Registering for the TOEFL iBT is easy, but timing and small administrative details can cost you money or a test date. This guide pulls together what ETS publishes about when to register, what the extra fees are, how cancellation works and which mistakes to avoid, and adds a few planning suggestions of our own. Fees, dates and rules change and some vary by country, so treat this as a map and confirm every figure in your own ETS account before you pay.
| Topic | What ETS says |
|---|---|
| How to register | Online through your ETS account, or by phone using the contact details for your country |
| Suggested lead time | Register about 4 months before your desired test date; pick a date at least 2 to 3 months before your earliest admissions deadline |
| Regular registration deadline | 7 full days before the test date (2026–27 information bulletin) |
| Express registration | Closes 2 days before for online registration, 5 pm the day before by phone; US$49 fee on the fees page |
| Cancel or reschedule | At least 4 full days before the test date, through your ETS account or by phone; rescheduling fee US$69; 50% refund when you cancel in time |
| No-show | No refund or credit of any kind |
| Score availability | About 3 days after the test; valid for 2 years |
ETS publishes the following extra fees on its fees page. These are the ones most test takers run into:
ETS adds that the prices on that page do not include VAT or other applicable taxes, except for EU countries.
According to ETS’s bulletin, you must cancel or reschedule at least 4 full days before your test date, online through your ETS account or by phone, and not by mail, email or at the test center. If you cancel in time you receive 50% of the original fee. If you miss the deadline, or you do not show up for a test that has not been officially canceled, there is no refund or credit. For the Home Edition, the bulletin also says that if you do not check in by the deadline your test is canceled with no refund. The Home Edition check-in window runs from 15 minutes before to 30 minutes after your scheduled time.
If you are already thinking about retaking the test, read our retake and MyBest guide before booking, because the timing of your second attempt affects your costs and your deadlines.
ETS says the name and date of birth you register with must exactly match your ID document on test day, and that a mismatch can mean you are denied entry with a non-refundable fee. The bulletin adds that the last name on your primary ID must match your registration and that a supplemental ID cannot fix a last-name mismatch. See ETS’s ID requirements and our test day guide for the full list of acceptable documents.
ETS suggests registering about 4 months before your desired test date and choosing a date at least 2 to 3 months before your earliest admissions deadline. The hard cutoff is much later: ETS's 2026-27 information bulletin says regular online or phone registration closes 7 full days before the test date, and express registration closes 2 days before for online registration. Popular dates can fill up, so earlier is safer.
The base fee depends on where you test, and ETS shows it after you select your testing location on its fees page, so we do not quote a single number. ETS lists these extra fees in US dollars: express registration US$49, rescheduling US$69, additional score reports US$29 each, reinstating canceled scores US$20, a Speaking or Writing review US$80 (both sections US$160) and Express Scoring US$129. ETS notes that prices exclude VAT or other taxes, except in EU countries.
ETS's 2026-27 bulletin says that if you cancel at least 4 full days before your test date through your ETS account or by phone, you receive 50% of the original fee. After that deadline there is no refund, and if you miss a test that was not officially canceled you are marked absent with no refund or credit. Some countries have their own schedules (the bulletin lists a different one for Korea), so check the rules for your region.
ETS says the name and date of birth you register with must exactly match your ID on test day. If they do not match you can be denied entry to the test and the fee is not refunded. Fix any mismatch in your ETS account before the test, not on the day.
ETS's bulletin says official scores are available approximately 3 days after the test (Australia is listed separately) and that scores remain valid for 2 years after the test date. Order score reports early enough to meet your university deadlines.
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