Learn the ins and outs of ACT timing so you can study to maximize your time on the ACT. ACT Test Length The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes long (or 175 minutes), but 3 hours and 35 minutes long (215 minutes) if you take the ACT Plus Writing.Each section is given in one chunk, and takes between thirty and sixty minutes.ime Pressure on the ACT Despite the fact that the ACT is almost three hours long (or three and a half hours if you take the ACT Plus Writing), the time pressure can be intense. This table illustrates about how much time you have to spend on each question on the ACT.