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Most law school applicants take the LSAT once or twice; a smaller share sit it three times, and few go beyond that. The typical number of official attempts per applicant shifts year to year; see the linked U.S. News ranking for the current No. 1. LSAC still caps total attempts per year, per multi-year window, and per lifetime.
By Ali Unar, JD candidate at Georgetown Law and founder of Lovare Institut. Last updated August 2026. Figures on this page were verified in August 2026 or point readers to the current source.
Most people take the LSAT once or twice, with a notable group retaking to raise a first score and a smaller number sitting it a third time. The measured distribution of attempts per test-taker shifts year to year; see the linked U.S. News ranking for the current No. 1. Taking it more than three times is uncommon.
Retaking is common because a first score often lands below an applicant's target-school medians, and even a few points can change admission and scholarship results. Since schools emphasize the highest score, a second attempt after focused study frequently pays off. That incentive is why one retake, rather than none, is close to the norm for competitive applicants.
Typical behavior sits well inside LSAC's caps, which allow more sittings than most applicants ever use: no per-testing-year cap, five times within the current five-year reportable period, and seven times over a lifetime. In other words, the practical question is rarely whether you are allowed to retake, but whether another attempt is likely to raise your score enough to matter.
Plan for one well-prepared sitting and budget for a single retake in case your first score falls short, which matches what most successful applicants actually do. Reserve a third attempt for a specific, fixable gap. Testing repeatedly without changing your preparation rarely improves the outcome and uses up finite attempts.
Registering for the LSAT costs $253 (which includes LSAT Argumentative Writing) as of the current cycle. Beyond that, most applicants pay for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) subscription and for any score reports not already included. Candidates who qualify financially can apply through their LSAC account for a fee waiver that reduces these charges.
LSAC sets three overlapping ceilings on LSAT attempts, covering a single testing year, the current plus recent testing years, and your lifetime total: no per-testing-year cap, five times within the current five-year reportable period, and seven times over a lifetime. Cancelled scores count toward them, so treat each sitting as one of a finite number rather than an unlimited retry.
Take the LSAT far enough before your application deadlines to leave room for one retake, which usually means testing in the summer or early fall of the year you apply. Because most law schools admit on a rolling basis, submitting a complete application early in the cycle generally improves your chances.
Verified August 2026.
August 21, 2026
August 21, 2026