ACT’s seating rules
The Spring 2027 ACT State and District manual for online testing (page 12): without carrels or dividers, workstations face the same direction with examinees at least 3 feet apart side to side (shoulder to shoulder) and 5 feet front to back (head to head). With dividers they may face any way. For paper testing, the Spring 2026 printable manual (page 15) asks for straight rows facing one way, 3 feet side to side or 3 feet front to back (5 feet front to back in multiple-level rooms).
Side to side is measured from shoulder to shoulder, the gap between two examinees, so desks 3 feet apart center to center are too close. Enter that gap under Rooms. A diagonal neighbor counts as far enough when either distance is met, as the paper manual’s “or” says.
Seats are assigned as examinees are admitted and never chosen; alphabetical is fine, and friends or relatives are split up (page 46). Examinees with different timing test in separate rooms. ACT recommends 15 to 30 examinees in a standard room and no more than 100 (page 11).
The Seating Diagram is ACT’s own form
Each room’s test administration forms include a Seating Diagram that the room supervisor completes, and the test coordinator uploads a copy to PearsonAccess Next. This tool does not replace it: print the seat plan, door roster and seat cards, then copy the seats onto the diagram.
Proctors
Every room has a room supervisor. Online standard time rooms need proctors from 31 examinees: 2 for 31 to 60, 3 for 61 to 100, 4 for 101 to 150 and 5 for 151 to 200, and ACT recommends one under 31 too. Accommodations rooms need 2 for 21 to 40 and 3 for 41 to 60, then one more per 20 (page 19). The 2026 paper table is lower: 1 proctor for 31 to 60 and 2 for 61 to 100 (page 26).
Questions from test coordinators
Is it 3 feet or 5 feet for the ACT?
Both: 3 feet side to side and 5 feet front to back for online testing without dividers. For paper testing it is 3 feet both ways in a single-level room, and 5 feet front to back in a tiered room.
Can ACT seats be alphabetical?
Yes. ACT’s manual says examinees can be seated alphabetically, as long as staff assign the seats and friends or relatives who arrive together are separated.
Where is the ACT Seating Diagram form?
It comes in each room’s set of test administration forms, with the Test Room Report, Roster and Administration Report, and on your ACT-hosted web page. Keep the sheet together; ACT asks you not to separate the pages.
Do extended time students test in a separate room?
Yes. Examinees testing with extended time test in a separate room from standard time, and examinees with different timing codes test apart. Give those students a group and a room of their own here.
Sources: Spring 2027 ACT Test Administration Manual, State and District, Online (pages 11, 12, 19, 25, 46); Spring 2026 ACT Printable Test Administration Manual (a district’s copy) (pages 15 and 26). Checked October 2026. Your district or the test’s own manual has the final word.