Age requirements for taking the GED vary from state to state. Most states set the minimum age without exception at 18. However, in some states, including Georgia and Kentucky, the applicant must be at least 19 or 20. A younger applicant may be able to take the test if extenuating circumstances are present. For example, in California a 17-year-old may take the test if he is within 60 days of the date on which he would have graduated from high school or within 60 days of his 18th birthday. In Alaska, an applicant as young as 16 may take the test with parental permission and a withdrawal form.
Most states require an applicant to be a resident. Proof of residency can be demonstrated by a valid driver's license or other government-issued identification card. Some states, including Virginia and Nevada, do not have a residency requirement.
The fee requirement for the GED varies widely from state to state. In Alaska, applicants can take the test for as little as $25; in California, applicants can expect to pay about $140.
Most states do not require an applicant to undergo formal instruction or an eligibility pre-test before taking the GED. Some states, including North Carolina, Maine, Kansas and Iowa, require a GED pre-test; others, such as Texas and Wyoming, strongly encourage applicants to pre-test. If an Ohio applicant achieves a passing score on the pre-test, he can take the GED test for free.
To pass the GED, applicants must score a minimum of 410 on each of the five individual tests, and achieve an overall average of 450. To reach this number, the applicant must answer 60 percent to 65 percent of the questions correctly. This score is greater than or equal to the performance of 40 percent of current graduating high school seniors.
If an applicant does not pass the GED on the first try, she has the opportunity to retake the test. Some states, including Maine and Pennsylvania, have no waiting period restrictions for retesting; other states have waiting periods of various lengths. On average, the waiting period is 30 to 90 days. In Georgia, if the original score is below 400, the applicant must wait six months before retesting.