ACT's Test Information Release (TIR) sends you a copy of the test questions, your answers, and the answer key from your actual sitting, for about $20, and it is only available on certain national test dates. If you plan to retake the ACT, TIR is one of the best ways to review real mistakes instead of guessing what went wrong from a score report alone.
What TIR includes
TIR is exactly what it sounds like: a release of the test information from your sitting. You receive the test booklet (or equivalent question list), a copy of your marked answer sheet, and the correct answers. That lets you walk question by question through what you got wrong and why, the same way you would review a practice test. It covers the multiple-choice sections from that date. It does not replace a full score report, and it is not available for every administration.
What it costs and when to order
TIR costs about $20 on top of your registration fee. You can add it when you register for an eligible test date, or order it afterward within a limited window, typically up to three months after your test. Ordering at registration is the simplest option because you know upfront that your date qualifies. If you are not sure whether you will want it, check whether your date offers TIR before you pay, since you cannot add it retroactively for a non-TIR date. For how this fits into ACT fees overall, see how much the ACT costs and how to get a fee waiver.
Which test dates qualify
ACT does not offer TIR on every national date. Historically, December, April, and June are common TIR dates, but ACT adjusts the list from year to year. Some fall and summer dates may not include it. Before you choose a test date hoping to get TIR, open the official test date table on act.org and look for the TIR indicator next to that date. If review materials matter for your prep plan, that detail can be a reason to pick one date over another, alongside the timeline in when to take the ACT and how to choose a test date.
How to use TIR for prep
TIR shines when you treat it like a practice-test review session, not a souvenir. Work through every miss: label whether it was a content gap, a careless error, or a timing issue, and log patterns the same way you would with any practice test. Our guide on how to review ACT practice tests applies directly here. Because the questions are real ACT items from your sitting, the review is often more accurate than trying to reconstruct what happened from memory.
When TIR is worth it
Order TIR if this sitting is a first attempt or an early retake and you want concrete material to study from before the next test. It is especially useful when your score surprised you in one section and you need to see whether the problem was strategy, timing, or specific content. Skip it if you are not planning to retake, if your date does not offer TIR, or if you already have plenty of official practice tests left to review. If you are deciding whether another sitting makes sense, read should you retake the ACT alongside this.
TIR vs. practice tests
Official practice tests are still the backbone of prep, and TIR does not replace them. What TIR adds is feedback tied to your actual performance under real test-day conditions: fatigue, pacing, and pressure included. Use it as one review pass after a real sitting, then return to fresh practice tests for your next round of studying so you are not just re-drilling the same form.
The bottom line
TIR gives you the questions, your answers, and the key from an eligible ACT sitting for about $20. Order it at registration or within the post-test window if your date qualifies and you plan to retake. Confirm which dates offer TIR on act.org, then review the materials with the same discipline you would bring to any practice test.
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This article offers general ACT prep guidance. The ACT can change from year to year, including its format, scoring, policies, test dates, and fees, so always confirm the latest details on the official ACT website at act.org before you make decisions. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. thirty-six is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ACT.