LSAT cost: how much does the LSAT cost?
The LSAT cost is $253 for the August 2026 to June 2027 testing year, and the fee includes LSAT Argumentative Writing. It is the same for first-time and repeat test takers. Applying to law school through LSAC adds $219 for the Credential Assembly Service and $45 per law school report, and financially under-resourced U.S. and Canadian candidates can apply for a fee waiver.
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LSAT exam fee for 2026-2027
LSAT registration costs $253 for every administration from August 2026 to June 2027, and the LSAT exam fee covers both the multiple-choice test and LSAT Argumentative Writing, which is required. LSAC’s page for the January 2027 LSAT lists the same $253 next to its December 1, 2026 registration deadline.
The LSAT test cost does not change if you retake: LSAC charges first-time and repeat test takers the same amount.
Source: LSAC — LSAT & CAS Fees. Checked 19 October 2026.
Optional and additional LSAT fees
Several LSAC services cost extra. None of them is required to take the test, but the date-change fee rises quickly once the registration deadline has passed.
- LSAT Score Preview: $46 if you sign up before the first day of testing, $87 if you sign up in the specified period after testing
- Official Candidate LSAT Score Report, including nonreportable scores: $50
- Score Audit: $150, or $75 if you are pre-approved for a fee waiver
- Test date change up to your administration’s registration deadline: no charge
- Test date change up to 7 days after the registration deadline: $153
- Test date change from 8 days after the deadline to the day before testing: $253
Source: LSAC — LSAT & CAS Fees. Checked 19 October 2026.
Cost to take the LSAT and apply to law school
The LSAT exam cost is only the first part. To apply to law schools through LSAC you also pay for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), $219, and a law school report for each school, $45 each. There is also an LSAT-only law school report at $45.
As a worked example using LSAC’s fees: one LSAT ($253), CAS ($219) and reports for five law schools (5 × $45 = $225) add up to $697. Adding Score Preview before test day ($46) brings that to $743. The total cost of LSAT and applications depends mainly on how many schools you apply to.
Source: LSAC — LSAT & CAS Fees. Checked 19 October 2026.
How much does it cost to take the LSAT more than once?
Each attempt costs the full $253, so two attempts cost $506 in registration fees. You can take the LSAT five times within the current reportable score period and seven times over a lifetime.
Before you register again, check whether you need it: a fee waiver at Tier 1 covers two LSATs, and choosing a test date you can keep avoids date-change fees of $153 or $253.
Source: LSAC — Frequently Asked Questions about the LSAT. Checked 19 October 2026.
What official LSAT preparation costs
The registration fee does not include practice material, but LSAC’s own starting point is free: four full four-section PrepTests on LawHub. For more official tests, LawHub Advantage costs $124 and gives one year of access to an extensive library of full Official LSAT PrepTests.
So the official minimum is $253 for the test itself, with $124 on top if you want LawHub Advantage. Fee waiver recipients receive a one-year LawHub Advantage subscription.
Source: LSAC — Official LSAT Practice Tests. Checked 19 October 2026.
LSAT fee waiver requirements
LSAC’s fee waiver program is designed for prospective U.S. and Canadian law students who are financially under-resourced. Eligibility is assessed in two income tiers based on the federal poverty guidelines: for independent filers, Tier 1 is up to 235% and Tier 2 is 235% to 260%. Dependent filers have separate limits for their own income and for their income combined with their parents’. LSAC states that meeting these income levels does not ensure approval, and candidates with an LSAC finding of misconduct or irregularity are not eligible.
U.S. applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals or hold another listed status, such as permanent resident, temporary protected status, DACA or affirmative asylum seeker. Canadian applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada, or Protected Persons or Convention Refugees in Canada.
You apply online through JD Services and upload documents there; LSAC no longer accepts documentation by email or postal mail. U.S. citizens, nationals and permanent residents submit all supporting tax documents, including federal income tax schedules, or an IRS Verification of Nonfiling Letter; Canadians submit Notices of Assessment. Documents are due within 45 days of the online application. Decisions usually come within two to five business days of LSAC receiving everything, and you may appeal a denial once.
Source: LSAC — Apply for an LSAC Fee Waiver. Checked 19 October 2026.
What an LSAC fee waiver covers
Both tiers include a one-year LawHub Advantage subscription and a five-year Credential Assembly Service subscription. The difference is in the LSAT and the reports:
- Tier 1: two LSATs, each including LSAT Argumentative Writing and LSAT Score Preview, and six law school reports
- Tier 2: one LSAT, including LSAT Argumentative Writing and LSAT Score Preview, and three law school reports
- To unlock the LSAT benefit: complete two unique PrepTests in Exam Mode on LawHub
- To unlock the CAS benefit: complete the “How Do I Apply to Law School?” course on LawHub
- Validity: two years from LSAC’s Conditional Approval of the waiver
Source: LSAC — Apply for an LSAC Fee Waiver. Checked 19 October 2026.
LSAT cost: questions people ask
How much does the LSAT cost?
$253 for the August 2026 to June 2027 testing year, including LSAT Argumentative Writing. Source: LSAC LSAT & CAS Fees, checked 19 October 2026.
How much is the LSAT test for repeat test takers?
The same $253. LSAC charges first-time and repeat test takers the same fee. Source: LSAC LSAT & CAS Fees, checked 19 October 2026.
How much does LSAT cost with Score Preview?
$253 plus $46 if you sign up before the first day of testing ($299), or plus $87 if you sign up after testing ($340). Source: LSAC LSAT & CAS Fees, checked 19 October 2026.
How much is LSAT exam registration plus law school applications?
Add $219 for CAS and $45 per law school report. With five reports, the LSAT and CAS come to $697. Source: LSAC LSAT & CAS Fees, checked 19 October 2026.
What are the LSAT fee waiver requirements?
You must be a financially under-resourced prospective U.S. or Canadian law student within LSAC’s income tiers (for independent filers up to 260% of the federal poverty guidelines) and hold an eligible status. Source: LSAC, checked 19 October 2026.
Does the LSAT fee include the writing section?
Yes. LSAT Argumentative Writing is required and included in the registration fee. Source: LSAC LSAT FAQ, checked 19 October 2026.
Does it cost money to change my LSAT date?
Not up to your administration’s registration deadline. After that it costs $153 for up to 7 days, then $253 until the day before testing. Source: LSAC LSAT & CAS Fees, checked 19 October 2026.
