Best 

To find your ideal test date, count backwards from your college admissions deadlines. It generally takes about two weeks after the testing date for SAT scores to be released, and the registration deadline is about a month before the test date. If you are planning to take the SAT more than once, be sure to factor that in to your timeline.

See the chart above to see which test date is right for you, then visit this College Board page. Pick your test date from the table and click the “register” button. 

Create/Sign Into Your College Board Account

After clicking the “register” link, you’ll be redirected to a page where you’ll need to sign in to your CollegeBoard account. If this is your first time taking the SAT, you’ll need to register a new account by clicking the “Create Account” button.

To create your account, you’ll need to input your personal information, including:

• Full name
• Gender
• Date of birth
• Email address
• Mailing address
• High school graduation date
• Parent’s name and contact info
• Phone number
• Name and location of your high school

You’ll then be asked to create a unique username and password to sign in. You’ll need to confirm your email address before your account will be activated.

Provide The Requested Information

Once you are logged in, you’ll be able to fill out the registration form. You’ll need to provide your full legal name and other identifying information again (be sure that this information matches your photo ID).

You’ll also be asked to provide other identifying information by enrolling in the Student Search Service. This is free, optional, and somewhat time consuming, but it can help colleges and scholarship organizations find you and your test scores.

Explore Test Center Locations And Dates

Once you have completed the personal information forms, you’ll be asked to select a testing center. Centers are listed by availability during your chosen testing date, and you can narrow the search by zip code. Be aware that if you are registering close to the registration deadline, the closest center to you may be full.

You can find a list of testing centers in your state before you register by visiting this College Board page. Each testing center has a corresponding Center Code that you can use to find your center quickly during registration.

Upload Your Photo

You are required to submit a photo during registration to verify your identity at the testing center. Uploaded photos must meet the following requirements:

• You’re easy to recognize.
• You’re the only one in the picture.
• Your entire face, head, shoulders, and hair is clearly visible. Your head should not be covered (except for religious purposes), and both of your eyes should be clearly visible (i.e., not covered by hair or sunglasses – non-tinted prescription glasses are fine).
• The photo is clearly focused and lit.
• If registering online, make sure your photo is one of the following formats: .jpg, .gif, or .png. You will be able to crop and reposition photos during the upload process.

To achieve a good photo, it might be a good idea to have another person take it in a well-lit area with a neutral background. Keep in mind: even if you receive a message that your photo upload was successful, your photo can still be rejected if it does not meet all of the above requirements. 

Get The Admission Ticket

Once you have completed all the necessary forms, it’s time to pay with a valid credit or debit card or a Paypal account. Double-check that all of your information is correct before submitting the payment. Changing your registration will incur fees.

Once your payment is confirmed, you’ll be able to print your admission ticket, which you will need to bring with you to your testing center on the date of your SAT.

Special Circumstances

You may be subject to different testing locations, dates, and fees, as well as other regulations if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You have a disability and want to test with accommodations.
• You are homeschooled.
• You are older than 21 and planning to take the SAT (students under 13 are no longer allowed to take the SAT).
• You cannot test on a Saturday due to religious regions.

Please visit this College Board page for more information regarding these special circumstances.

Make Sure You Are Prepared For The Next SAT With SoFlo

Whether you’re struggling to improve your SAT score, preparing for your first test date, or are just looking to boost your score with some proven test taking strategies, SoFlo Tutors provides high-quality and affordable online tutoring. SoFlo provides one-on-one video tutoring with highly qualified and engaging tutors, as well as free resources to help you ace the test. 

SoFlo’s test prep is highly customized to your needs: study on your schedule, at your pace, and on skills with which you need the most practice. On average, students improve their scores by 110 points after 10 sessions. High test scores can make the difference between acceptance and rejection into top-tier universities. Get into your dream school with the help of SoFlo!

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Check out SoFloTutors.com or click here to schedule a free consultation. 

Final Thoughts

Don’t wait around on registering for the SAT; registration deadlines approach fast. Get the registration process over with so you can focus on test prep and do your best on test day. As always, remember to get a full night’s sleep and a big breakfast before the test.