US Students
District Testing
Photo Submission Requirements for the ACT Test
Photo Submission Requirements
To complete your registration, you must provide a recent photo of yourself for identification and test security purposes. This photo will print on your ticket and on the score report that is automatically sent to your high school. ACT will retain the photo for a period of time consistent with active use of test scores and test security purposes, and use as described in the ACT Privacy Policy.
Photo submission options include:
- Uploading a photo from your computer
- Uploading a photo using a mobile device
Your photo must be added by the photo upload deadline for your test date or your registration will be cancelled and you will NOT be admitted to test. You cannot print your ticket until the photo is added.
Students who wish to apply for an exception due to religious prohibitions should call ACT at 319.337.1270 to discuss their individual situation as early in the process as possible and no later than the regular registration deadline for their desired test date.
Photos
Basics
- Your photo must be a clear image of ONLY you (not blurry, grainy, or fuzzy) against a plain background
- The photo must be a full face-and-shoulders shot, squarely facing the camera
- You must use a portrait (not landscape) photo that is correctly oriented
- You must be facing the camera
- You cannot wear dark glasses
- Your photo cannot be enhanced in any way (for example, no lenses, filters, text, emoji, stickers, etc.)
- If you wear a head covering daily for religious reasons, adjust it to provide a full-face view
Examples of Acceptable Photos
Acceptable
Portrait format, plain background
Acceptable
Portrait format, plain background
Examples of Unacceptable Photos
Photos like the ones below may be rejected and result in students not being able to take the test on their registered testing day.
Photo is too dark.
Photo is too light.
Should be a plain background.
Face is too small.
Photo is blurry.
Face obscured by hair and hand.
Face is too close.
Additional tips
- Make sure your facial features and hair are visible. Excessive light, shadow, or busy backgrounds might make your photo unacceptable for use
- If you wear a head covering daily for religious reasons, adjust it to provide a full-face view
- Do not scan your driver's license or school ID photo. The scanned image will not be of high enough quality to meet the system's requirements for an acceptable photo
- Do not submit a photo of a photo
Uploading Photos
Format and size
- You can upload a JPG, JPEG, PNG, or BMP image file
- The maximum file size is 5MB
- If you scan your photo, the resulting file must print as a 2" x 2" image or larger
- The photo must be at least 640 x 480 pixels
- If you have scanned your photo, crop the image to show only your head and shoulders before you upload it
Upload from computer
You will be prompted to upload your photo when you register online. If you register using your smartphone, you may be able to directly upload a saved photo or take a photo directly from your device.
While you can upload your photo any time up to the deadline noted below, you are strongly encouraged to complete this part of your registration and print your ticket as soon as possible, to ensure everything is in order well before test day.
Deadlines
If you are uploading your photo, your photo must be added by the photo upload deadline for your test date. The test dates and deadlines are listed below.
*No test centers are scheduled in New York for the July test date.
If you miss the deadline, your registration will be cancelled and you will NOT be admitted to test. If your registration is cancelled, the registration fee will not be refunded. You may, however, request a test date change, if you are not registered for standby.