The SAT admission ticket is a required document for entry to the test centre on test day. Without it, you may not be admitted — and unlike some other documents, it can't be retrieved on the spot if you've forgotten it. Here's everything you need to know.
What Is the Admission Ticket?
After you complete your SAT registration on the College Board website, an admission ticket is generated and made available in your account. It's a document that confirms your registration, identifies your test centre, and serves as your official entry pass on test day. Staff at the test centre will check it alongside your photo ID to confirm your identity and registration.
How to Access and Print It
Log into your College Board account and navigate to "My SAT" or "Upcoming Tests." Your admission ticket becomes available approximately one to two weeks before your test date. Download and print it — having a printed copy is more reliable than a digital one on your phone, since phones are collected at the test centre before testing begins.
Print it in black and white on standard paper; the barcode just needs to be legible. Store it with your other test day documents — ID, charger, pencils — so you're packing everything together the night before.
What Your Admission Ticket Contains
The admission ticket includes your full name (as registered), test date, test centre name and address, your College Board registration number, and a barcode. It also lists what you need to bring on test day and any special instructions for your test centre. Read the full ticket when you download it — centres occasionally have specific requirements or access instructions that aren't communicated elsewhere.
The name on your admission ticket must match the name on your photo ID exactly. If they don't match — for example, if your registered name is different from what appears on your passport — contact College Board to correct it before test day. Mismatches can result in denial of entry.
If Something Is Wrong
If your admission ticket shows the wrong test date, test centre, or name, log into your College Board account immediately. Test centre and date changes can be made up until the change deadline (usually about three weeks before the test date), after which they require contacting College Board directly and may incur a fee. Name corrections require documentation and should be addressed as early as possible.
If your ticket hasn't appeared in your account one week before the test date, contact College Board customer service. Don't assume the system will update on its own.
Ready for test day? Make sure your preparation is as solid as your logistics.
Take the Free Practice Test →Frequently Asked Questions
When does my SAT admission ticket become available?
Typically one to two weeks before your test date. Log into your College Board account and check "My SAT" or "Upcoming Tests."
Do I need to print the admission ticket or can I show it on my phone?
Print it. Phones are collected at the test centre before testing begins, so relying on a digital ticket on your phone creates a problem if staff need to verify it after your phone has been handed in.
What if my name on the ticket doesn't match my ID?
Contact College Board to correct the registration name before test day. A name mismatch between your admission ticket and photo ID can result in being denied entry to the test centre.