ACCA Exam Results: Administrative Review, Appeals and Complaints Guide 2026

If your ACCA result is not what you expected, the first question is usually whether you can ask for your paper to be marked again. According to ACCA, you cannot: it states that it does not offer a re-marking service. What it does offer is an administrative review, a formal appeal route and a complaints process. This guide explains what each one does, who can use it, what it costs and when the deadlines fall for the September and December 2026 sessions.

Everything below comes from ACCA's own student pages. Fees and dates change, so check the current ACCA page before you pay for anything.

ACCA does not re-mark: what an administrative review is

An administrative review checks that the marking and results-release process followed the correct stages. It is not a second opinion on your answers. ACCA does not disclose individual marks and does not return scripts, so there is nothing to compare your own view of the paper against.

ACCA says any student can request a review in these situations:

• You were marked absent but you attended the exam.
• You received a mark even though you did not sit the exam.
• You believe ACCA's quality controls were not applied to your paper.

The review covers session-based exams only. ACCA states that it is unable to provide an administrative review service for on-demand computer-based exams, so if you sat one of those, this route is closed.

What it costs and what can happen

ACCA's page gives the fee as £63 per exam. If the review finds that a mark was wrong and it is corrected, the fee is refunded. A corrected mark can go up or down, and if no error is found the original result stands. You receive the outcome in writing.

The feedback you get also varies by exam, which is one more reason to read the current ACCA page before you decide whether the fee is worth paying.

Key dates for the 2026 sessions

The deadlines below are taken from ACCA's important dates page. They apply to the September 2026 and December 2026 sessions only. Requests close at 23:59 UK time on the closing date, and the window opens when results are released.

If you are planning around results day, our ACCA results day guide explains when and how results are published.

Appealing to the Examinations Appeals Committee

If you still believe something went wrong after the review, you can appeal to ACCA's Examinations Appeals Committee. The ground ACCA states is that you believe it has not applied its procedures properly. Disagreeing with how an examiner judged your answer is not on its own a ground for appeal.

ACCA says the appeal fee is also £63 per exam, paid online by the deadline. The Committee carries out independent checks. It is not a re-mark, and ACCA says no additional feedback is given as part of the appeal.

Mitigating circumstances: a separate route

If something outside your control affected your performance on the day, such as illness, bereavement or a technical problem, ACCA has a separate mitigating circumstances process. You have to submit evidence, and ACCA lists a fee of £30 for the request.

Two limits matter. First, ACCA says this route cannot be used for on-demand computer-based exams. Second, it applies only if you actually sat the exam. If you could not sit the paper at all, ACCA's guidance is not to submit a request, and entry fees are not refundable after the closing date. Our guide to cancelling or transferring an ACCA exam entry sets out what you can do before the deadline.

Making a complaint

A complaint is a different thing from a review or an appeal. ACCA defines it as any expression of dissatisfaction that requires a response. You raise it by opening a case through ACCA's Contact us option, quoting your name and ACCA registration number. ACCA says it aims to reply within 10 working days, although complex cases can take longer.

Complaints about an exam centre go through MyACCA by the session deadline, and ACCA describes the outcome as final. Once ACCA's own process has been used up, you can escalate to a regulator, such as the Financial Reporting Council or, for specific qualifications and regions, Ofqual, Qualifications Wales, CCEA or Qualifications Scotland. ACCA notes that regulators check whether it followed its procedures. They do not overturn its decisions.

Computer-based results

For on-demand computer-based exams, ACCA says the result appears on screen as successful or not, and that it is provisional until ACCA confirms it, so allow around 72 hours. Because the administrative review is not available for these exams, anything that looks wrong needs to go through the centre or the complaints route. Our guide to ACCA computer-based exams explains how the format works.

Should you request a review, or plan the resit?

A review is worth considering only if one of ACCA's three situations genuinely applies to you. If you simply feel your answers deserved more marks, the review will not change anything, because it checks process rather than judgement. In that case, the better use of your time is usually to look at the feedback you received and plan your next attempt. Our ACCA resit policy guide covers how retakes work, and the ACCA course page shows how Learnsignal supports you through each level.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask ACCA to re-mark my exam?

No. ACCA states that it does not offer a re-marking service. The administrative review checks the process, not your answers.

How much does an ACCA administrative review cost?

ACCA's page lists £63 per exam, refunded if a mark is corrected. Check the current fee on ACCA's website before you pay.

Can I request a review for an on-demand exam?

No. ACCA says it is unable to provide an administrative review service for on-demand computer-based exams.

Can I see my marked script?

No. ACCA states that scripts are not returned and individual marks are not disclosed.

What if I missed the exam because I was ill?

ACCA's mitigating circumstances route applies only if you sat the exam. If you could not sit it, ACCA says entry fees are not refundable after the closing date.

Sources: ACCA student pages on administrative reviews, results, important dates, mitigating circumstances and complaints, checked on 17 October 2026.