TOPIC: Advice needed: "Lag time" between exam payment and earliest available exam date?

My PMP application was accepted, and I'm in the process of requesting that my employer (a gov't agency) cover my PMP exam fees. There are multiple levels of approval needed and I'm not confident that I'll be able to get approval until February 2020.

My original study plan was to sit for the exam by late January so that I would have enough time before July if I needed to retake the exam. In general, how soon after payment is submitted are exam dates available? I realize that it may all depend upon the test location selected, but if I submit payment in February what is the likelihood that exam dates are available soon after?

My contingency plan is to pay for the exam myself if there's a significant lag time.

Thanks!

After my application was accepted, I received a "Schedule your PMP exam" note from PMI. I believe that the earliest exam date was measured in a couple of weeks. I knew, however that I wanted a 10-12 week gap for study. It appears that in my location that Pearson had only certain days when the PMP exam was given, based on the choices that I had available. In any event, I think the "lag time" is measured in weeks. Good luck!