ACCA Exam Cancellation Policy 2026: Deadlines, Refunds & Exceptional Cases

Last updated: 25 October 2026. Checked against ACCA's exam entry terms and conditions and the December 2026 important dates.

ACCA Exam Cancellation at a Glance

How to Cancel an ACCA Session Exam Before the Deadline

Before the standard entry deadline you can change or cancel your entry yourself, with no fee and no reason needed.

1. Log in to MyACCA.
2. Open the Exam Planner under Exam Entry.
3. Select the session and the exam you want to remove.
4. Cancel the entry and confirm.
5. The fee is refunded to your MyACCA account. ACCA's terms commit to doing this without undue delay and within 14 days.

Before the deadline you can also switch centre, move to a remote exam where available, or add papers instead of cancelling. Check the current ACCA exam dates and entry deadlines for your session.

Watch the progression rules. If cancelling one exam breaks ACCA's exam progression rules, any dependent entry in the same session is cancelled too (with a refund).

Cancelling After the Standard Entry Deadline

1. The 14-day cancellation right

If you entered and paid after the standard deadline (for example, during the late entry window), you can cancel within 14 days of the day you paid, without giving a reason, and receive a full refund to your MyACCA account. You cannot do this through MyACCA self-service: raise a case through ACCA's Help and Support page or submit ACCA's exam cancellation form.

2. Exceptional circumstances: serious illness or bereavement

ACCA accepts that serious problems can arise after the deadline. Where something like a critical illness or the death of an immediate family member stops you sitting the exam, you can ask ACCA to cancel or transfer your entry.

• Where to apply: the "Exam cancellation" option on ACCA's contact form (webchat is available). This replaces the older advice to email ACCA.
• Evidence: official documentary evidence, such as a medical certificate or hospital letter, or a death certificate with proof of relationship. Requests are rejected if the evidence is found to be invalid or not genuine.
• Deadline: ACCA sets an exam cancellation request deadline per session. Check the important dates page for your region before you apply.
• Outcome: you get a written decision. Approval is not guaranteed, and some regions' terms include an appeal route if you are refused.

Once you've submitted, you don't need to chase ACCA for a status update.

3. Everything else

Without the 14-day right or an approved exceptional request, fees paid for a session exam are not refundable or transferable after the standard deadline. You cannot move your entry to the next session.

What Happens If You Miss an ACCA Exam?

• You are marked absent. There is no refund.
• Absence does not affect the marks for any other exams you sit in that session.
• You can sit the missed exam at the next available session by entering again and paying the fee in force at that time.
• If your problem arose on or just before exam day but you did sit, the right route is mitigating circumstances, not cancellation. For December 2026, notifications must be submitted by 15 December 2026. Mitigating circumstances do not refund fees.

On-Demand CBEs: Different Rules

Applied Knowledge exams, the Foundations exams and some Corporate and Business Law (LW) variants are taken as on-demand CBEs, which you book outside the session system.

• Remote on-demand CBE (only offered where there is no exam centre provision): reschedule through ProctorU up to 48 hours before your start time; cancel within 14 days of payment for a full refund.
• On-demand CBE at a licensed centre: ACCA doesn't set a single rule. Each centre has its own transfer and refund terms, often with admin fees close to the exam date. Ask the centre for its policy in writing before you pay.

December 2026 Key Dates

Before You Cancel: Things to Weigh

• Cost of re-entry: you pay the fee in force when you rebook. Entering early or within the standard window keeps it lowest.
• The 2027 qualification changes: pushing an exam into 2027 may mean sitting it under the redesigned ACCA Qualification. Read our guide to ACCA syllabus changes in 2027 and check whether you'll need updated ACCA study materials.
• Time limits: once you pass your first Strategic Professional exam, you have seven years to complete that level. Repeated deferrals eat into it.
• Booking mistakes: many cancellations come from wrong papers or centres. Our ACCA exam entry guide walks through booking correctly first time.

Frequently Asked Questions: ACCA Exam Cancellation

Can I cancel an ACCA exam after the standard entry deadline?

Only in limited cases. If you paid after the standard deadline you can cancel within 14 days of payment for a full refund, by raising a case with ACCA. Otherwise you need exceptional circumstances such as serious illness or bereavement, supported by documentary evidence and submitted through the "Exam cancellation" option on ACCA's contact form. Approval is not guaranteed.

How do I cancel my ACCA exam entry?

Before the standard entry deadline, log in to MyACCA, open the Exam Planner, select the exam and cancel it. After the deadline, self-service is closed and you must contact ACCA through Help and Support or the contact form.

Will I get my money back if I cancel?

Yes, if you cancel before the standard entry deadline or within the 14-day window. The refund goes to your MyACCA account within 14 days. After the deadline, fees are not refunded unless ACCA approves an exceptional circumstances request.

What happens if I miss my ACCA exam?

You are marked absent and the fee is not refunded. Your other exams in the session are unaffected, and you can sit the missed exam at a later session by entering and paying again.

Can I reschedule an ACCA exam to the next session?

Not for session exams after the standard deadline; entries cannot be transferred unless ACCA approves an exceptional circumstances request. Before the deadline, cancel and re-enter for the session you want. Remote on-demand CBEs can be rescheduled through ProctorU up to 48 hours before the start time.

What is the last date to cancel for the December 2026 ACCA exams?

2 November 2026 at 23:59 UK time, the standard entry deadline. After that, cancellation is only possible through the 14-day right or an exceptional circumstances request.

Is mitigating circumstances the same as cancelling?

No. Mitigating circumstances is for students who sat the exam but were affected by something serious on or before the day. It does not refund fees. For December 2026, notifications are due by 15 December 2026.