Most test-day problems on the ACT have nothing to do with content. A name that does not match, a calculator that is not allowed, or a phone that goes off can end your attempt. The rules below come from ACT's test day checklist, its calculator policy page, and the Preparing for the ACT guide. They apply to a national test date at a test center in the United States; ACT notes that procedures can differ for other administrations, so check your own admission ticket. For the format of the test itself, see What to Expect on the ACT.
Arrival
For national test dates, ACT says to be inside the test center no later than 8:00 a.m., or by the time stated on your admission ticket. If you are late, you will not be admitted. Plan to arrive early enough to find the right room and get through check-in.
Admission ticket and photo ID
You print your admission ticket from your MyACT account after your photo has been uploaded and approved. The ticket carries your registration match information and, for online testing, a launch code. ACT says you can still test without a ticket, but on a paper test the missing match information may delay your scores.
Your ID is the item most worth checking a week early. ACT requires an original, valid, hard plastic photo ID issued by a city, state, or federal agency, or by your school, and the name on it must match your registration. ACT lists what it does not accept:
- an ACT ticket by itself
- a birth certificate, diploma, report card, or Social Security card
- credit or bank cards
- photocopies, and paper or electronic IDs
- a parent's photo ID, a web page with a photo, or being recognized by a staff member
If you do not have an acceptable ID, ACT allows the ACT Student Identification Form with a photo, completed by a school official or a notary public. A relative cannot complete it.
The calculator policy
Calculators are allowed only on the math test, and ACT states that every problem can be solved without one. You must bring your own; test staff do not supply them. Four-function, scientific, and graphing calculators are allowed unless specifically prohibited.
The main restriction is on calculators with a built-in computer algebra system (CAS). ACT names several models as prohibited, including the TI-89 and TI-92 series and the TI-Nspire CAS (the non-CAS TI-Nspire is permitted), the HP Prime and HP 48GII, and certain Casio ClassPad and Algebra fx models. Also not allowed:
- handheld, tablet, or laptop computers, and calculators built into phones or other communication devices
- electronic writing pads or pen-input devices
- calculators with QWERTY-style letter keys
A permitted calculator may still need changes before test day. ACT says to delete documents, remove any programs with CAS functionality, remove paper tape, turn off sound, cover an infrared data port with heavy opaque material, and remove power cords. Sharing a calculator during the test is prohibited, and a student who breaks the calculator policy is dismissed for prohibited behavior. It is your responsibility to confirm that your model is allowed, so check ACT's current list rather than relying on a classmate. ACT suggests a backup calculator or spare batteries and a model you already know how to use. If you test on the digital ACT, the Desmos graphing calculator is built into the math section.
What to bring
- your admission ticket and acceptable photo ID
- sharpened No. 2 pencils with erasers; ACT's list rules out pens and mechanical pencils
- a watch or timing device with no alarm, which must sit on your desk where staff can see it
- a permitted calculator, if you want one
- an ACT-approved word-to-word bilingual dictionary, if you are an English learner (a dictionary not on the approved list voids your scores)
- snacks and drinks, which you may have only outside the test room during the break
- a fully charged laptop and charger, if you are testing online on your own device
What to leave out, and how to avoid dismissal
ACT prohibits textbooks, notes, scratch paper, highlighters, colored pens, correction fluid or tape, and tobacco products. Phones, smart watches, fitness bands, and any device that can connect to Wi-Fi or record must be powered off and out of sight from the time you are admitted until you leave. If one is accessed, you will be dismissed and your test will not be scored. You also may not leave the supervised test area during the break, for example to go to your car, and you may not look at a section outside the time for that section or change answers after time is called.
A short break comes after the second test. Students taking the optional writing test get five minutes before the 40-minute essay.
Practice ACT questions with explanations and timed practice tests.