LSAT Exam Fees 2026–27: Registration and CAS

The LSAT registration fee is $253 for the August 2026–June 2027 testing year, including LSAT Argumentative Writing. That is the exam charge, rather than the full cost of applying to law school. Keep testing, application services and preparation in separate parts of your budget.

Fees below were checked on 14 October 2026. Reopen the official pages before paying; a dated guide should not replace the amount shown in your LSAC account.

LSAT registration and application-service fees

The exam charge comes from LSAC's fee table. CAS and report charges are also listed on LSAC's CAS page. CAS is required by most ABA-approved law schools; check your target schools' requirements rather than assuming every applicant needs the same service.

An example budget for five CAS applications

Suppose you register once, buy CAS and purchase five reports. These listed items total $253 + $219 + 5 × $45 = $697. This is an illustrative calculation, not a quote for every applicant. It excludes school application charges, optional services, preparation, travel and any currency or tax effects.

Build your own table with one row per expense, its recipient, when it must be paid and whether it is optional. Keep a separate column for amounts you have already paid. This prevents a subscription or report charge from being counted twice when you compare application plans.

Retakes and optional Score Preview

LSAC lists the same registration charge for first-time and repeat test takers in this testing year. A second registration therefore adds another exam fee; it does not automatically repeat every application-service purchase.

Score Preview is a separate optional purchase: $46 before the first testing day of an administration, or $87 during the specified later purchase window. The earlier deadline is based on the administration's first testing day, not necessarily your own appointment. It lets you see the score before deciding whether to keep or cancel it; it does not provide earlier score release.

Changes, cancellation and refunds need a separate check

A change of test date can add a charge depending on the registration deadline. Check the particular administration before treating postponement as free. For cancellation, use LSAC's JD refund policy: a full registration refund is available through the test’s stated refund deadline, which generally matches its registration deadline. Withdrawal after the refund deadline does not produce a refund. CAS subscription charges are non-refundable.

Record the action you intend to take and its deadline before making it. Changing a date, cancelling a registration and cancelling a score are different decisions. The fact that you do not want to use a score should not be treated as evidence that the registration payment can be recovered.

Fee waivers: eligibility and approval come first

LSAC has a fee-waiver programme for eligible applicants with financial need. Financial, citizenship or residency requirements and supporting documents matter; income alone does not guarantee approval. Benefits differ between the two tiers, and requirements must be completed to redeem the full package.

If this could apply to you, read the eligibility and approval sections before budgeting on the assumption that a charge will disappear. Use the final decision and your account's benefit status to determine which payments remain due. Avoid treating an unfinished application as an approved waiver.

Keep exam fees separate from tutoring prices

Exam registration and application-service payments go to LSAC. A tutoring or course purchase is a separate preparation expense. Compare the service, number of lessons and payment terms when evaluating preparation costs, rather than combining them with the registration charge under one unexplained “LSAT price”.

Our LSAT tutoring prices and LSAT preparation page describe that separate service. For the test-result scale, use the LSAT scores and percentiles guide.

Frequently asked questions