.png)
Yes. The LSAT can be taken more than once, and many applicants do exactly that to improve a score. LSAC no longer caps sittings within one testing year, but limits you to five within the current reportable score period (since July 2021) and seven across your lifetime, according to LSAC's Limits on Repeating the LSAT policy. Cancelled scores still count.
By Ali Unar, JD candidate at Georgetown Law and founder of Lovare Institut. Last updated August 2026. Every figure on this page was verified in August 2026 against the sources listed below.
Yes, the LSAT is meant to be retaken when needed, and repeat sittings are a normal part of many applicants' plans. The main constraint is how many attempts LSAC allows: there is no longer a per-testing-year cap, but you may test five times within the current reportable score period (since July 2021) and seven times over your lifetime, according to LSAC's Limits on Repeating the LSAT policy.
For most applicants, no. Law schools report only the highest LSAT score to the ABA and generally emphasize it in admissions, so a stronger retake usually helps more than the earlier score hurts. What can look weak is a series of flat scores with no upward movement, which signals that preparation did not change between attempts.
Cancelled scores, absences, and completed sittings all draw down your allotted attempts, so the caps are real rather than nominal. Because the reportable-period limit spans several testing years at once, testing repeatedly in a short span can use up your attempts quickly. Confirm the exact current figures with LSAC before planning multiple sittings.
Weigh your current score against the medians of the schools you want, and retake only if focused preparation is likely to close the gap. Give yourself enough lead time that the new score arrives before deadlines. A structured practice test and review, such as Lovare's, can show whether the points you need are realistically within reach.
The core LSAT fee is $253, which includes LSAT Argumentative Writing, according to LSAC's LSAT and CAS fees page. On top of that, budget for the CAS report law schools require, plus possible late-registration or date-change charges if they apply to you. LSAC lists every current fee on its site, and eligible candidates can request a need-based waiver before they register.
LSAC no longer caps how often you can sit the LSAT within a single testing year, but limits you to five attempts within the current reportable score period (since July 2021) and seven across your lifetime, according to LSAC's Limits on Repeating the LSAT policy. Cancelled scores and absences generally count against these limits, so plan each registration deliberately rather than treating early sittings as free practice.
The best LSAT date leaves time for a possible retake before deadlines, typically a sitting in the summer or early autumn of your application year. Rolling admissions reward early, complete applications, so an earlier score that meets your target medians usually beats a slightly higher score submitted months later.
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026