How Many Times Can You Take the LSAT? Limits and Retake Strategy
LSAC lets you take the LSAT up to five times in the current reportable period and seven times over your lifetime. Here is what counts against the limits and when a retake is worth it.
You can take the LSAT up to five times within the current reportable score period and seven times over your lifetime. LSAC no longer caps how many times you can sit it in a single testing year, so older guides that mention a three-per-year limit are out of date. Canceled scores count against these limits; absences and withdrawals do not.
The current LSAT retake limits
LSAC sets three numbers, and only two of them still bind. It removed the per-testing-year cap, so the limits that matter are the five-test and seven-test totals below.
| Limit | Number | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Within a single testing year | No limit | LSAC removed the former cap of three per testing year |
| Within the current reportable score period | 5 times | The reportable period currently reaches back to June 2020 |
| Over your lifetime | 7 times | Counts sittings since the limits took effect |
The two numbers that bind. Five takes within the current reportable score period (LSAC currently counts back to June 2020), and seven over a lifetime. There is no longer a per-testing-year cap.
What counts against the limits
Not every registration counts the same way. The line LSAC draws is between a score you generated and one you never did.
- Canceled scores count. If you sit the test and cancel, including a cancellation through Score Preview, it still counts toward the five and seven-test limits.
- Absences and withdrawals do not count. If you withdraw before the test or do not show up, it does not count against the limits.
- Older sittings are excluded. Tests taken before September 2019 do not count toward these numerical limits.
- A 180 closes the door. If you have already scored a 180, the highest possible score, within the current reportable period, you are not permitted to retake.
How schools see multiple LSAT scores
Taking the test more than once is common and is not held against you at most schools. Schools receive every reportable score on your CAS report, but for admissions and the numbers they publish, they generally use your highest score, since the American Bar Association requires schools to report the high score.
A long string of attempts with little movement is a weaker look, and each sitting costs time and money. Aim to sit the test when your practice scores say you are ready, rather than to use up every allowed take.
Should you retake the LSAT?
A retake makes sense when your official score landed below where your recent practice tests were trending, or when a target school's median sits above your score and a few points would change your odds. It makes less sense when your official score already matches your stable practice average, since a retake mostly reproduces what you can already do.
- Compare your official score to your recent practice trend. A result well below your average points to a bad day worth a second shot.
- Check your target schools' medians. If you are a few points under the number you need, a retake has a clear target.
- Be honest about whether anything will change. More of the same study rarely moves the score; a retake works best paired with a new focus on your weakest types.
- Mind the calendar. Leave time for scores to release and for applications, since most schools admit on a rolling basis.
The cleanest way to decide is to retake with evidence instead of hope. Tracking your practice scores as a trend, and watching where they head before you commit to a date, turns the retake question into a data question. See how to track LSAT progress for the method, what a good LSAT score is for setting the target you are retaking toward, and why scores plateau if your practice number has stopped moving.
ScoreGap reads your synced practice tests, plots your score trend across attempts, and builds a calibrated projection of where you are heading, so you can judge whether a retake is likely to move your number before you pay for another sitting. The projection reflects a tendency in your data rather than a guaranteed outcome, and synced tests are practice scores, not official LSAC results. Its free tier is uncapped.
Source: LSAC, Limits on Repeating the LSAT, and ABA score-reporting requirements; confirm the current limits and reportable period at lsac.org.
FAQs
How many times can you take the LSAT?
You can take it up to five times within the current reportable score period and seven times over your lifetime. LSAC removed the old per-testing-year cap, so there is no fixed limit on sittings within one year, only the five and seven-test totals.
Is there a yearly limit on the LSAT?
No. LSAC removed the cap of three sittings per testing year. The limits that still apply are five takes within the current reportable score period, which currently reaches back to June 2020, and seven over a lifetime. Guides that still cite a three-per-year rule are out of date.
Do canceled LSAT scores count against the limit?
Yes. A canceled score, including one canceled through Score Preview, still counts toward the five and seven-test limits. Absences and withdrawals do not count, and sittings before September 2019 are excluded. If you have scored a 180 within the current reportable period, you cannot retake.
Do law schools care if you take the LSAT more than once?
Most do not. Schools see every reportable score on your CAS report, but they generally admit on, and report, your highest score, since the ABA requires reporting the high score. A couple of retakes is normal, while a long run of flat attempts is less compelling.
Should I retake the LSAT?
Retake when your official score came in below your recent practice trend, or when a target school's median is a few points above your score. It makes less sense when your score already matches a stable practice average. Pair any retake with a new focus on your weakest question types rather than repeating the same prep.