Get in touch: +1 888 904 4161
We’ve seen quite a few changes to the LSAT in recent years. First, LSAC removed the logic games section, which many students were thrilled about. More recently, LSAC announced that most test-takers will return to in-person testing starting with the August 2026 administration. With that change, registration and scheduling timelines look a little different this year.
To make this process as straightforward as possible for future test-takers, I’ve compiled all of the dates you need for your test in one place, including all of the 2026-2027 test dates, their registration and scheduling deadlines, and when you can expect to get your score back.
I’ve also outlined exactly what you’ll encounter as you register for and schedule your LSAT test and asked a few of the LSAT experts on my team to share their advice on choosing the perfect test date.
Use the information and insights below to plan your LSAT journey, avoid missing important deadlines, and select the right date to reach your target score.
Below you’ll find all of the 2026-2027 LSAT test dates available for U.S. and Canadian test-takers, as published by LSAC:
LSAC offers a limited number of international LSAT administrations. Here are the available test dates in the 2026-2027 cycle:
LSAC usually announces the next testing cycle several months before it begins and opens registration for the full cycle in May.
For instance, LSAC announced its 2026-2027 testing plans in February 2026 and opened registration for all of the tests on May 19, 2026. However, LSAC doesn’t always follow the same announcement or registration schedule each year. Start checking its test-date page in late winter or spring before the next testing cycle begins.
You’ll register for the LSAT through the official LSAC website. The registration page shows which tests are still available, the test dates in your region, the fees, any accommodation deadlines, and the test date change rules.
The 2026-2027 process separates registration from scheduling. Registration secures your place in an LSAT administration, but you won’t choose a specific test center, date, or start time until scheduling opens through Prometric.
Create a JD Services account or sign in to your existing one on LSAC. Review your personal information carefully before starting the registration.
The legal first and last names in your account must exactly match the names on the identification you plan to present on test day. Your ID also has to include a recognizable photo and your date of birth.
Select “Register for the LSAT” from your account and choose the region where you’ll physically take the exam.
Read the LSAC Candidate Agreement carefully before accepting it. The agreement covers test security, identification requirements, permitted items, prohibited conduct, scheduling responsibilities, and other test-day rules.
Breaking any of these terms can cause you to be dismissed from your test, your test to be canceled, or LSAC to retain your registration fee without a refund.
Next, you’ll be prompted to confirm your testing preferences, location, and test date. At this point, you’ll only be able to select the month you’d like to test in and your preferred testing day of the week.
Candidates who need testing accommodations first need to register for an administration and then submit the accommodation request through JD Services. LSAC must receive the request and all supporting documentation by the deadline for that administration.
Upload a recent photo of your head and shoulders. Your face must appear clearly against a plain background without shadows or obstructions.
This photo must be different from your government ID, so don’t upload a scan or photograph of it. The photo has to fill the 195-by-195-pixel box shown in the JD Services.
You were required to upload a picture of a physical government-issued ID for this step in previous years. But you'll no longer have to do that since the test will take place in person. You’ll just bring your ID with you on test day and present it before your test. You’ll also be required to send a photograph of it when completing the LSAT Argumentative Writing section remotely.
The LSAT registration fee for the August 2026 through June 2027 testing cycle is $253 USD. The fee includes one LSAT Argumentative Writing administration. You can apply for an LSAC fee waiver if you meet certain criteria. That will cover the LSAT fee entirely.
Once LSAC processes the payment, check the LSAT Status page in JD Services to confirm your registration.
You can also register by phone at 215-968-1001. Create an LSAC account first so the representative can access your information and complete the registration more efficiently.
Yes, you can register for multiple LSAT test dates at once. LSAC allows students to take up to five tests within a reportable score cycle, so you can technically register for all five of those at once.
But the experts I spoke to strongly advise you not to register for multiple tests at once unless you’re on a tight application timeline and don’t have time to wait for your first score to get back to you to register for another test.
Remember that you have to pay for each registration, so doing multiple at once can be a solid backup plan, but it can also get expensive and subconsciously encourage you to prep less for the first exam.
If you go into the test center knowing you have one or two more attempts coming up, you may not perform as well as you would if you viewed the first test as your only opportunity.
For most students, it’s better to register for one exam well in advance and wait until you’re certain a retake is necessary. Registering for multiple dates may make sense for applicants facing a late admissions deadline or a limited testing window, but use the dates as a strategic backup rather than the default approach.
After registering for the LSAT, you still need to schedule your date, confirm the testing details, and complete your LSAT Argumentative Writing section.
LSAC assigns you a Prometric scheduling window based on when you completed your registration. With this first-come, first-served basis approach, registering early gives you a better chance of securing a convenient test center, date, and time.
You can find your assigned day and time under the LSAT Status tab in JD Services. LSAC will also send you an email or text before scheduling begins, depending on the contact option you chose when you created your account.
When your window opens, follow the link from JD Services to Prometric’s ProScheduler tool. You will choose an available test center, testing date, and appointment time. If you miss the scheduling deadline, LSAC will automatically withdraw your registration without providing a refund.
Starting with the August 2026 administration, most candidates have to test in person. LSAC may approve remote testing for candidates with certain disability-related accommodations, active-duty military circumstances, or a documented address more than 180 miles or three hours from an available domestic testing center.
LSAT Argumentative Writing opens eight days before each administration. You complete it separately from the multiple-choice exam through a remotely proctored platform.
First-time test takers must have an approved writing sample on file before LSAC will release their score. Complete it as soon as it opens because processing may take up to three weeks when LSAC needs to review a flagged session or faces high submission volume.
After scheduling, check JD Services to confirm your test center, date, time, and eligibility number. Review your confirmation email and make sure the name on your acceptable government-issued ID matches your LSAC account exactly.
For most applicants, the best time to take the LSAT is June, August, or September before the start of the application cycle they’re planning to apply to. That timing allows you to receive your score near the beginning of the cycle and leaves October or November available for a retake.
For students planning on taking the LSAT during college, the spring or summer after your junior year is a good window. If you don’t reach your target score, you can study again into the school year and still retake the exam in the fall.
If you’re considering taking a gap year, you can take the LSAT during the summer after graduation or early in the fall. That way, you can prepare for your test without balancing your undergrad courses and still have your score early in the application cycle.
Avoid taking the LSAT years before you intend to apply. LSAC reports scores from the current testing year and the previous five testing years, so an old score may no longer be reportable by the time you submit your applications.
The best LSAT date gives you enough time to reach your target score and, if necessary, retake the exam before submitting your applications. Use the following criteria to choose a date that fits both your preparation and application timeline:
Work backward from when you plan to submit your law school applications and choose an initial LSAT date that leaves room for another attempt. Because most law schools use rolling admissions, it’s better to have your final score ready by September or October than to take your first exam near the application deadline.
For example, a student planning to apply in October should take the LSAT in June and leave August or September available for a retake.
One of the experts I spoke to recommended leaving at least two months between your tests so you actually have enough time to revamp your prep and score higher. These two months should be enough time to pinpoint your weaknesses, adjust your study schedule and strategy, and make a meaningful improvement in your score.
Our 179-scoring LSAT expert, Mika MacDonald, goes into depth about LSAT retakes in this webinar:
Don’t choose your LSAT date based on one unusually strong practice test. Instead, review your three to five most recent full-length, timed practice tests. By the registration deadline, your scores should show a clear upward trend and sit within a few points of your target. By test day, your recent average should meet or slightly exceed the score you hope to earn.
Because registration closes several weeks before the exam, use your recent score range and your score trajectory to determine whether you’re realistically on track for a particular test date.
Your three to five most recent full-length, timed practice tests should be trending upward and only a couple points away from your target at most before the registration deadline. You can then use the remaining weeks to close smaller gaps, strengthen weaker question types, and build consistency under timed conditions.
For example, a student targeting a 170 shouldn't choose an upcoming test date based on one 170 after consistently scoring in the mid-160s. A stronger sign that the date is realistic would be scoring around 167–169 by the registration deadline and then reaching approximately 170–173 across several timed tests as the exam approaches.
Treat the registration deadline as a readiness checkpoint. If you’re still eight or 10 points below your goal, your scores are not improving, or you have never come close to your target under timed conditions, strongly consider choosing a later administration.
You can learn more about how to score a 165+ in our webinar, led by top-scoring LSAT tutors:
Declining scores don’t necessarily mean you need to study longer or delay the LSAT. Sometimes, they signal that you need a short break.
Burnout can appear as careless mistakes on question types you previously mastered, difficulty concentrating, inconsistent scores, or stalled progress despite sustained studying. Before moving your test date, take several days away from LSAT preparation and complete another full-length, timed practice test once you feel rested.
If your accuracy and focus return, you may still be on track for your original test date. If your scores remain below your target range, choose a later administration.
If you’re still unsure whether you’re on track for your target test date, our LSAT prep experts can review your current scores, identify what’s holding you back, and build a study plan around your timeline and score goals.
That support can help you determine whether to move forward with your current date or give yourself more time to prepare!
You can take the LSAT up to five times within the current reportable score period and seven times over your lifetime. LSAC also won’t let you retake the exam if you earned a 180 during the current reportable period and that score remains reportable.
Law schools typically only accept LSAT scores that are three to five years old. LSAC also only holds onto scores for up to five years, so any tests you take outside of that period will no longer be included in the reports sent out to the law schools you apply to.
Yes, you can change your LSAT date to another open administration through the LSAT Status page in JD Services. LSAC generally charges no fee through the applicable registration or free-change deadline. It charges $153 for changes made within seven days after the registration deadline and $253 for later changes through the day before testing begins.
You can report a serious interruption through the LSAT Status page in JD Services during your test. You can also request an official investigation into the interruption by submitting an LSAT test-day complaint within two days of your test. With an official investigation, you can ask to keep the score, cancel it and register for another administration, or take a makeup test.
If you only submit feedback, LSAC won’t investigate your individual case or offer additional testing options.
Bring your LSAT eligibility number, Prometric confirmation number, LawHub username and password, and a physical, valid government-issued photo ID (passport, driver’s license, or qualifying government-issued ID). You may also bring water in a clear, fully transparent container and food for the 10-minute intermission.
Co-Founder of Juris Education, Dartmouth College
We’ll send you over 100+ LSAT questions created by one of our expert 99th percentile tutors every weekday for free. No strings attached.
.svg)
