GED retake policy: what happens if you do not pass
If you do not pass a GED subject, you can retake it. At a test center you get two retakes with no waiting period; after the third or any later attempt, you wait 60 days. Online allows one retake before a 60-day wait. You only retake the subject you missed, because passing scores do not expire nationally.
The national retake rule
"If you did not pass one of your GED® test subjects, you can take two subsequent retests, with no restrictions between retakes. If you fail the third or any subsequent retest, you must wait 60 days for your next attempt." (GED.com, Test Retakes)
"The Online Proctored Exam allows for one retake before a 60 day waiting period. After taking a test subject 2 times online, you’ll have to wait 60 days before retesting." (GED.com, FAQs)
Test center: two retakes with no wait, then 60 days after the third or any later attempt.
Online: one retake with no wait, then 60 days after two online attempts.
GED Testing Service may waive the 60-day wait case by case for your last unpassed subject, but never to less than two weeks.
States may add their own rules.
Do I have to pay for a GED retake?
At US test centers, GED Testing Service waives its own fee on retakes of a subject you did not pass: up to two discounted retakes, used within 12 months.
The waived GED Testing Service fee is $26 per subject (official fee recorded on GED.com, checked 26 October 2026). State and test-center fees may still apply, so the price you pay depends on your state.
Online retakes are not discounted. If you failed at a test center and retake online, the online attempt is charged as a new first attempt with no discount.
If you miss a discounted retake appointment (a no-show), you lose that discount and any state and test-center fees you paid.
What happens if I fail the GED?
You only retake the subject you did not pass. Passing scores on the current GED test do not expire at the national level; states may set their own policies.
Scores are not averaged: every subject needs 145 or higher on its own.
Scores usually post within 24 hours (often the same day), occasionally up to 3 business days.
Retesting a passed subject for a higher score needs approval (help@ged.com) and is allowed only at a test center.
Reading your score report
Your Enhanced Score Report is under My Scores on GED.com and has four parts:
My Scores: Your score in each subject you took.
How I Can Score Higher: A personal study plan built from the skills you missed. Start here when you plan a retake.
What My Score Means: What your score level says about your skills.
My Written Answers: Your RLA essay response.
Near-miss recovery plan
Enter your subject, your score (100 to 144) and what went wrong to get a 1 to 3 week plan with GEDPilot lessons, labs and guides. Practice results are never official scores or predictions.
In GED forums, many people who missed math by a few points describe passing on a focused retake. That is an observation from forum posts, not a statistic.
Can I get my RLA essay re-scored?
You can challenge your RLA extended response (essay) score within two months of your RLA test date by calling 1-877-EXAM-GED.
A $50 re-score fee applies for each essay you challenge (official GED Testing Service fee, checked 26 October 2026). The $50 is refunded only if your score changes.
The review takes about 3 to 5 weeks. GED.com says a second review is unlikely to change the score, so a focused retake is often the better next step.
Retake rules by state
State notes from official state and GED.com pages, checked 2026-10-26. Confirm on GED.com before you book.
Alabama: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Alaska: In person, no wait for your first two retakes. After the third attempt, wait 60 days before each later retake. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Arizona: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Arkansas: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
California: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Colorado: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Connecticut: Wait 60 days before you retake a failed subject. You can take each subject at most three times a year. A missed appointment counts as an attempt. You can ask GED@ct.gov for an override; it needs proof and a new green GED Ready score.
Delaware: In person, you can retake a subject twice with no wait. After the third attempt, wait 60 days before each retake. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
District of Columbia: Wait 30 days before each of your first two retakes. After three attempts, wait 60 days before each retake. Before a retake you also need a GED Ready score of Likely to Pass or Too Close to Call in that subject.
Florida: No wait for your first two retakes. After three attempts, wait 60 days. A no-show counts as an attempt.
Georgia: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Hawaii: No wait after your first failed attempt. After three attempts, wait 60 days. There is no yearly limit.
Idaho: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt. After three attempts, wait 60 days after each attempt you do not pass. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Illinois: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Indiana: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Kansas: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Kentucky: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt; after three attempts, wait 60 days before a fourth or later try. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Louisiana: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Maryland: In person, you can retake a subject twice with no wait. If you fail the third or a later retest, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Massachusetts: No wait for your first two retakes. After three attempts, wait 60 days. There is no yearly limit.
Michigan: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; if you fail the second retake, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Minnesota: No wait after your first failed attempt, though this can vary by test center. After three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Mississippi: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Missouri: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Montana: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait. In-person retake fees vary by test center.
Nebraska: Wait 30 days between retakes of a failed subject; Nebraska residents can ask to waive this for the first two retakes. After three attempts, wait 60 days. There is no yearly limit.
Nevada: Wait 24 hours after your first failed attempt. After three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
New Hampshire: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
New Jersey: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt. After three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
New Mexico: No wait after your first failed attempt. After three attempts, wait 60 days. A free retake also needs a new GED Ready score of 145 or higher within 60 days.
New York: Wait 60 days before you reschedule a failed subject. You can take each subject three times per calendar year. A missed appointment also means a 60-day wait. You cannot retake a passed subject for a higher score.
North Carolina: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days each time. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
North Dakota: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Ohio: In person, no wait after your first failed attempt; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Oklahoma: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Oregon: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Pennsylvania: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait. The free code does not cover retakes.
Rhode Island: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
South Carolina: You can take a subject up to three times with no wait. After that, wait 60 days after each attempt you do not pass. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
South Dakota: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Tennessee: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Texas: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days, and this count resets every January 1. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Utah: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Vermont: In person, you can take a subject three times in any one year, with no set wait between attempts. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Virginia: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
Washington: In person, no wait for your first two retakes; after three attempts, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait.
West Virginia: Wait 14 days before each of your first two retakes and show you still meet the rules. After three attempts, wait 60 days. You can take a subject up to four times a calendar year.
Wisconsin: After three attempts at a subject, wait 60 days. Online, you get one retake before a 60-day wait. If you fail the civics test, wait 30 days to retake it.
Wyoming: Wait at least 7 days between retakes of a subject. You can retake each subject up to six times a year.
How soon can I retake the GED? At a test center, you can retake a subject you did not pass right away, twice, with no waiting period. After the third or any later attempt, you wait 60 days before the next one. Online, you get one retake with no wait, then a 60-day wait after two online attempts. Some states add their own rules.
What happens if you fail the GED 3 times? You can keep trying. After a third failed attempt in a subject, you wait 60 days before each further attempt. GED Testing Service may shorten the wait case by case for your last unpassed subject, for example if a job or school place is at risk, but never to less than two weeks.
Do I have to pay for a GED retake? Usually you pay less. At US test centers, GED Testing Service waives its $26 fee on retakes of a failed subject (up to two discounted retakes, used within 12 months), so you pay only any state and test-center fees. Online retakes are not discounted. Check your state page for the exact price.
Do I have to retake the GED subjects I already passed? No. You only retake the subject you did not pass. At the national level, a passing score on the current GED test does not expire, though states may set their own policies. Scores are not averaged, so each subject needs 145 on its own.
Can I retake a GED subject I already passed to get a higher score? Only with approval. You must ask GED Testing Service (help@ged.com), and a retest for a higher score is allowed only at a test center, not online.
Can I get my GED essay re-scored? Yes. Call 1-877-EXAM-GED within two months of your RLA test date. The re-score fee is $50 per essay and is refunded only if your score changes. Review takes about 3 to 5 weeks, and GED.com says a change is unlikely.
Can I retake the GED online? Yes, if your state offers online testing. Online allows one retake before a 60-day wait, with no discount. After a qualifying green GED Ready score, you can keep retaking that subject online without taking GED Ready again.
Independent preparation materials. Not affiliated with or endorsed by ACE or GED Testing Service. GED is a registered trademark owned by ACE. Practice results do not predict an official GED score, and GEDPilot does not guarantee a passing score.