You can check your WAEC result in two ways: online at waecdirect.org with a result checker e-PIN, or by text message to 32327. Both need your 10-digit examination number and the PIN on your scratch card. This guide walks through each method, explains what to do when the site says there is no result, and covers what most guides skip: how to challenge a grade and what to do if your certificate is lost.
What you need before you start
- Your examination number. For exams from 1999 onwards it has 10 digits: your 7-digit centre number followed by your 3-digit candidate number, for example 4123456789. For exams before 1999 it has 8 digits: a 5-digit centre number and your 3-digit candidate number.
- Your exam year, for example 2026.
- Your exam type: school candidate or private candidate.
- A WAEC result checker e-PIN, which has a serial number and a PIN. WAEC lists its approved e-PIN dealers on waecdirect.org.
Each e-PIN can only be used a limited number of times. Once you use them up, you need a new card.
How to check your WAEC result online
- Go to waecdirect.org.
- Enter your 10-digit examination number (8 digits for exams before 1999).
- Select your examination year.
- Choose the examination type: school candidate results or private candidate results.
- Enter the e-PIN serial number.
- Enter the PIN from your e-PIN.
- Click Submit and wait for the result window.
Save or screenshot the result page, and note the serial number you used. You will want it if you need to check again later.
How to check your WAEC result by SMS
Send a text in this exact format, with no spaces:
WAEC*ExamNo*PIN*ExamYear
Send it to 32327. For example: WAEC*4250101001*123456789012*2007
WAEC lists MTN, Glo and Airtel (under its old name, Celtel) for this service. Each text costs ₦30, and your result arrives by SMS. Check the format twice before you send, because a single space or wrong star makes it fail.
When your result does not show
"No result for this candidate". Check three things first: the examination number, the year, and whether you chose school or private candidate. Re-enter each one carefully before you try again.
The page will not load. waecdirect.org gets heavy traffic when results are released. Try again later, or use the SMS method.
Your e-PIN says it is used up. You have reached the limit on that card. Buy a new one from an approved dealer.
Still stuck? Contact WAEC's result support:
- Phone: 01-9049320
- Toll-free: 0700 828 3272 (0700VATEBRA)
- Email: customersupport@vatebra.com
waecdirect.org also links to an official result checker app by Vatebra on the Google Play Store.
How to challenge a WAEC grade
You can ask WAEC to review a result, but only if you sat the exam as a school candidate. Private candidates have no review option.
You cannot write to WAEC yourself. Your principal sends the request for a review of your scripts, and WAEC charges a fee for every paper reviewed. The request must reach WAEC within 60 days of the examination, so speak to your school quickly if a grade looks wrong.
If your result was withheld
If WAEC has withheld (or "held") your result, you do not have to wait in silence. WAEC runs a complaint portal where affected candidates can register a complaint or present their defence: waecinternational.org/complaints. Use it rather than paying anyone who promises to "release" your result.
How to get your result confirmed for a school or employer
Universities abroad, embassies and some employers ask WAEC to confirm your result directly. WAEC lists these requirements for school candidates:
- A photocopy of your certificate or a printout of your online result.
- A sworn affidavit for confirmation of result from a law court.
- Two recent passport photographs.
- Two 9x4 envelopes.
- A WAEC scratch card, listed at ₦13,000.
- An administrative charge of ₦19,500 per result per recipient within Nigeria, or ₦39,000 for international recipients and embassies in Nigeria.
- Courier charges, set by the courier company. Approved couriers have agents inside WAEC offices.
Budget for the full cost before you start. For one confirmation sent within Nigeria, the WAEC charges alone come to ₦32,500, plus the affidavit and courier fees. Send each copy to the exact institution that asked for it, because the fee is charged per recipient.
If you lose your WAEC certificate
WAEC does not reprint lost certificates. Instead, it issues a statement of result or an attestation of result for a fee, and it can confirm your result directly to a school or employer. WAEC certificates have no expiry date.
Your O'Level result also needs to be on JAMB's CAPS for admission. Our JAMB admission status guide shows how to make sure your O'Level result is uploaded.
WAEC dates and subject rules to know
- Private candidates, 2026 second series: normal registration closed on 18 September 2026. Walk-in registration started on 19 September, and registration PINs are sold at WAEC offices until the end of the exam.
- Subjects: candidates sit a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 9 subjects. For 2026 and 2027, only English Language and General Mathematics are compulsory core subjects. Two new core subjects, Citizenship and Heritage Studies and Digital Technologies, start in 2028.
Heading for national service after school? Our NYSC online registration guide covers the next step.
Free WAEC tools worth knowing
- WAEC Konnect (waeckonnect.com) is WAEC's own platform for recent candidates to ask questions and get updates.
- WAEC e-learning (e-learning.waecnigeria.com) has practice questions for candidates preparing for the exam.
- Results verification and digital certificates are listed under Online Services on waecnigeria.org. Use these official links rather than third-party sites that ask for your PIN.
Frequently asked questions
How much does WAEC result confirmation cost?
WAEC lists a ₦13,000 scratch card plus ₦19,500 per recipient within Nigeria, or ₦39,000 for international recipients, plus affidavit and courier costs.
What is the WAEC result SMS code?
Send WAEC*ExamNo*PIN*ExamYear to 32327. It costs ₦30.
How many digits is a WAEC exam number?
Ten digits for exams from 1999: a 7-digit centre number and a 3-digit candidate number. Eight digits for older exams.
Does a WAEC certificate expire?
No. WAEC certificates have no expiry date.
Where do I buy a WAEC result checker e-PIN?
From WAEC's approved e-PIN dealers, listed on waecdirect.org. Avoid sellers who ask for your examination number before you pay.
What should I do if my result was withheld?
Lodge a complaint or your defence on WAEC's complaint portal at waecinternational.org/complaints.
Can a private candidate ask for a re-mark?
No. Only school candidates can request a review, through their principal, within 60 days.
Last checked against waecdirect.org and WAEC Nigeria's official FAQ on 27 October 2026.
