Returning AP Exams

All secure AP Exam materials (e.g., exam booklets, orange booklets, CDs, etc.) must be returned to the AP Program.

The AP coordinator should return exam materials as soon as possible after testing for a given exam administration (e.g., regularly scheduled or late testing) is completed so that students’ exams can be processed and scored on time. Late return shipments can result in delays in student scores. 

June 1 is the final deadline for all exam materials (regularly scheduled or late testing) to be received by the AP Program. Schools are billed twice the fee for each exam in shipments received after this date. 

All details about returning AP Exam materials will be available and sent to AP coordinators in the spring. 

Returning AP Exams with Split Shipment 

AP coordinators at schools with 150 or more regularly scheduled paper and/or hybrid digital AP Exams will return their exam materials following the split shipment instructions. Eligible schools will receive split shipment instructions and Week 1 labels in the spring. These instructions will be sent separately from the exam shipments.

Returning AP Exams with DHL  

For the 2026 AP Exam administration, schools outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico that don’t receive pre-printed labels with their AP Exam materials will use a new AP DHL Return Portal to generate and print return shipping labels and schedule the pickup of their AP Exam return shipment(s). For more details, see Returning AP Exams with DHL.