Can you defer L2 from Aug26 to Nov26, or does the deferral timing make it impossible?

Registered for L2 in the August 2026 window but I'm thinking about pushing to November as I'm very behind.

The more I dig into this the more confused I am, so hoping someone here can clarify

For context on where I'm at: ~80 hours of study in, 62 days until the exam. First pass done on all topics except FSA (halfway through) and ethics (haven't touched it at all).

So I've got two big areas left plus no review/mocks yet, and the clock's getting tight, I don't think I can pass in August whereas November would give me the perfect amount of time to be fully prepped.

On the actual logistics, from what I can tell moving between windows needs the paid deferral ($449), but that option doesn't open until like 1-2 weeks before the August window starts (Aug 25). Problem is the November registration deadline looks like it's Aug 11 — which is before the deferral even opens.

So if I wait to defer, November's already closed and I get bumped to May 2027? I can't really afford to wait until May 2027.

Am I reading this right or am I missing something obvious? Few things I can't figure out:

• Can you defer early enough to actually still land in November, or is the timing genuinely a trap?

• Any other way to switch windows (Aug → Nov) that isn't the paid deferral?

• Has anyone just withdrawn and re-registered for the next window instead? Cheaper/cleaner or not worth it?

Also open to a reality check, is 62 days enough to finish FSA + ethics and still get proper review in, or have I completely messed up?