You can take the LSAT a limited number of times: LSAC caps attempts within a single testing year, within the current plus a set number of past testing years, and across your lifetime. The exact figures are no per-testing-year cap, five times within the current five-year reportable period, and seven times over a lifetime. Cancelled scores and absences count toward every one of these caps.
By Ali Unar, Founder, Lovare Institut; JD/MSFS Candidate, Georgetown University. Last updated August 2026. Figures on this page were verified in August 2026 or point readers to the current source.
You can take the LSAT more than once, but not without limit. LSAC applies three caps at the same time: one per testing year, one across the current plus a fixed number of recent testing years, and one for your lifetime. The current figures are no per-testing-year cap, five times within the current five-year reportable period, and seven times over a lifetime.
The three ceilings work together, so the one you hit first controls. The list shows how they are structured.
Every completed sitting counts, and so do cancelled scores and absences once you are registered past the applicable deadline. Scores you cancel are not sent to schools but still consume an attempt. Certain older or accommodated situations can be treated differently, so confirm edge cases directly with LSAC.
Because attempts are finite, treat each LSAT registration as deliberate rather than exploratory. Prepare to a target before you sit, use official practice tests to confirm readiness, and reserve retakes for real improvement opportunities. For most applicants, one well-prepared sitting plus at most one retake is the efficient path.
The core LSAT fee is $253 (which includes LSAT Argumentative Writing). 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 limits how often you can sit the LSAT, capping attempts within a single testing year, within a rolling multi-year window, and across your lifetime: no per-testing-year cap, five times within the current five-year reportable period, and seven times over a lifetime. Cancelled scores and absences still count against these limits, so plan each registration deliberately rather than treating early sittings as free practice.
Aim to have your final LSAT score before you submit applications, ideally by early fall, so you can apply early in a rolling cycle. Testing in the summer gives you a built-in retake window if your first score falls short of your target schools' medians, without pushing your applications late.
Verified August 2026.
September 20, 2026
September 20, 2026