Duolingo English Test · Guides · November 5, 2026 · 6 min read
Duolingo English Test fee and registration 2026: cost, taking it at home, ID, results and retakes
The Duolingo English Test (DET) costs $70 as of November 2026, according to Duolingo’s 2026 Question Guide, and results arrive within two days. You buy the test on englishtest.duolingo.com, take it at home on a Windows or Mac computer through Duolingo’s desktop app, and need a smartphone as a second camera and a valid government ID. There are no test centers and no dates to book: once you buy it, you take it whenever you are ready within 21 days.
Everything below was checked on 5 November 2026 in the DET help center and Duolingo’s official guides. The price is quoted in US dollars; when your card is charged in dollars, your bank converts it, so the amount in Indian rupees, Pakistani rupees or naira on your statement depends on the exchange rate and your card’s fees.
Cost as of November 2026
| Item | What we could confirm |
|---|---|
| One test | $70, results within two days |
| Two-test bundle | two tests at a discounted price; the price is shown at checkout |
| Faster results | optional add-on that cuts the wait from two days to 12 hours; not refundable; price shown at checkout |
| Sample Test | paid add-on: a full unofficial test with a detailed score report; not available in every country yet |
| Practice Test | free, unlimited, gives an estimated score range |
| Sending scores | free; up to 25 institutions at a time, more can be added later |
Bundle and add-on prices vary and change, so check them on the purchase page rather than trusting a figure from a blog. Some universities and organizations also give fee waivers or vouchers through Duolingo’s programs; ask your university’s international office before you pay.
How to register, step by step
- Create an account at englishtest.duolingo.com. Use the email you will keep for years: you will log in with it to send scores.
- Enter your name exactly as it appears on your ID, including middle names and every surname on the document. A mismatch can stop your result from being certified.
- Take the free Practice Test first to see where you are.
- Buy the test with a card that works for international online payments. Many students in India, Pakistan and Nigeria find that a debit card needs international payments switched on in the banking app first.
- Install the DET desktop app on your computer. The test runs in the app, not in a browser.
- Take the test within 21 days. A test credit is valid for 21 days from purchase.
What you need at home
Computer. A laptop or desktop with Windows 10 or macOS 10.15 or later. The test does not work on a Chromebook, iPad, tablet or phone, or on ChromeOS or Linux. You need a working webcam, microphone and speakers. Headphones and earbuds are not allowed.
Smartphone. A phone with a camera is required, alongside the computer’s camera. During setup you use it to:
- scan the room in a full 360-degree circle and show the area behind your screen;
- scan both ears to show you are not wearing earbuds (remove glasses and clip-on or magnetic earrings for this step);
- record your head, shoulders, screen and keyboard for the whole test, leaning against something heavy to one side of the computer.
If the phone falls or the recording is interrupted, the test can be canceled. Keep it charged and plugged in, and turn on Do Not Disturb, because notifications can invalidate a session. Duolingo has a DET mobile app for setup; the desktop app tells you when to scan a QR code to get it.
Room and rules. Be alone in a quiet room, with no notes or paper on the desk. Close every other program, including browsers, messaging and remote-desktop software. No VPN, no virtual machine, no second screen, no predictive text or grammar tools. Keep your ears, eyes and mouth visible and do not look away from the screen except to type. Note-taking of any kind is not allowed.
Internet and power. You need about one hour without interruption. Where outages are common, pick a time when power is most reliable, charge your laptop fully, and keep the phone on its charger.
Accepted ID
Your ID must be government-issued, with your full legal name, full date of birth, a recent photo, a valid expiry date and the issuing country. Photocopies, handwritten IDs and photos of an ID on a phone are not accepted. The accepted documents depend on the country. As of November 2026, Duolingo’s list shows:
| Country | Accepted |
|---|---|
| India | passport only |
| Pakistan | passport or government photo ID |
| Nigeria | passport, driver’s license or government photo ID |
| Bangladesh | passport or driver’s license |
Check the “Accepted Identification” page in the help center for your country before you buy. If there is a problem with the ID you submitted, you can usually resubmit a valid one without retaking the test.
Results and sending them
Proctors review your recording after the test, and you get an email when results are ready, normally within two days. Then, in “My Tests”, click “Share Score”, choose the institutions and add any Application ID the university gave you. You can select up to 25 at a time and add more later. Institutions see your scores, your Writing Sample and a video of your Speaking Sample from that test. Results are valid for two years. For what the numbers mean, see Duolingo English Test scores.
Attempts and retakes
- Three attempts per credit. One test credit gives you three attempts to complete and upload the test. Every time you start counts as an attempt, so a power cut halfway through uses one.
- Technical errors that stop your test from being certified let you retake at no extra cost if you have attempts left.
- Rule violations also let you retake on the same credit if attempts remain, but two violations on one credit make it expire.
- How often: you may buy up to three tests in any 30-day period, and you must wait for one result before starting a new test.
- Bundles: you have 21 days for the first test, then another 21 days after its result for the second.
If something goes wrong, contact support within 24 hours. You are not eligible for a refund if you broke a test rule.
Accommodations
If you have a disability or use hearing aids, request an accommodation from your account well before you plan to take the test. A supervisor replies to your account email within three business days.
A test-day checklist
- Name on the account matches the ID exactly
- ID is the original, valid and accepted for your country
- Desktop app installed and updated; all other programs closed
- Phone charged, on a charger, Do Not Disturb on
- Desk clear, room quiet, door closed, no one else inside
- Glasses and clip-on earrings ready to remove for the ear scan
- One hour of uninterrupted time, after a meal and a glass of water
Before you pay, make sure you know the 13 question types in the 2026 format and have tried a timed run. A full Nomto practice test takes about the same time as the real one and estimates your score on 10–160 with feedback on every speaking and writing answer.
Common questions
How much is the Duolingo English Test in India, Pakistan or Nigeria? The price is $70 as of November 2026; your bank converts it to your currency and may add a foreign-transaction fee.
Can I take the DET at a test center? No. Duolingo does not run test centers; it is taken online on your own computer.
Can I take it on my phone? No. You need a Windows or Mac computer; the phone is only a second camera.
How long are results valid? Two years.
How soon can I retake the test? As soon as your previous result arrives, within the limit of three purchases in any 30 days.
Duolingo English Test is a trademark of Duolingo, Inc. Nomto is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Duolingo.
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