Hey Shuem! There are no fixed rules, but the ICM (Independent Chip Model) says that it is better to late register a tournament because the chances of cashing are bigger. Also, it is a matter of volume: with late register you can play more games: if you are eliminated after 10 min played, you can load another tournament, different from playing for 2 hours, having the same initial stack and end up busting tragically. It is also great for REALLY SLOW tournaments (like the ones in ACR, for example) with a long late reg. period.
So should you start late registering? Not really. When should you early register?
- Specially when you have a good skill advantage over the field: weak players tend to bust early in tournaments. If you are there, you can get their chips.
- When your deep stack and post-flop skills are good: many players have some idea of how to play short to mid-stacks, specially when they can start shoving. But post-flop play is something most beginners struggle with, and in the early stages you will have more opportunity to use your post-flop skills.
- The earlier you enter, the more you can observe your opponents and collect information that can be useful later. This is important in regular slow tournaments where you stay on the same table for a long time.
- In KO and PKO tournaments: bounties are a good part of the prizepool, and the earlier you register, the more chances you have to start getting bounties.
Hopefully this can guide your decisions. Do what is best for you, based on your experience. If you are a beginner, maybe it is better to play from the beginning, and see all the stages of a tournament. When you get more experience, you can try some late regs. Good luck!