Back

SAT Testing Rules

Revised: May 19, 2026

Introduction

These Testing Rules ("Rules") are a legal contract between you and College Board. They set forth important rules you must follow related to taking the SAT®, referred to as a "Test" or "SAT" in these Rules. Please read them carefully. If you register for a Test on behalf of another (for example, if you are a parent or legal guardian of the test taker), these Rules govern both you and the test taker (collectively, "you").

IMPORTANT: Any attempt to gain an unfair advantage on the Test—including through cyber or digital methods, disabling test security features, or using unauthorized smart devices—is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary measures and consequences, including score cancellation and other sanctions. College Board uses advanced methods to detect and investigate this behavior.

NOTE: See Section 10 for how disagreements between you and College Board will be handled.

Contents:

Section 1. Taking the Test

  • The SAT is a digital test. You will take the Test on an app called Bluebook™.
  • Your testing device must meet College Board requirements. A list of approved testing devices and requirements may be found at bluebook.collegeboard.org/technology/devices/requirements and bluebook.collegeboard.org/students/approved-devices. Testing device and system requirements are subject to change without prior notice to you, and College Board retains sole discretion to block or disable access to Bluebook for reasons of test security.
  • You cannot test on a mobile phone.
  • If you don't have access to a testing device, you may request to borrow one from College Board. See Section 7 below for more information on testing device borrowing.
  • Testing staff may require you to test on a testing device issued at the test center, and in such cases, you will not be permitted to test on your personal testing device.
  • Allowed Items. In addition to your testing device that meets College Board requirements, you may bring the following to the Test:
    • a power cord and/or a portable charger (however, there is no guarantee that you will have access to an outlet for charging),
    • an external mouse and mouse pad,
    • a pen or pencil for scratch work, and
    • a calculator that meets the requirements located at satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/what-to-bring-do/calculator-policy. Before testing, you will be asked to clear all saved formulas on a calculator you bring. There is also a calculator in Bluebook that you can use instead of bringing your own if you wish.
  • Bluebook must be downloaded to your testing device before you can take the Test. If you are using your own testing device, you will need to download Bluebook yourself. You can download Bluebook from the College Board website at bluebook.app.collegeboard.org. If your testing device is managed by your school, your school may download Bluebook for you. It is your responsibility to check if your school did so. A testing device that is loaned to you by College Board will have Bluebook already installed.
  • Close all applications other than Bluebook before the Test begins. You are not allowed to have any other apps running on your testing device during testing. You are not allowed to paste work into Bluebook from another program or application. Certain approved testing accommodations may allow for exceptions to this rule.
  • You must sign in to Bluebook using your College Board online account username (email address) and password, agree to the Privacy Policy and Use of This App rules, and complete exam setup before the Test.
  • Bluebook will generate your admission ticket once you have completed exam setup. You must bring your electronic or printed admission ticket to the Test. You'll show this to the testing staff when you check in. If you are using a testing device loaned to you by College Board, your ticket will be generated on test day after you complete exam setup.
  • You must provide an acceptable photo when you register for the Test in accordance with sat.org/photo. You may make changes to your photo up to 5 days before you test. The photo you provide during registration will be used to identify you on test day.
  • If we determine that there is a difference between your photo ID and your admission ticket, or if the photo ID doesn't meet our requirements (for example, if your nickname is on one field but your full name is on another), we may, in our sole discretion, deny you admission to the test center. We may also dismiss you from the test center, decline to score your Test, or cancel your Test scores.
  • Follow all directions from testing staff and from Bluebook.
  • You will be required to acknowledge your agreement to these Rules before testing.
  • An internet connection, provided by the test center only, is required to start the Test and to submit your answers at the end of the Test. You will receive instructions from testing staff on test day if there is an internet outage.
  • The Test has 2 sections. The first section is Reading and Writing, and the second section is Math. Each section of the Test has 2 modules (parts). Once you leave a module, you cannot return to it.
  • Enter all answers into Bluebook.
  • You must stay for the full length of the standard time Test. You cannot submit your answers before the standard timer runs out.
  • Do not close the lid or cover the screen of your testing device until your answers are submitted. Doing so may prevent your answers from being submitted.
  • If your answers were successfully submitted, you will see a confirmation screen. If your testing device is not connected to the internet when the Test ends and your answers are not submitted, you have until 11:59 p.m. local time the next day to reconnect to the internet and submit your answers.
  • Some test takers may be approved to take the Test using a paper test as a testing accommodation. In this case, test takers will select their answers in the test book. Test takers must select only 1 answer for each question. If the test taker selects more than 1 answer, the answer will be marked as wrong. Answers will be entered manually into Bluebook by testing staff or by College Board.
  • Generally, College Board will score all Tests that have been started. If your answers are not complete, your scores may only be used for guidance purposes. In this case, scores may be reported to you, your school, your district, or your state but will not be reportable to colleges and scholarship institutions.

NOTE: College Board reserves the right to make changes to testing procedures and these Rules at any time, including for test security purposes.

Section 2. Items You Cannot Bring to the Test

  • You may NOT bring the following items to the Test or access them during breaks:
    • electronic equipment, including phones, smartwatches, smart glasses or any eyewear that provides access to the internet or to any AI feature or service, fitness trackers, wearable technology ("wearables"), haptics, cameras, recording or listening devices, or any other type of electronic or communication device (other than your approved testing device, approved calculator, and any technology where you have an approved testing accommodation)
    • stylus pens, Apple Pencils, smart pens, iPad pencils, and other electronic writing instruments
    • books, reference guides, notes, compasses, protractors, dictionaries, highlighters, or colored pencils
    • papers of any kind (scratch paper will be provided by testing staff and collected at the end of the Test)
    • watches that beep, make a noise, or have an alarm, or any type of timer
    • calculators on the prohibited list located atsatsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/what-to-bring-do/calculator-policy
    • detachable privacy screens
    • reference guides, keyboard maps, or other typing instructions
    • headphones, earbuds (wired or wireless), ear plugs, or any in-ear or over-ear audio devices, including those with Bluetooth or noise-canceling capabilities, whether they are powered on or off
    • weapons or firearms

Please note that some of the items on the above list may be allowed, or required, for students with certain testing accommodations (for example, some students may be required to bring headphones).

IMPORTANT: If you wear glasses or if testing staff suspect you have any prohibited item listed above, testing staff may request to examine such glasses or item to determine compliance with these Rules, and you agree to comply with any such request. You understand and agree that testing staff may prevent you from testing with prohibited glasses or items in your possession (or on your person) that they suspect enable the ability to capture images, video, or screenshots; access the internet; or communicate in any way with an AI service or any person.

Section 3. Behaviors That Are Not Allowed

  • You are NOT allowed to do or attempt to do the following:
    • cheat or otherwise get an unfair advantage on the Test
    • interfere with, defeat, circumvent, disable, change, or bypass any test security features, device security settings, or device testing or lockdown modes (e.g., Kiosk mode)
    • use or have on your testing device any malware or other software that could be used to capture content and/or facilitate cheating
    • disable antivirus software on your testing device
    • run any application on your testing device other than Bluebook or approved technology during the Test
    • copy or record Test questions, memorize questions for the purpose of writing them down later, or take a screenshot during the Test
    • access or use any phone or other mobile or internet-connected device during the Test or breaks
    • access or use any digital resource(s) or website(s) during the Test or breaks, including AI tools such as ChatGPT, Photomath, and similar apps
    • fail to turn in or store away a mobile phone following your test center's process
    • use an answer key or receive information from other people about Test questions
    • discuss or share information about Test questions with others
    • talk to or otherwise communicate with others during the Test
    • allow anyone to see your Test questions or answers or attempt to see or copy others' Test questions or answers
    • look at notes, electronic devices, textbooks, websites, or any other resources during the Test or during breaks
    • have information on your clothing, shoes, or body
    • wear a hat or head covering (except when worn for medical or religious reasons; if a hooded garment is worn, the hood must remain down)
    • share a calculator with another person
    • use a calculator on any Test section other than the Math section
    • leave the testing room after you are finished without being dismissed by staff
    • take a testing device from the testing room or test center during the Test or breaks
    • go to a locker at any time during the Test or breaks
    • take the Test for someone else or have someone else take the Test for you
    • provide false information to College Board
    • disturb others during the Test
    • engage in unruly, aggressive, or violent behavior
    • fail to follow these Rules or directions given by the testing staff
    • deliberately create fake or multiple College Board student accounts including, without limitation, bot-generated registrations or other registrations created through automated methods

Section 4. Artificial Intelligence

College Board may use artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other computational methods (collectively, "AI"), including in the development and scoring of tests and for test security purposes. The use of AI is monitored and is designed to help improve efficiency and fairness.

Section 5. Disciplinary Measures, Consequences, and Testing Irregularities

For a standardized test to be valid, reliable, fair to all test takers, and useful to colleges and other educational institutions, all test takers must follow the same rules without exception. A test taker who receives a score they did not earn creates a disadvantage for every other test taker and every institution that relies on those scores. Therefore, College Board cannot and will not issue scores it determines to be invalid.

  1. Disciplinary Measures and Consequences
    1. Disciplinary Measures. If College Board determines, in its sole discretion, that there is evidence you violated or attempted to violate these Rules, we may impose measures (collectively, "Disciplinary Measures"). Disciplinary Measures include, without limitation, the following: deny you admission to the Test; remove you from the testing room; stop your Test; require you to use a College Board–issued testing device; decline to score your Test; withhold or cancel your official scores; and share information with others as set forth in Section 5d below.
    2. Consequences. In addition to Disciplinary Measures, if College Board determines, in its sole discretion, that there is substantial evidence you violated or attempted to violate these Rules, or if scores from more than one College Board test administration (including SAT, AP®, or CLEP®) are found invalid, College Board may impose additional consequences (collectively, "Consequences"). Consequences may include, without limitation, prohibiting you from taking future College Board tests including SAT, AP, or CLEP.
      If we impose Disciplinary Measures or Consequences, we will notify you in writing (via email if an email address is provided by you in Bluebook for this Test).
      You may submit an Appeal as defined in the Appeals section below. You must notify us of your intent to Appeal in writing within 20 business days of your receipt of the email (the "Deadline") to the following email address: [email protected]. This is called a "Notice to Appeal".
    3. Special Procedures for New York and California: For domestic test takers (those with a U.S. address who test in the U.S.), if you take the Test in New York or California, in addition to the provisions in this Section 5, you will be given other options, such as an opportunity to voluntarily cancel your scores with a refund or retest. You will be given these options if, in our sole discretion, there is substantial evidence that you violated these Rules. However, if College Board determines there is overwhelming evidence you violated these Rules, you will not be eligible for these options.
  2. Appeals. If you submit a Notice to Appeal by the Deadline, College Board will notify you of the basis of your Disciplinary Measures and Consequences (if applicable) and provide you an opportunity to respond (your "Appeal"). If you submit your Appeal (by the date specified in College Board's notification), a senior member of the College Board test security team, who was not involved in the original decision to impose Disciplinary Measures or Consequences, will review your Appeal and render a decision, which will be binding and final. After that, you can choose to challenge College Board's decision through arbitration (as described in Section 10 below).
    IMPORTANT: You must submit your Appeal on time and receive a decision on that Appeal before you can go to arbitration or to small claims court to challenge Disciplinary Measures or Consequences. If you commence arbitration or go to small claims court before completing the Appeals process, your case will be dismissed.
  3. Testing Irregularities. If College Board determines, in its sole discretion, that there has been a testing irregularity (collectively, "Testing Irregularities"), we may choose not to issue you official scores or to cancel your official scores. Testing Irregularities are irregularities in the administration of the Test, which may affect one test taker or a group of test takers. Examples of Testing Irregularities include administrative errors (e.g., using accommodations not approved by College Board or defective equipment), network outages, system errors, and disruptions of testing administrations caused by events such as fire alarms, natural disasters, and other emergencies. When Testing Irregularities occur, we may cancel an entire test administration or individual registrations, decline to score all or part of the Test, not issue official scores, or cancel official scores. We may take these steps even if you did not cause or benefit from the Testing Irregularity. At College Board's sole discretion, you may receive a refund, which is the only remedy available in such cases.
  4. College Board Sharing Information with Others. We may share the results of test security investigations with others outside of College Board including, without limitation, Disciplinary Measures or Consequences imposed. This includes your school, any score recipient, college, higher education institution or agency, scholarship organization, potential score recipient, government agency in the United States or abroad, parents, legal guardians, or law enforcement. College Board may also share such information with others who have a good reason for knowing the information, who may be able to help College Board in its investigation, or who may be conducting their own investigation. College Board may answer questions from any institution to which you submitted a score. If you make public any review, investigation, or decision of College Board, College Board may make public any and all details of such matter.
  5. Test Taker Reporting Violations or Suspicious Behavior. You may confidentially report any suspected violation of these Rules, or any suspicion concerning the security of any College Board test, by immediately reporting this information to College Board online at collegeboard.org/reportcheating or by emailing us at [email protected].

Section 6. Privacy

  1. Privacy Policies. College Board recognizes the importance of protecting your privacy. Our privacy policies are located at privacy.collegeboard.org ("Privacy Policies"), and also available to you under Help on the Bluebook homepage. Privacy Policies are part of these Rules. You consent to the collection, use, and disclosure by College Board of your information, including personally identifiable information, described in the Privacy Policies and in these Rules. College Board may update its Privacy Policies from time to time, and they are subject to change up to 1 week prior to your Test date and any subsequent Test dates. You are required to review the Privacy Policies located on the College Board website at privacy.collegeboard.org prior to each Test administration.
  2. Your Testing Device and Activity Data.
    Your Testing Device Data: When you download and use Bluebook, College Board will receive certain information about your testing device. This includes things like device type, operating system type and version, applications and processes running on your testing device, Internet Protocol (IP) address, screen size and resolution, number of screens, available memory, storage and disk bytes, disk mount, type and size, battery level, and other device-specific information for the purposes described below.
    Activity Data: We also capture and monitor the actions you take in Bluebook, including your responses, where you click, where you put your mouse on the page, how long you spend on each page, ctrl/alt/delete attempts, and how you navigate through Bluebook.
    Testing Device Data and Activity Data: Your testing device Data and Activity Data (collectively, "Data") may be used by College Board to make sure your testing device is compatible with Bluebook, for test security purposes, for test validation and research, and to develop and improve College Board products and services. Data may be disclosed to trusted vendors, but only when they are providing services to College Board, and we may disclose aggregated data (combined data of test takers that does not identify you) and de-identified data (data that does not have information to identify you). Data is not sold or licensed to third parties, including without limitation for their marketing purposes or other commercial purposes. We may share Data with your school, district. or state education department related to the Test you take in Bluebook, including any misuse of Bluebook. You will also be asked to type specific sentences in Bluebook. Neither Data nor those typed sentences are used for biometric identification.
  3. International Test Takers. For test takers taking the Test in certain locations outside of the United States, College Board may collect certain additional data and use a biometric-enabled system to support test security.
    • During Test administration, College Board may collect cursor movements and screen contents.
    • During Test administration and only with your separate consent, College Board may capture your image using the front facing camera on your testing device and record photos and/or video. We may use facial geometry measurements (also known as facial recognition) to compare these images with your photo ID provided during registration and with images captured throughout the Test. College Board may also capture your keystrokes throughout the Test.
    • Facial geometry measurements and keystrokes are considered biometric data under applicable law and require your explicit consent for us to collect and process it. Where applicable, you will be asked to provide this consent during registration for this Test.
    • College Board may use this data to: confirm the test taker is and remains the registered test taker; detect and prevent fraud and misrepresentation; maintain the integrity of the testing process; improve test security; detect and prevent misconduct and violations of these Testing Rules; and as otherwise permitted by law.
  4. Voluntary Student Search Service. If you decide to opt in to our voluntary Student Search Service™ ("Student Search Service"), then:
    • We will share information about you that you provide to College Board (including without limitation your name, nickname, address, gender, email, date of birth, the high school you attend, your expected graduation year, score ranges, and information you provide during test registration, testing, and when using the College Board college planning website, BigFuture®) with participating nonprofit accredited colleges and universities (domestic and international), nonprofit scholarship providers, and government agencies administering educational programs ("Education Organizations"). If you opt in to Student Search Service, we may share information that you provided prior to and after opting in to Student Search Service, but we will not share any information until you opt in.
    • Education Organizations may use this information to send you, or your parent/guardian, email and postal mail with information about educational, financial aid, scholarship, and direct admission opportunities. This may include information about nonprofit college or university undergraduate institutions, no-cost scholarship and financial aid opportunities that fund nonprofit secondary or postsecondary education and/or activities, information about accessing higher education, and offers of direct admissions to nonprofit higher education institutions.
    • Education Organizations may only use your information for the purpose of sending you educational and informational messages about the topics listed above.
    • Being contacted by Education Organizations doesn't mean you have been admitted or received a scholarship. You must submit required information and complete steps requested by the Education Organization(s) for potential admission, enrollment, scholarships, and/or financial aid. College Board is not involved in any of the selection or decision making by the Education Organizations.
    • Education Organizations may pay a license fee to College Board to license (use) your information. College Board uses these license fees to help support its mission-driven work. Students do not pay a fee for Student Search Service.
    • Education Organizations (i) may not share your information with others except to their contractors, such as direct mail service providers, and (ii) may only keep your information for a limited time period.
    • Opt-out: You can opt out of Student Search Service at any time at my.collegeboard.org/profile/privacy, by completing the Your Privacy Choices webform or by contacting us at [email protected].
    • More information on Student Search Service is available at studentsearch.collegeboard.org.
  5. Scholarship Programs. College Board automatically sends your scores and personally identifiable information to the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program for test takers in all states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and Puerto Rico, and for U.S. citizens abroad. In addition, based on your mailing address or high school, this information may also be sent to state scholarship and recognition programs in various states, including, by way of example only, Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Dakota, Tennessee, and West Virginia. This information is used by such programs to consider your eligibility for a scholarship or recognition program. College Board is not involved in any of the selection or decision making for any of these scholarship programs.
  6. State Direct Admissions Programs. Based on your mailing address or high school, College Board may automatically send your scores and personally identifiable information to state government agencies that are operating direct admissions programs on behalf of their state public higher education institutions. This information is used by such programs to facilitate and administer these programs, including to consider your eligibility for direct admissions to the participating state public higher education institutions, and may be disclosed to those institutions. There is no guarantee of admissions, scholarships, or financial aid. Any offers of direct admission you receive may require you to complete additional steps as defined by the state public higher education institution(s), such as to confirm your admission and enrollment, as well as to be considered for financial aid. The state government agency operating the direct admissions program for the state public higher education institutions and each institution make the decision on offers of direct admission. College Board is not involved in any of the selection or decision-making by these state direct admissions programs.
  7. Educational Reporting.
    • We send your scores, data from your scores, other information you provide in connection with testing, and certain demographic information to your school and district. In addition, this information may be sent to your state for educational, diagnostic, and/or reporting purposes.
    • When you request that we send your scores to colleges or other organizations as designated by you during registration and/or via your College Board account, we send your scores, certain demographic information, and other information you provide during testing to those colleges and organizations in accordance with sat.org/scores. These organizations may use this information to send you information about admissions, educational, financial aid, and scholarship opportunities. Being contacted by these organizations does not mean you have been admitted or are eligible for a scholarship or financial aid program. You must submit an application to be considered for admission at a college or university and complete any steps required by any scholarship programs to be considered for their opportunities. We may share with your state, school, and district the names of the organizations you select for your free score sends available during registration.
  8. Connections. College Board has a separate program called Connections™ that is offered to schools and school districts and that connects students with information about nonprofit accredited colleges and universities (domestic and international), nonprofit scholarship providers, and government agencies administering educational programs, without disclosure of their personally identifiable information. Where available, students who take the SAT, PSAT/NMSQT®, PSAT™ 10, or PSAT™ 8/9 during the school day, and students enrolled in AP courses, can opt in to Connections. You can't opt in to Connections as part of this SAT Weekend test, but if you have already opted in to Connections or if you opt in later, your SAT Weekend score range is included in the information used to match you to organizations as part of Connections. More information about Connections is available at satsuite.org/bigfutureschool.

Section 7. Miscellaneous

  1. You may qualify to borrow a testing device from College Board if you submit a request with your test registration before the deadline. If you borrow a testing device, additional rules will apply to you and will become part of these Rules. Submitting a request does not guarantee that College Board will provide you with a testing device. Test centers cannot provide you with a testing device on test day unless your request made for the test date was approved. If you are approved to borrow a testing device, we will make all reasonable efforts to provide you with such device on test day. However, we cannot guarantee that a testing device will be available on test day. Additional information is available on the College Board website at satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/device-lending.
  2. Test centers may, but are not required to, offer a replacement device if your testing device is not working. You have the option to use or decline the offered device.
  3. College Board scores the Test in its sole discretion.
  4. If you want to voluntarily cancel your scores, your request must be submitted through your College Board account by no later than 11:59 p.m. ET 1 week after your Test date in accordance with satsuite.collegeboard.org/digital/cancel-scores. Once you submit your request to cancel scores, your scores cannot be reinstated and are not reported to you or your designated institutions (e.g., colleges).
  5. International test takers may be subject to additional requirements. Those requirements are located at sat.org/international.
  6. In certain cases, including where there is unexpected volume in a particular area or for test security or safety reasons, College Board reserves the right to move you to a different test center or to a subsequent test administration.
  7. Test centers have sole discretion over their availability and may choose to close at any time, up to and including test day. College Board does not have control regarding these closures. When this occurs, College Board will attempt to work with the test center to schedule a makeup test or move you to another test center. If no other options are feasible, College Board may, in its sole discretion, issue a refund for your registration fee.
  8. In the event of a test security–related concern, public health threat (including without limitation an epidemic or pandemic), natural disaster, terrorist act, civil unrest, or other unexpected event or circumstance, College Board may cancel testing for all or a specific group of test takers in its sole discretion. When this occurs, College Board will notify you in advance if feasible. We will communicate test cancellations and, when feasible, alternate Test dates for affected test takers.
  9. If you choose to leave the Test after starting, you will not be entitled to a refund.
  10. In the very rare case that College Board is unable to confirm a complete set of test responses, we will report your score to you with a "Score Sends Held" designation. Incomplete responses could negatively affect your scores, so we will not report them to colleges, universities, or scholarship programs you selected in your score sends unless you contact us to request otherwise. You must call customer service at 866-630-9305 (+1-212-713-8000 internationally) to confirm release of these score sends.
  11. For security purposes, including to protect the security and integrity of our tests, College Board may, in its sole discretion, decline to register you or administer a College Board test to you, prevent you from proceeding with a test, dismiss you from a test, or require you to use a College Board testing device. College Board may also cancel your registration.
  12. If College Board determines that you or others may be in danger, we may contact your parents, your guardians, your high school, law enforcement, and others. We may share information about you, including your personal information, with those we contact.
  13. For security purposes, including to protect the security and integrity of our tests, College Board (or someone who works for College Board) may collect recordings like images, video, or audio of you at your test center. Recordings are retained as long as reasonably necessary. College Board may disclose these recordings to law enforcement and/or as reasonably necessary to protect the rights and property of College Board or others.
  14. Your Test may include questions that do not count toward your score. These questions may show up in any of the test sections. They are being pretested for future Test administrations. Testing time for the Test takes these questions into account.
  15. College Board takes steps to make sure registration records, answers, and scores are properly managed. In the unlikely event of a problem, College Board will correct the error, if feasible. You may have to retest. College Board has sole discretion in deciding whether to score lost or corrupted answers that are eventually recovered.
  16. Additional information for test takers regarding the purpose of the Test is located at satsuite.collegeboard.org/digital/test-security-fairness.
  17. Personal property that you bring to the test center, such as purses, bags, and backpacks, may be searched. College Board may use tools that detect prohibited devices, such as metal-detecting wands used on individuals and personal property. College Board and testing staff may take personal property that could be used in violation of these Rules. College Board will hold this property for a reasonable amount of time for investigation.
  18. College Board is not responsible for any personal property.
  19. College Board is not responsible if you don't follow directions, steps, instructions, or these Rules related to taking the Test. You may be prevented from taking the Test or finishing the Test. You may also be prevented from taking other College Board assessments in the future. These decisions are in the sole discretion of College Board.
  20. You may submit a report to College Board if you think there is an error or something is unclear in a Test question. If so, College Board may need to hold your Test score for this review. Your score may not be available by the published release date for your Test.

Section 8. Policies and Requirements

  1. All College Board policies and requirements described in these Rules, as well as those located at satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/what-to-bring-do, sat.org/test-security, sat.org/scores, and sat.org (and information linked therein) are part of these Rules.
  2. College Board may update these Rules, and its policies and requirements from time to time. Updates may include changes to the types of testing devices that are permitted for the Test and may also be for test security purposes, including requiring you to test on a College Board–issued device. Changes may be made up to 1 week prior to your Test date and you must review these prior to each Test.

Section 9. Intellectual Property—Ownership of Materials

  1. All content contained within the Test, practice Tests, the Student Question Bank, the Educator Question Bank, Bluebook, College Board's websites (collegeboard.org), and all software, processes, algorithms, and other technologies used in connection with these (collectively, "CB Property") belong only to College Board and its licensors. You have no rights in or to CB Property other than a personal license to use CB Property for its intended purposes and subject to its terms.
  2. Attempting to copy, download, decompile, or reverse engineer any CB Property is strictly prohibited. Taking pictures or screenshots of the Test is strictly prohibited.
  3. Test answers and other testing materials you submit to College Board are owned by College Board. You have an independent right to your Test scores, including the right to access, retain, and use your scores, except as otherwise described in these Rules.

Section 10. ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER

All disputes between you and College Board (each a "party") that relate in any way to registering for, participating in, or taking the Test, including but not limited to requesting or receiving test accommodations, score reporting, the use of your data, test security issues, and Appeals, will exclusively be resolved in binding arbitration or small claims court. By agreeing to arbitration in accordance with this section, you are waiving your right to have your dispute heard by a judge or jury except as set forth below.

Either party can seek to have a claim resolved in small claims court if the rules of that court will allow it. Additionally, if the claims asserted in any request or demand for arbitration could have been brought in small claims court, then either you or College Board may elect to have the claims heard in small claims court, rather than in arbitration, at any time before an arbitrator is appointed, by notifying the other party of that election in writing. Any dispute about whether a claim qualifies for small claims court will be resolved by that court and not by an arbitrator. In the event that either party elects to have their claims heard in small claims court, the arbitration proceeding will remain closed unless and until there is a decision by the small claims court that the claim should proceed in arbitration.

All claims that are not decided in small claims court must be resolved through binding, individual arbitration before a single arbitrator. The arbitration will be administered by the American Arbitration Association (AAA) under the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules, supplemented by the AAA Mass Arbitration Supplementary Rules as applicable, in effect at the time a request for arbitration is filed with the AAA. Copies of the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules and the AAA Mass Arbitration Supplementary Rules are located at adr.org. The arbitrator will have the authority to resolve any dispute regarding the scope or enforceability of these Rules, except only a court can decide claims that a party violated the intellectual property rights of the other party. In addition, only a court can decide issues relating to (a) the pre-arbitration requirements contained in these Rules or (b) the interpretation of the prohibition of class and representative actions contained in these Rules.

Before commencing a small claims court or arbitration proceeding, that party (the "complainant") must provide the other party (the "respondent") with a written notice of dispute that includes the complainant's name and contact information, a detailed description of the dispute, relevant documents, the specific relief sought, and the complainant's physical signature (signature by counsel to the party is not sufficient). If you are the complainant, send the notice of dispute by first-class mail, FedEx, or UPS. Please address to College Board, Legal Department, 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281. Alternatively, you (or your counsel) can send the notice of dispute to [email protected]. A member of College Board's Legal Department will then contact you (or your counsel) to attempt to resolve the dispute through informal good faith negotiations as described below. College Board will send its notice of dispute to your address as reflected in College Board's records.

Also, before the complainant may commence a small claims court or arbitration proceeding, the parties must attempt to resolve the dispute through informal, good faith negotiation. If the parties have not resolved the dispute within sixty (60) days of the respondent's receipt of the written notice of dispute, the parties will mutually schedule a settlement conference which must occur within fourteen (14) days of the completion of the sixty (60) day period, unless otherwise mutually agreed by the parties. Each party must personally appear at the settlement conference (if a party is represented by counsel, their counsel may also participate), and appearances may be made telephonically or by video. If the parties are unable to resolve the dispute at the settlement conference, either party may commence arbitration or file a small claims court proceeding. However, if the complainant did not file a timely Appeal (in accordance with Section 5 above), the complainant has waived their rights to challenge Disciplinary Measures and Consequences and any challenges to the same shall be dismissed. The statute of limitations and any filing fee deadlines will be tolled while the parties engage in this informal dispute resolution process. If any aspect of the requirements in this Section 10 has not been met, a court can enjoin the filing or prosecution of an arbitration or the assessment of any arbitration fees. In addition, unless prohibited by law, the AAA cannot accept or administer an arbitration, nor assess any fees for an arbitration, that has not met the requirements of this Section 10. If the arbitration is already pending, it must be dismissed.

If the dispute proceeds to arbitration, the complainant must personally attend all arbitration conferences, hearings, and mediations scheduled by the AAA or by an arbitrator or mediator appointed by the AAA. If the complainant is represented by counsel, the complainant's counsel may also participate, and all participation may be made telephonically or by video except as directed by the arbitrator or mediator. If a complainant fails to personally appear at any conference, hearing, or mediation scheduled by the AAA or by an AAA arbitrator or mediator, regardless of whether the complainant's counsel attends, the arbitrator will administratively close the arbitration proceeding without prejudice, unless the complainant shows good cause as to why the complainant was not able to attend the conference, hearing, or mediation.

The arbitration will be conducted as a documents-only arbitration (i.e., there will be no in-person or telephonic hearing) unless otherwise agreed by the parties or required by the arbitrator. If the parties agree to or the arbitrator requires proceedings, such proceedings should be conducted at a location that is reasonably convenient to both parties with due consideration of their ability to travel and other pertinent circumstances. If the parties are unable to agree on a location, the parties agree that the proceedings will be conducted via a video or telephonic call or, in the event that face-to-face proceedings are agreed to by the parties or required by the arbitrator, at a location that is reasonably convenient to both parties in accordance with the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules. The arbitrator may consider rulings in arbitrations involving other individuals, but an arbitrator's rulings will not be binding in proceedings involving different individuals. The existence and content of the arbitration proceedings, including documents and briefs submitted by the parties; any correspondence from the AAA; and correspondence, orders, and awards issued by the arbitrator, will remain strictly confidential and will not be disclosed to any third party without the express written consent from the other party, unless disclosure to the third party is reasonably required in the context of conducting the arbitration proceedings or related court proceedings.

For disputes meeting the definition of "Mass Arbitration" under the AAA Mass Arbitration Supplementary Rules, the parties agree that the dispute is subject to the AAA Mass Arbitration Supplementary Rules and the parties agree to the appointment of a Process Arbitrator, except as may otherwise be decided by the arbitrator or the AAA.

The parties agree that the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) 9 U.S.C. § 1 et seq. governs this section, and it is the intent of the parties that the FAA will preempt all State laws to the fullest extent permitted by law.

No arbitration may be maintained as a class or collective action; a party may bring a claim only on their own behalf and cannot seek a relief that would affect other individuals. Unless all parties agree otherwise, the arbitrator will not have the authority to consolidate the claims of more than 1 individual, conduct any class or collective proceeding, make any class or collective award, or make an award to any person or entity not a party to the arbitration, without the express written consent of College Board.

Payment of all filing, administrative, and arbitrator fees and costs will be governed by the AAA's rules. If the arbitrator finds that either the substance of your claim or the relief sought was frivolous or was brought for an improper purpose (as measured by the standards set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)), then College Board may seek applicable fee-shifting.

If the complainant challenges College Board's decision of an Appeal, the sole issue for the arbitrator to decide is whether College Board acted in good faith and followed the procedures set forth in these Rules and the arbitration will be based only on (i) documents complainant submitted to College Board and (ii) College Board documents, unless otherwise agreed by the parties or required by the arbitrator.

Section 11. Venue and Waiver of Jury Trial

All disputes (disagreements) arising from or related to these Rules that are not resolved under Section 10 shall be resolved only in the state and federal courts located in New York County, New York State, and each party to these Rules irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts. Each party expressly waives any right to a jury trial in any lawsuit arising from or related to these Rules.

Section 12. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT FINALLY DETERMINED TO BE PROHIBITED BY LAW, THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF COLLEGE BOARD TO YOU OR ANYONE CLAIMING BY OR THROUGH YOU OR ON YOUR BEHALF, FOR ANY CLAIMS, LOSSES, COSTS, OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RESULTING FROM OR IN ANY WAY RELATED TO COLLEGE BOARD, OR ANY TEST ADMINISTRATION BY COLLEGE BOARD, FROM ANY CAUSE, SHALL NOT EXCEED THE TEST REGISTRATION FEES YOU PAID TO COLLEGE BOARD (IF APPLICABLE) OR $100.00, WHICHEVER IS GREATER. IN ADDITION, COLLEGE BOARD WILL NOT BE LIABLE IN ANY EVENT FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR SPECIAL DAMAGES.

Section 13. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

COLLEGE BOARD MAKES NO WARRANTIES REGARDING THE TEST, TEST CONTENT, OR THE APPLICATION INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION A WARRANTY THAT THE TESTING EXPERIENCE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE. YOU ACCEPT THE TEST, TEST CONTENT, AND TESTING APPLICATION AS IS.

Section 14. Severability

If any provision or part of these Rules is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will nevertheless continue in full force without being impaired or invalidated in any way, and, to the extent possible, the invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision shall be modified so that it is valid, legal, and enforceable and, to the fullest extent, reflects the intention of the parties.

Section 15. Restricted Registrations

College Board, along with our service providers overseas, is subject to U.S. economic sanctions, laws, and regulations and is prohibited from providing testing services to, or accepting registrations from, persons residing in certain areas or designated by the U.S. government as Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (collectively, "Sanctioned Persons"), unless specifically licensed or otherwise authorized by the U.S. government. You consent to use of your personally identifiable information by College Board to verify whether you are a Sanctioned Person. If a Sanctioned Person attempts to register despite U.S. sanctions that prohibit College Board from doing business with such Sanctioned Person, College Board or a U.S. financial institution may block the registration or payments submitted by or for such Sanctioned Persons. If payment is not blocked, College Board is required to cancel the registration and may not be able to refund the payment. Please contact SAT customer service at 866-630-9305 (+1-212-713-8000 internationally) or the website of the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to obtain the current list of sanctioned programs and Sanctioned Persons.

Section 16. Accessibility of These Rules

If you have difficulty accessing these Rules, including our policies and requirements, please contact College Board customer service at 866-630-9305 (+1-212-713-8000 internationally) or satsuite.collegeboard.org/contact-us in advance of registering for or taking the Test. We will be happy to provide these Rules in an alternative format or assist you in some other manner as reasonably necessary to enable you to access these Rules.