Paralegal certification: the Certified Paralegal exam, ABA approved certificates and costs

What is a paralegal certification?

The words are often mixed up, but they mean different things. A paralegal certificate, for example a certificate in paralegal studies, is awarded by a college or school when you complete its program. A paralegal certification is a professional credential awarded by an independent body after you pass its exam and meet its eligibility rules.

NALA makes the point itself: a school certificate of completion is not the same as earning professional certification by an entity such as NALA. Many paralegals have both: a certificate from their education, and a certification such as the CP once they qualify for and pass the exam.

Source: NALA — Certified Paralegal (CP) Program. Checked 19 October 2026.

The NALA Certified Paralegal

The best-known national credential is the NALA Certified Paralegal (CP). NALA describes the CP program as the first and only NCCA-accredited certification program for paralegals, with accreditation running until 2029. Over 8,900 paralegals currently may use the CP designation, and NALA has awarded it to over 21,000 paralegals in more than 50 years.

Source: NALA — About the CP Exam. Checked 19 October 2026.

NFPA paralegal credentials: CRP and RP

NFPA offers its own credentials. According to NFPA, the CRP (CORE Registered Paralegal) and RP (PACE Registered Paralegal) credentials can only be earned through NFPA, through its Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE) and its PACE exam, and NFPA’s CLEs are approved for renewing them.

NFPA’s exam formats, fees and eligibility rules were not published on the NFPA page we could check, so this page does not state them. Confirm them with NFPA before you choose between its credentials and the NALA CP.

Source: NFPA — National Federation of Paralegal Associations. Checked 19 October 2026.

The certified paralegal exam: how the NALA paralegal exam works

NALA’s paralegal certification exam has two required sections, taken in order. The Knowledge Exam is multiple choice: 120 questions, of which 100 are scored and 20 are pretest questions, in three hours, offered year-round. Once you pass it, you are authorized for the Skills Exam, a two-hour written essay offered in February, April, July and October.

NALA’s exam specifications give the Knowledge Exam 100 points across ten areas of law, led by the United States legal system and civil litigation (15 points each) and professional and ethical responsibility (12). The Skills Exam is worth 30 points: 10 for legal writing and 20 for critical thinking. NALA does not publish the passing score on the pages we checked.

You get up to three attempts within 365 days, with a 90-day wait between attempts, and each retake costs $150. The Knowledge Exam can be taken at a testing center or by remote proctoring; the Skills Exam is taken at a testing center.

• United States Legal System: 15 points
• Civil Litigation: 15
• Professional and Ethical Responsibility: 12
• Contracts, Corporate/Commercial Law, Torts: 10 each
• Real Estate and Property: 8
• Criminal Law and Procedure, Estate Planning and Probate: 7 each
• Debtor/Creditor and Bankruptcy: 6

Source: NALA — Certified Paralegal Exam Specifications 2024. Checked 19 October 2026.

How do I become a certified paralegal?

With NALA, you first qualify under one of three eligibility categories, then apply, then pass both exam sections. In short: Category 1 covers graduates of qualifying paralegal programs, including an ABA approved program, an associate or bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies, or a post baccalaureate paralegal certificate program. Category 2 is a bachelor’s degree in any field plus one year of paralegal experience or 15 semester hours of substantive paralegal courses. Category 3 is a high school diploma or equivalent, five years of paralegal experience and 20 hours of substantive continuing legal education in the two years before you apply.

Students in the last semester or quarter of a paralegal program can also apply at a reduced fee. The full eligibility details, including how a post baccalaureate paralegal certification program qualifies, are on our requirements page.

After you pass, the CP is valid for five years and must be renewed; NALA does not offer lifetime certification because laws and procedures keep changing. To renew, you need 50 hours of continuing legal education in each five-year period, including five hours of legal ethics and no more than 10 hours of non-substantive credit.

Source: NALA — The Certified Paralegal Program FAQs (2025). Checked 19 October 2026.

ABA approved paralegal certificate programs

The ABA paralegal page we checked describes no certification of individual paralegals; the ABA’s role there is education. Through its Approval Commission, the ABA Standing Committee on Paralegals sets standards for paralegal education and approves programs under its Guidelines for the Approval of Paralegal Education Programs. Its directory lists 222 approved programs.

So when you search for an ABA paralegal certification, an ABA accredited paralegal certificate or ABA certified paralegal programs, what exists is an ABA approved paralegal certificate: a school certificate from a program the ABA has approved. For NALA, graduating from such a program is one way to qualify for the CP exam under Category 1, but not the only one.

Source: ABA — Standing Committee on Paralegals. Checked 19 October 2026.

Online paralegal certification

For the certification itself, part of the process is online: NALA administers the Knowledge Exam by remote proctoring as well as at testing centers, while the Skills Exam is taken at a testing center. There is no route to the CP that is entirely online.

For school certificates, the ABA page we checked says nothing about online delivery, so if you want a paralegal certification online, ABA approved, check the program in the ABA directory and ask the school whether its approval covers the online format. The same applies to an 8 week paralegal certificate online: before you enrol, compare it with NALA’s eligibility categories, which count paralegal programs by degree type or semester hours, so you know whether it will help you qualify for the CP exam.

Source: NALA — Certified Paralegal Exam FAQs (2025). Checked 19 October 2026.

Paralegal certification cost

For the NALA CP, the first-time application fee is $325 for NALA members and $375 for non-members. Paralegal students in their final term who do not yet qualify under Categories 1 to 3 pay $150 or $175, and military candidates pay $240 or $280. Each retake costs $150, and a testing center fee is charged on top. NALA’s published testing center fees differ between its fee page and its FAQ, so confirm the current amount when you apply.

The cost of paralegal certificate programs is set by each school; neither NALA nor the ABA publishes program prices on the pages we checked. If you are comparing a cheap online paralegal certificate with others, check first whether the program meets one of NALA’s eligibility categories, since a certificate that does not help you qualify can cost you time later.

Source: NALA — The Certified Paralegal Program FAQs (2025). Checked 19 October 2026.

Is there a free paralegal certificate online?

NALA, NFPA and the ABA list no free paralegal certificate online and no free certification on the pages we checked. The CP application has a fee, and school certificates are priced by each school.

What NALA does make available is information: the CP exam specifications, its exam FAQs and three sample Skills Exam essays linked from its CP program page. NALA also states that candidates are not required to buy any particular study materials.

Source: NALA — Certified Paralegal (CP) Program. Checked 19 October 2026.

How long does it take to get a paralegal certification?

Once you are eligible, NALA says the approval process for a complete application takes about 72 hours. The Knowledge Exam is offered year-round; after passing it you have 365 days to pass the Skills Exam, which runs only in February, April, July and October, and Skills results are expected within 15 weeks after the testing window closes. Plan your timeline around the next Skills window and that wait for results.

How long does it take to get a paralegal certificate from a school? That depends on the program, and the ABA page we checked does not set a duration. NALA’s eligibility rules measure programs in semester hours, for example a program of at least 60 semester hours with at least 15 in substantive legal courses.

Source: NALA — Certified Paralegal Exam FAQs (2025). Checked 19 October 2026.

Paralegal license and paralegal licensing

NALA states that certification is voluntary and not imposed by the government. The CP, NFPA’s CRP and RP, and ABA approved certificates are not government licenses. If you are looking for a paralegal license online, what you will find are certificates and certifications, not a license.

Whether your state regulates paralegals in some way is a question for that state’s courts or bar; this page does not cover individual state rules, so check them before you rely on any credential for a specific role.

Source: NALA — Certified Paralegal (CP) Program. Checked 19 October 2026.

Paralegal practice questions

Certsqill’s Paralegal practice questions are expert-developed and mapped to the ten content areas of NALA’s Knowledge Exam, from the U.S. legal system and civil litigation to professional and ethical responsibility.

Every question comes with an explanation for each answer option, and your results build a readiness score per content area, so you can see which areas of law need more work before you sit the paralegal test. A 7-day money-back guarantee applies.

Paralegal questions people ask

What is a paralegal certificate?

A certificate awarded by a school or college when you complete its paralegal program. It is not the same as a professional certification such as NALA’s CP. Source: NALA, checked 19 October 2026.

What is a certified paralegal?

A paralegal who has passed NALA’s two-part CP exam and may use the CP designation. Over 8,900 paralegals currently may use it. Source: NALA, checked 19 October 2026.

How many questions are on the NALA certified paralegal exam?

The Knowledge Exam has 120 multiple-choice questions, 100 of them scored, in three hours. The Skills Exam is a two-hour written essay. Source: NALA, checked 19 October 2026.

What is the paralegal certification cost with NALA?

The first-time application fee is $325 for members and $375 for non-members, plus a testing center fee; retakes are $150 each. Source: NALA, checked 19 October 2026.

Is there an ABA approved paralegal certificate online?

The ABA’s paralegal page lists 222 approved programs but says nothing about online delivery. Check the program in the ABA directory and ask the school. Source: ABA, checked 19 October 2026.

Is the NALA paralegal certification ABA approved?

The approval described on the ABA’s paralegal page applies to paralegal education programs; the page describes no approval of certification exams. The CP program is accredited by the NCCA, according to NALA. Sources: ABA and NALA, checked 19 October 2026.

Is there a free paralegal certification?

None is listed by NALA, NFPA or the ABA on the pages checked. NALA publishes its exam specifications and sample Skills Exam essays. Checked 19 October 2026.

Do I need a paralegal license?

NALA states that certification is voluntary and not imposed by the government. Check your own state’s rules for any specific requirements. Source: NALA, checked 19 October 2026.

How long is the Certified Paralegal credential valid?

Five years. Renewal requires 50 CLE hours, including five hours of legal ethics. Source: NALA, checked 19 October 2026.

What paralegal interview questions should I expect about certification?

We cannot tell you what a given employer will ask. When you prepare interview questions for paralegal roles, be ready to explain the difference between your certificate and any certification, which program you completed and, if you hold the CP, what it covers and how you keep it current.

Paralegal in detail

• Paralegal certification requirements: how to become a certified paralegal →
• Paralegal study guide for the Certified Paralegal exam →
• Paralegal certificate programs, courses and classes →