The three score actions and their deadlines
Everything you can do with an AP score - besides just viewing it - happens in a narrow June window and then again during the year at a fee. Get all of it on one page:
| Action | Deadline | Cost | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use your free score send (first college) | June 20 | Free | Yes, until sent |
| Cancel a score permanently | June 15 (through your school) | Free | No - permanent |
| Send any additional score report | Year-round | $15 per report | Yes, until sent |
| Withhold a score from a report | Before you send | $10 per score | Yes - restore anytime |
| View your scores in your account | Early July (rolling) | Free | n/a |
| Order an archived score report | Year-round | $30 (archived records) | Yes, until sent |
The single most important deadline is June 15: after that date you can no longer cancel a score. The second is June 20, the last day to use the free score send for one college before scores are even posted.
Which action should you take?
- Happy with your scores and applying? Use the free send to your top college, then send reports to other schools only when they ask. Full steps: how to send AP scores.
- Worried about one low score? Withhold that score from reports you send (fee) rather than canceling it - you can restore it later. See the cancel guide.
- Know you never want the score to exist? Cancel it by June 15 through your school's AP coordinator. It's free but permanent.
- Applying as a regular-decision applicant? You usually don't need to send anything until after scores post; use your free send once you have a clearer shortlist.
Common mistakes
- Missing the June 15 cancellation deadline and being stuck with a score you didn't want.
- Wasting the free send on a college you aren't actually going to apply to.
- Assuming withholding and cancelling are the same - they aren't (see the table above).
- Forgetting that scores never expire: your 2023 AP score is still sendable in 2026 and beyond.
For the full reasoning behind each option, the cancellation guide and sending guide go deeper. When scores actually post, the release-dates guide tells you how to check them.
Step by step: the free score send
- Log in to your College Board account and open the AP Scores section.
- Click Send Scores and search for the college by name or four-digit code.
- Choose the report type (full history or selected scores, where the school allows selection).
- Confirm the free send before the June deadline - after that, the same action costs the standard fee.
- Watch for the confirmation email; delivery can take up to two weeks during peak season.
Your school's AP coordinator can also place a send on your behalf, which is often the fastest route in late spring when everyone is doing this at once.
Step by step: cancelling a score
- Before June 15, contact your school's AP coordinator - you cannot do this yourself online.
- Request the score cancellation form and complete it before the deadline.
- Understand the trade-off: it is free, but the score is permanently removed and can never be reported.
Step by step: withholding a score
- Before you send a report, request the withholding form from the College Board (your coordinator can help).
- List the specific scores you want hidden from that report.
- Pay the per-score withholding fee. The score still exists on your record and can be restored later.
The right mental model: cancel is delete, withhold is hide. Choose delete only when you are sure; choose hide when you want a school to see your good scores without the bad one. Both are explained in detail in the cancel and withhold guide, and the sending mechanics live in how to send AP scores.
Standard Delivery vs. Rush Reporting
Timing your score send is critical, especially when meeting freshman course registration or orientation deadlines. The College Board offers two delivery tiers:
| Delivery Option | Processing Time | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Processing | 5–9 business days (up to 14 days in peak July) | $15 per institution (or Free before June 20) | Regular admissions, planned matriculation, initial credit evaluations |
| Rush Processing | 2–4 business days | $25 per institution | Immediate registration prerequisites, sudden college orientation deadlines, waitlist conversions |
Note: Rush reporting only accelerates the College Board’s transmission to the university registrar. How fast the admissions office loads the data into their student information system (SIS) depends on each institution’s processing queue.
Senior Year Matriculation Timeline
For graduating seniors, the score reporting schedule follows a strict sequence:
| Date | Action Item | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| May (Exam Week) | Designate your single college recipient via the student MyAP portal. | Locks in your free annual report before fees apply. |
| June 15 | Final postmark/submission deadline for score cancellations. | Last chance to permanently strike an unwanted score from all future official transcripts. |
| June 20 | Final deadline to modify your designated free score recipient institution. | Ensures official scores route directly to the college where you placed your enrollment deposit. |
| July 5–10 | Scores post to your online student account; electronic files delivered to colleges. | Registrars audit incoming credits and clear course prerequisites for fall enrollment. |
| July 15–August 1 | Verify credit transfer on your college portal (degree audit). | Confirms introductory course waivers before you finalize your freshman schedule. |
For additional details on score verification, see our score release guide and college credit conversion guide.
AP Score Sending, Cancellation & Withholding: One Reference - quick answers
Can I cancel an AP score after seeing it?
No. To cancel, you must request it through your school's AP coordinator by June 15 - before scores post. After that, withholding (hiding it from a report) is the only option.
How much does it cost to send AP scores?
The first score send to one college is free if you use it before the June deadline. Every additional report costs a per-report fee, and archived records cost more.
What is the difference between cancelling and withholding an AP score?
Cancellation permanently deletes the score (free, irreversible). Withholding temporarily hides it from a report you send (fee), and it can be restored at any time.
When is the deadline to send AP scores for free?
The free score send must be used by mid-June (June 20 in a typical year). After that, all sends carry the standard per-report fee.
Want a number, not just an explanation? Jump to your subject's score calculator and plug in your results.
Related reading
Quick calculators: AP Lang · APUSH · AP Calc AB · AP Biology