AP Exam accommodations are approved testing supports for students with documented disabilities. College Board offers accommodations such as extended time, breaks, large print, braille, readers, scribes, printed instructions, computers for free response, and assistive technology.
Direct answer: College Board's AP Exam accommodations can include timing supports, break supports, alternate formats, visual supports, reading supports, writing supports, audio or calculator supports, and approved assistive technology. The exact accommodation depends on the student's documented need and College Board Services for Students with Disabilities approval.
This guide summarizes the main accommodation types and links to College Board's official pages so you can confirm the current rules with your AP coordinator or SSD coordinator. It is a reference, not a replacement for an official SSD decision.
Fiveable also lets you practice with accommodations in full-length AP practice exams. Before starting a practice exam, you can choose standard timing, 50% extended time, or 100% extended time, plus break-practice modes for standard breaks, extra breaks, extended breaks, or breaks as needed. These settings are for practice only and do not replace College Board approval.
College Board's AP accommodations pages list the following common supports for AP Exams. College Board also says its accommodation lists are not exhaustive and that it reviews reasonable requests from students with documented disabilities.
| Accommodation type | Examples College Board lists | What it can support |
|---|---|---|
| Timing and scheduling | Extended time, limited-time testing, multiple-day testing when approved | Students whose disability affects testing pace, stamina, or the length of a single sitting |
| Breaks | Extra breaks, extended breaks, breaks as needed | Students who need additional rest, medical care, movement, or regulation time |
| Alternate formats | Braille paper testing, refreshable braille, large print | Students who need tactile, braille, or enlarged exam materials |
| Visual supports | Large-print answer sheet, magnification up to 400%, color overlay or color contrast, 14-point or 20-point large print where applicable | Students who need larger print, zoom, screen color settings, or alternate answer marking |
| Reading assistance | Human reader, screen reader, embedded text-to-speech | Students who need exam text read aloud or accessed through assistive technology |
| Writing assistance | Writer or scribe, computer for essay or free response, dictation where approved | Students who need support recording written responses |
| Instructions | Printed copy of verbal instructions | Students who need spoken directions in written form |
| Subject-specific tools | Four-function calculator where approved, audio-related supports, word processor use, repetition of aural stimuli, audio transcript | Students whose approved accommodation applies to a specific section or exam need |
| Testing environment or access aids | Small-group testing, food, drink, medication, blood sugar testing, preferential seating, other approved aids | Students whose access need does not necessarily change Bluebook timing, breaks, or exam format |
| Other approved assistive technology | Screen reader, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, refreshable braille display, magnifying device, other approved AT devices | Students whose disability requires an assistive technology setup |
College Board may provide the same accommodation differently depending on whether the AP Exam is digital, hybrid digital, or paper. For example, a student approved for large print on a digital AP Exam may use device zoom in Bluebook, while a student approved for braille paper testing needs the AP coordinator to order the correct exam format.
Sources: AP Exam Accommodations Overview, Other Accommodations, How to Fill Out the Student Eligibility Form, and AP Exam Accommodations for Students.
Extended time gives approved students more time on the parts of the AP Exam affected by their disability. College Board lists AP extended time options such as up to time and one-half (50%) and up to double time (100%).
Approval can vary by testing competency, including reading, mathematical calculation, written expression, listening, and speaking. That means a student might receive extended time on one section or task type but not every part of every AP Exam.
For digital AP Exams, Bluebook applies the approved amount of extended time by section or part. Students approved for extended time may be able to move forward before their full time expires, but once they move on they cannot return to that section.
Important detail: College Board says students approved for extended time on the SAT Suite also automatically receive extra breaks, but that does not apply to AP Exams. For AP Exams, breaks are a separate accommodation.
Source: College Board Extended Time and AP Central Extended Time.
Most AP Exams already include a standard break between sections. Approved accommodations can add more flexible break support:
Break time is different from testing time. If you need breaks for a medical, physical, attention, or regulation need, ask your SSD coordinator which break accommodation fits the documentation.
College Board says extra and extended breaks do not count toward testing time. If a student is approved for breaks as needed, the student controls when and how long a break occurs within the school's administration setup.
Source: Taking AP Exams with Accommodations.
Large print and visual supports help students access exam text, graphics, and answer materials. College Board lists large print for paper exams, large-print answer sheets for paper exams, magnification devices, color overlay, and color contrast as possible supports.
Digital AP Exams may use built-in device functions instead of special printed materials. For example, students can zoom in and out through their device or use operating system color settings. Hybrid digital exams can still require special ordered materials for approved large-print booklets.
College Board's student eligibility guidance describes 14-point and 20-point large-print formats for paper testing. It also notes that a large-print answer sheet can help students who have difficulty filling in bubbles because they can mark an answer space instead.
Source: Large Print, Magnification, and Color.
College Board lists braille paper testing and refreshable braille as AP Exam accommodations. Which one works best depends on the exam format, the student's approval, and whether the exam includes graphics.
For digital AP Exams, students approved for refreshable braille may use a refreshable braille display in Bluebook. College Board notes that students who need braille with tactile graphics for a digital AP Exam should talk to the AP coordinator and SSD coordinator as early as possible, because braille paper testing may be the appropriate accommodation.
Important digital AP details:
Source: AP Central Accommodations Overview and Bluebook Accommodations and Assistive Technology.
Reading assistance can include a human reader, screen reader, embedded text-to-speech, or other approved assistive technology. These supports help students access exam directions, questions, passages, and other text.
On digital AP Exams, some reading supports are provided through Bluebook or through approved external assistive technology. Setup matters. Students using screen readers, refreshable braille displays, or other technology should test the setup before exam day with help from their school team.
For digital AP Exams, College Board says students who need reading assistance may be approved to use Bluebook's embedded text-to-speech tool, their own screen reading software, or a human reader using a digital exam. AP coordinators and SSD coordinators should work with the student to decide which support matches the student's approval and actual access need.
Source: AP Central Accommodations Overview and Bluebook Accommodations and Assistive Technology.
Writing accommodations can include a writer or scribe to record responses, a computer to type essays or free response, or approved dictation support in digital testing contexts.
These supports are especially relevant for AP Exams with free-response sections. The exact setup depends on the subject, exam format, and approval language. Ask your AP coordinator how the accommodation will be provided for each AP subject you are taking.
For digital AP Exams, College Board says students who need writing assistance may be approved to use their own voice recognition software if approved for dictation, or to test with a writer/scribe using a digital AP Exam. If a student is approved for writer/scribe for digital tests, College Board says the student tests with a writer/scribe for the entire fully digital or hybrid digital exam.
For hybrid digital AP Exams, Section II uses a paper free-response booklet, so students may need a writer/scribe for that section even though other parts happen in Bluebook.
Source: Reading and Writing Accommodations and Audio, Calculators, and Word Processors.
Some AP accommodations are narrower but still important. College Board lists printed copies of verbal instructions, audio-related supports, calculator accommodations, word processor use, and other approved aids.
For example, students approved for a four-function calculator accommodation may be allowed to use one in specific AP contexts where standard testers would not. Students using assistive technology or medical/accessibility aids should confirm whether the aid requires approval, how it will be checked on exam day, and whether it works with Bluebook.
College Board also identifies digital AP accommodations that do not require a special Bluebook format when they do not involve assistive technology or changes to timing or breaks. Examples include small-group testing, food, drink, medication, and permission to test blood sugar. Students still need the appropriate College Board SSD approval.
Source: Audio, Calculators, and Word Processors and About Digital AP Exam Accommodations.
Start with your school. Most students work with an SSD coordinator, guidance counselor, or AP coordinator to submit a request through College Board's Services for Students with Disabilities.
The basic process is:
For the 2025-26 AP Exam administration, College Board says accommodation requests and required documentation must be submitted by the SSD coordinator through SSD Online by January 16, 2026.
Temporary supports work differently. If a student has a temporary medical or physical condition, such as a broken hand, the SSD coordinator can request temporary impairment support in SSD Online. For AP Exams, College Board says temporary assistance requests are due 14 days before the scheduled AP Exam date and should be submitted as early as possible.
Source: Requesting Accommodations for AP Exams and About Digital AP Exam Accommodations.
For fully digital and hybrid digital AP Exams, the AP coordinator must confirm or waive each student's approved accommodations in AP Registration and Ordering.
College Board recommends doing this when final exam order updates are submitted, but says it can be done later if needed. The final deadline is no later than 48 hours before the scheduled digital AP Exam date.
When the AP coordinator reviews a student's digital AP accommodations, College Board lists several possible outcomes:
Source: Confirming or Waiving Accommodations.
An IEP, 504 Plan, or school-based support plan does not automatically mean the same accommodation is approved for an AP Exam. For most AP Exams, College Board SSD approval is required.
This difference matters because AP scores can be canceled if testing accommodations are provided without College Board approval. Your school plan can still be useful documentation, but the AP Exam approval process is separate.
Through-course assessments can work differently. AP Seminar, AP Research, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP African American Studies include performance-based or through-course components. College Board says students may use accommodations on through-course assessments if the accommodation is approved by College Board SSD or approved by the school, state, or district through a formal process such as an IEP or 504 Plan.
Source: Taking AP Exams with Accommodations.
Limited-time testing and multiple-day testing support students who cannot test for the full standard or extended exam time in one sitting. College Board says options are available for students approved by the College Board SSD office for accommodations that make them eligible for multiple-day testing.
For digital AP Exams, AP coordinators must confirm the student wants to test over multiple days, indicate multiple-day testing in AP Registration and Ordering, set up rooms for both days in Test Day Toolkit, and place the student into the correct Day 1 and Day 2 rooms. This is one reason the student, SSD coordinator, and AP coordinator should confirm the plan well before exam day.
Source: Limited Time and Multiple-Day Testing.
Bring specific questions to your AP coordinator or SSD coordinator so you know what will happen before exam day:
These answers can prevent confusion during a timed exam. The earlier you ask, the more time your school has to fix approval, ordering, or device setup issues.
Accommodations help create access to the exam. You still need a prep plan that matches your subjects and energy.
Fiveable full-length AP practice exams include timing options for standard timing, 50% extended time, and 100% extended time. If you are approved for extended time, choose the option that matches your accommodation before starting the exam so your MCQ and FRQ section timers reflect the way you will practice.
Use Fiveable to build the rest of that plan:
If you use extended time, breaks, reading supports, writing supports, or assistive technology, practice in a way that resembles your real test setup as much as your school allows. Fiveable's full-length practice exams support extended-time timing practice and break-mode practice; your school is still the source of truth for official AP Exam accommodations and exam-day setup.
Just $79/year for all subjects
What AP Exam accommodations does College Board offer?
College Board lists AP Exam accommodations such as extended time, breaks, braille paper testing, refreshable braille, large print, large-print answer sheets, computers for essays or free response, human readers, writers or scribes, printed verbal instructions, embedded text-to-speech, screen readers, and other approved assistive technology. College Board also reviews reasonable requests from students with documented disabilities, so the list is not necessarily exhaustive.
Do I need College Board approval to use accommodations on an AP Exam?
Yes. For AP Exams, students generally need approval from College Board Services for Students with Disabilities before using testing accommodations. Schools should not provide AP Exam accommodations without College Board approval because scores can be canceled.
Does an IEP or 504 Plan automatically apply to AP Exams?
No. An IEP, 504 Plan, or school accommodation plan helps document the need, but AP Exam accommodations usually still need College Board SSD approval. Some through-course assessments may allow school-approved accommodations under College Board rules.
How much extended time can students get on AP Exams?
College Board lists AP extended time options such as up to time and one-half (50%) and up to double time (100%). Requests are tied to testing competencies such as reading, written language expression, mathematical calculation, listening, or speaking, depending on the exam need.
Can accommodations work differently on digital AP Exams?
Yes. Digital AP Exams in Bluebook may provide some accommodations differently. For example, students approved for large print may use device zoom, while other accommodations such as screen readers, braille, or assistive technology may need specific approval and setup.
What is the 2025-26 AP accommodations request deadline?
College Board says requests for 2025-26 AP Exam accommodations and required documentation must be submitted through SSD Online by January 16, 2026. Temporary assistance requests for AP Exams are due 14 days before the scheduled AP Exam date, and College Board recommends submitting as early as possible.
Who should I talk to about AP Exam accommodations?
Start with your school's AP coordinator and SSD coordinator. They can help you understand documentation, submit requests through SSD Online, check your approval status, and confirm how the accommodation will be provided for your specific AP subjects.
Can I practice with extended time on Fiveable?
Yes. Fiveable full-length AP practice exams include standard timing, 50% extended time, and 100% extended time options, plus break practice for standard breaks, extra breaks, extended breaks, or breaks as needed. These settings are for practice and do not change scoring.