How often you can retake it
There's no annual limit on TOEFL retakes — you can take it as many times as you want. The restriction is a short waiting period between attempts: you cannot sit the test more than once within any 3-day window. The TOEFL iBT is offered more than 50 times a year, so booking a new date is rarely the bottleneck — being ready is.
TOEFL MyBest Scores
ETS combines your best section scores across all your valid TOEFL attempts from the last two years into a single "MyBest" score report. This means a strong Reading score from an earlier attempt and a strong Speaking score from a later one can both count toward your best overall result — you don't need one single sitting where every section goes perfectly.
Score validity
TOEFL scores are generally valid for 2 years from your test date. If you're planning to apply to multiple programs over an extended timeline, keep this window in mind alongside your application deadlines.
Should you retake?
Worth it if: you're below your target band, you know specifically what went wrong (a diagnostic or your prior score breakdown tells you which skill to fix), and you've actually addressed that gap since your last attempt — not just "tried again" with the same prep. Not worth it yet if: you haven't identified what specifically needs to improve, since a retake without a plan tends to reproduce the same result.
Before you rebook
- Get a fresh diagnostic to confirm you've actually closed the gap — see how long TOEFL prep takes for realistic timelines.
- Make sure you're practicing the current 2026 format, not retired task types — see what changed.
- Check the real fees involved in rebooking — see TOEFL cost breakdown.
Confirm you're ready first
A free diagnostic tells you whether your next attempt is likely to move your score before you pay for it.