October 2025 Certified Legal Specialist Examination

Exam overview

The October 2025 Legal Specialist Examination will take place on Thursday, October 30. The October 2025 exam will be a one-day test primarily administered remotely online. In-person testing is available for those with approved testing accommodations, those who select to handwrite their exam, and those who do not have access to or the ability to obtain a quiet testing space or a reliable internet connection.

The State Bar is contracting with Prometric to be the exam deliver vendor for the exam. Remote test takers will be using Prometric’s ProProctor™ software on their personal laptop computer for online testing and proctoring. In-person test takers will be testing at a Prometric test center using a computer provided by the test center. Handwriters will test in person and will be provided printed question books and will write their responses on paper. There is limited space at test centers.

Applicants testing remotely on their own computer will have access to virtual scratch paper through the Prometric platform. Those testing in person at a test center will be provided with physical scratch paper, which will be destroyed after the exam. The contents of the scratch paper will not be graded (updated September 18, 2025).

Applicants taking the exam remotely must schedule and complete a practice exam by October 20 using the same computer they will use on exam day. The practice exam is meant to ensure that an applicant’s computer is compatible with the exam software and provides applicants the opportunity to become familiar with using the software. Applicants who do not complete the practice exam by the deadline will not be allowed to take the exam.

An applicant seeking State Bar legal specialization certification must first take and pass the Legal Specialist Examination before they can apply for initial certification. In order to take the exam, applicants must have been practicing in the desired specialty area since January of the year before the exam to meet the five-year practice requirement for certification before exam passage results expire.

Exam day will begin at approximately 8:30 a.m. PT and end at approximately 5:00 p.m. PT. Each legal specialization area has a unique exam that is comprised of eight short essays and 75 multiple-choice questions, which test whether an attorney has a proficient understanding of the key laws, rules, and procedures applicable to that area of law. Each essay session features two essays and is 60 minutes in length total. The multiple-choice questions are divided into two sessions that are 76 minutes and 74 minutes in length.

How to apply

1. Log in to the Applicant Portal.
2. From the menu options, click "Applications” and “View Application Forms."
3. Under the Examinations menu, select the "Legal Specialist Examination Application"
4. To begin the application process, click "Launch Application."
5. Complete all sections of the application before proceeding to the verification screen.
6. Select "Submit" to sign the required declaration form and pay the applicable exam fees.
7. A confirmation email will be sent upon successful submission.

Requesting testing accommodations

Testing accommodations are provided to ensure that an applicant who has a disability can access the exam and is afforded an equal opportunity to obtain the same result, gain the same benefit, or reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others.

A request for testing accommodations is separate from the application you file to take the exam. To apply for testing accommodations, you must submit a request in the Applicant Portal by the filing deadline. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to file their request for testing accommodations well in advance of an examination they intend to take. Applicants who wait to file their requests near the final filing deadline are generally not able to exhaust all administrative remedies before the exam, such as requesting a review of a denial of some or all of the requested testing accommodations.

Applicants testing remotely

Prometric provides a secure testing remote assessment platform, ProProctor™. Prometric will supply an interface that permits applicants to schedule an appointment, confirm computer compatibility, and launch the exam at the appointed time. Once the applicant has scheduled the exam appointment with Prometric, the applicant will need to download and install ProProctor™ application on their laptop computer. Applicants will then be able to complete a system readiness check to ensure that the applicant’s laptop computer is ready to run the application on exam day.

Prior to the exam, the following process will be enacted:

• Applicants must personally install and certify the required exam software on their laptops.
• Applicants must ensure their device passes the Prometric readiness check, including having a functional internal webcam and microphone.
• Applicants must schedule and complete a practice exam by the deadline specified by the State Bar. Applicants who do not complete the practice exam by the deadline will not be allowed to sit for the exam.
• At the start of the exam session, Prometric’s ProProctor software will perform a final system check to confirm that no changes to the device could affect the exam experience. Applicants will be asked to take a photo of themselves using on-screen guides.

During the check-in and security scan process prior to the exam, the following process will be enacted:

• Applicants must take a photo of their valid, government-issued photo ID as directed on-screen.
• A Prometric staff member, via video chat, will guide applicants through the security process.
• Applicants will need to lift and move their internal webcam or laptop to provide a 360-degree view of the testing space, including the desk or table, chair, floors, bookshelves, wall hangings, and any electronic devices.
• The testing space must be indoors (walled), well-lit, and free from background noise.
• Applicants must comply with any additional security checks as requested, including showing their sleeves, pockets (by turning pockets inside out), glasses, and behind their ears.
• If an applicant’s internet connection disconnects or malfunctions during the check-in process, Prometric will provide instructions on how to reconnect and resume the exam. Refunds will not be issued for applicants unable to complete check-in or enter the exam due to a security or technical issue.

During the exam, the following process will be enacted:

• Applicants must use a computer with a functional, always-on internal webcam and microphone that remains unobstructed during the exam.
• Applicants must sit at a desk or table (use of a bed, couch, or recliner is prohibited).
• Applicants must remain in camera view at all times unless they have notified and been acknowledged by a proctor. A security scan will be required before resuming the exam after any approved break.
• Applicants are prohibited from accessing any personal items, electronic devices, or unauthorized materials during breaks or at any point during the exam.
• No physical scratch paper is permitted unless approved. Applicants must only the virtual scratch paper provided in the Prometric software.
• The workspace must be clean and uncluttered.
• No other persons or pets can be present in the room at any time.
• Refunds will not be issued for applicants who experience connectivity issues due to internet problems. Refunds will also not be issued for applicants who are removed from the remote exam due to violation of any of the exam requirements.

Applicants testing in-person at a Prometric test center

Applicants with certain approved testing accommodations, those who are approved to handwrite their exam, and applicants who do not have access to or the ability to obtain a quiet testing space or a reliable Internet connection will test at a Prometric test center. There is limited space at each test center; we cannot guarantee access to a specific test center.

Testing center locations

Prometric test centers in the following regions will be available to applicants who are approved for in-person testing. When scheduling their exam through Prometric’s scheduling tool, applicants will be able to view the test centers available near them. Please note that space is limited at each location, and availability at specific test centers cannot be guaranteed (updated September 24, 2025).

Exam rules and policies

Additional information and instructions for both remote and in-person testing will be provided in the Admittance Ticket Bulletin, which will be released on October 2, 2025, after applicants are approved to sit for the exam. In addition, details about remote testing will be added to this webpage and Prometric will email applicants directly with instructions for using the ProProctor™ software or scheduling an in-person exam at a test center.

Permitted items: Remote exam

All applicants taking the exam remotely must have a valid government-issued photo identification with them. Only the following items are allowed in the room where the applicant is testing without prior approval. All items are subject to inspection.

Items that have been approved through the testing accommodations request process will also be permitted.

Applicants taking the exam remotely must not have pens, pencils, highlighters, or notetaking material.

Permitted items: In-person testing at a Prometric test center

All applicants taking the exam in-person at a Prometric test center must bring a valid government-issued photo identification with them to the test center. Only the following items are allowed in the exam room without prior approval. All items are subject to inspection.

Items that have been approved through the testing accommodations request process will also be permitted.

Permitted code books and reference materials

While most applicants will not be allowed to bring reference materials into the examination room, all applicants taking exam in the four specialty areas below have the option to have with them in their room or to bring into the test center exam room code books or reference materials if they wish to do so. Applicants will be able to use the materials during both the essay and multiple-choice sessions of the examination. Applicants who choose not to bring a book, or whose book is determined not to meet the requirements, will still be able to take the exam.

Examples of books that meet the requirements include:

Unannotated Code Books Allowed in the Legal Specialist Examination Testing Room

 Annotated Code Books Allowed in the Legal Specialist Examination Testing Room 

Applicants cannot use digital versions or home-printed copies of these publications. Publications must be bound, commercial volumes, and completely free from markings, writing, highlighting, underlining, or tabs of any kind. Code books may be subject to inspection prior to and during the exam.

Important deadlines

Application filing

*Applicants must submit their requests through the Applicant Portal. Requests must be complete, with all questions answered, and any supporting documentation included. Requests in ‘verified’ or ‘drafted’ status are not considered complete.

Withdrawals

Requests to withdraw from the October 2025 Legal Specialist Examination must be received by the State Bar’s Legal Specialization Unit, Office of Admissions, on or before the dates listed below in order to qualify for a refund. See the Refund of Fees Policy for more information.

Exam preparation

Payment policies

Fees

All applicants must pay the required fees:

*Request received subsequent to filing application

Credit and debit card payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are accepted. A 2.5% processing fee applies to all transactions. If a card payment is declined, the application will remain incomplete until a valid payment is submitted. Late fees and application deadlines will be enforced if the payment is not received by the published deadlines.

ACH (e-check) payment: No processing fee applies. Applicants must provide a bank routing number and bank account number. ACH payments take up to seven days to process. If an ACH payment fails within that period, the application will be considered incomplete until a successful replacement payment, including any applicable service charges, is received. Late fees and application deadlines will be enforced if the successful payment is not received by the published deadlines.

Failed or rejected payments: An application is incomplete if payment is unsuccessful. An unsuccessful payment is, but not limited to, a returned check, a declined ACH transaction, or a credit card chargeback initiated by the cardholder. All failed or rejected payments will be assessed an administrative fee equal to the fee charged by the State Bar’s banking institution or $20, whichever is greater. If full payment is not received within 14 days of the State Bar’s notification to the applicant of the failed or rejected payment, the application will be considered abandoned. If the final filing deadline has not passed, the applicant may submit a new application with the required payment, including any applicable late fees. 

Refund policy: An applicant who withdraws their application for the exam may be eligible for a refund of fees as set forth in the. Refunds requested due to death or physical incapacity, service in the armed forces, or court or trial on the day of the exam will be considered in accordance with the policy.

Related links

• Visit the Applicant Portal
• Testing accommodations
• Exam results
• Policy Regarding Exam Conduct and Sanctions for the Legal Specialist Examination
• Refund policy
• Find a form
• Legal Specialization fees