When a Turnitin assignment is created within a Learning Management System (LMS), Turnitin automatically builds a corresponding "back-end" class for that course if one does not already exist.
To keep your institutional database secure and running efficiently, these automated classes are assigned a specific lifespan. Once this threshold is reached, the class expires and automatically switches to a read-only status.
What happens to a read-only class?
- Accessible Data: Instructors can still open the assignment inbox, launch the Similarity Viewer, and view pre-existing grades, rubrics, and feedback comments.
- Locked Controls: You cannot edit grades, leave new comments, modify assignment settings, or accept new student submissions.
To understand why your class expired and how to reactivate it, please select your specific LMS workflow below:
Why did my class expire?
For most LMS platforms, the default expiration date is calculated automatically using whichever of the following timelines is later:
- 12 months from the initial class creation date.
- The scheduled Feedback Release Date (Post Date) of the latest Turnitin assignment inside that course.
How to reactivate or extend the class
If your course is read-only and you need to resume grading or editing, use one of the following methods to restore full access:
Method 1: Create a new assignment (Self-Service)
The easiest way to extend a class is to prompt the LMS integration to automatically recalculate the expiration date.
- Log into your LMS and open the affected course.
- Create a new Turnitin assignment somewhere within the module.
- Set the assignment's due date and feedback release date into the future.
Once saved, this new timeline will immediately force the underlying Turnitin class to reopen.
Method 2: Contact Technical Support
If your academic term has concluded and your LMS settings restrict you from adding new assignments to that course shell, please submit a ticket to Turnitin Technical Support. Our team can manually extend the class status on our side.
Why did my class expire?
Unlike other platforms, Turnitin classes in Moodle are tied directly to your native Moodle course end dates. However, Turnitin includes a built-in grace period to assist with final grading:
- 1-month grace period: When a Moodle course reaches its scheduled end date, the corresponding Turnitin class will remain fully active for one additional month before expiring.
- License management benefit: Keeping course end dates accurate in Moodle frees up seat licenses. A student only occupies a Turnitin license while enrolled in an active class; once the course expires (plus the one-month grace period), licenses are freed up for future student cohorts.
How to reactivate or extend the class
If your Turnitin class has expired and you need to restore full editing access, you can extend it by moving your Moodle course end date into the future.
- Update the course end date: Navigate to your Moodle course settings and change the Course End Date to a future date.
- Sync: For the new dates to push through to Turnitin, an instructor must interact with an existing Turnitin assignment within that Moodle course. You can trigger this synchronization by:
- Opening an assignment's settings and clicking Save (you do not need to change any text).
- Launching a student's Similarity Report from the inbox.
- Submitting a paper on behalf of a student.
Once the assignment is interacted with, Moodle will instantly push the new date to Turnitin, and the class will become active again.
⚠ Important note for all LMS platforms
- The 5-year maximum cap: Turnitin classes across all LMS integrations have a non-extendable lifespan limit of five years from their initial creation.
- If your course has reached this five-year system threshold, it cannot be reactivated under any circumstances by changing dates or contacting support. Instructors must build a brand-new course shell within their LMS to continue using Turnitin for that cohort.