How Long Does Turnitin Take to Generate a Report?

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When you submit a paper, thesis, or essay to a Turnitin assignment, you want the Similarity Report as fast as possible. The good news is that under normal conditions, the initial report is generated quickly.

The Short Answer:
For a standard first-time submission of an average-length paper (500–1,000 words), the Turnitin Similarity Report is typically generated within 5 to 15 minutes.

However, this timeline is not guaranteed and can be significantly affected by several factors within Turnitin’s system. Understanding these variables is key to avoiding delays.

Key Factors Affecting Turnitin Report Generation Time

The time it takes for your report to move from “Processing” to a final score depends on four main elements:

1. Resubmissions and the 24-Hour Rule

This is the most common reason for a lengthy wait time.

First Three Submissions: For most assignments, the first three submissions (including the initial one) will generate a new Similarity Report immediately.
Fourth Submission Onward: To prevent students from matching their own prior drafts and to ensure the system processes the new version correctly, Turnitin enforces a 24-hour waiting period for a fourth (or subsequent) resubmission to receive a new report. During this time, the report status will often display as “Pending.”
The Wait: The 24-hour clock begins after the last submission, meaning you must wait a full day before the new report for your subsequent submission will be generated.

2. Server Traffic and Submission Time

Turnitin’s servers handle millions of submissions globally.

Peak Load: During high-traffic periods, such as the end of a semester, midterms, or major deadlines, the volume of papers being processed simultaneously can slow the entire system.
Report Delay: During these peak times, the typical 5–15 minute wait can extend to several hours, or in rare cases, up to a full day. Submitting your paper well in advance of the deadline is the only way to avoid these congestion-related delays.

3. File Size and Word Count

Similarity checking involves complex text analysis. The larger the document, the more time the system needs to process it.

Longer Documents: Lengthy documents like dissertations, theses, or extensive research papers (especially those exceeding 10,000 words) will naturally take more time than a standard 1,000-word essay.
File Formatting: Unstable or complex file formats, such as PDFs generated from non-standard converters, or files containing dense vector images, can also cause significant processing delays or even fail to generate a report entirely .

4. Repository Settings (Standard vs. No Repository)

The assignment settings chosen by your instructor can influence the indexing process:

Standard Repository: The paper is saved to the institution’s repository.
No Repository: If the “No Repository” option is selected, your paper is not stored in Turnitin’s permanent database. While this setting primarily affects future plagiarism checks, the process of checking against the specified databases remains a variable factor in the overall report generation time.

Summary of Turnitin Report Timelines

Submission Status	Estimated Time for Report Generation	Key Reason
Initial Submission (First Attempt)	5–15 Minutes	Standard processing time.
Resubmission (2nd or 3rd Attempt)	5–15 Minutes (Usually Immediate)	System allows rapid checking for initial drafts.
Resubmission (4th Attempt or More)	24 Hours	Enforced delay to prevent self-matching and ensure proper processing.
Peak Submission Times or server issues	Up to Several Hours (or more)	High server traffic and congestion.

Learn More

Further Reading on PlagAiReport:

Official Turnitin Documentation:

For a comprehensive list of reasons why a report may be delayed, refer to the official support guides: Troubleshooting Similarity Report loading delays and errors.

How Long Does Turnitin Take to Generate a Report?