Information about the Legal Specialist Examination
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.
The State Bar is contracting with Prometric to be the exam deliver vendor for the exam. 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. Remote test takers will be using Prometric’s ProProctor™ software on their personal laptop computer for online testing and proctoring.
Applicants testing in a test center will be provided physical scratch paper to take notes. Scratch paper will be destroyed at the test center and any contents on the scratch paper will not be graded.
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.
| Session | Duration |
|---|---|
| Essay Questions 1 and 2 | 60 minutes |
| Break | 5 minutes |
| Essay Questions 3 and 4 | 60 minutes |
| Break | 5 minutes |
| Essay Questions 5 and 6 | 60 minutes |
| Lunch | 60 minutes |
| Essay Questions 7 and 8 | 60 minutes |
| Break | 5 minutes |
| Multiple-Choice Questions Part 1 (1-38) | 76 minutes |
| Break | 5 minutes |
| Multiple-Choice Questions Part 2 (39-75) | 74 minutes |
Applicants granted extended time as a testing accommodation may have different schedules, which are communicated to them individually in advance of the examination.
Applicants should expect the exam day to include additional time for the security check in process at the beginning of the day, after lunch, and anytime they leave the secure exam room area.
Testing in person at a Prometric test center
Prometric offers network of standardized computer-based test centers. Testing at these locations is administered on Prometric provided computers using Prometric’s easy-to-use test taker interface.
Applicants must schedule an exam appointment for a specific time and test center location. Availability is first come-first served. Start time for the exam will be based on the scheduled exam appointment time.
On test day upon arrival at the test center, you will be greeted by a Prometric Test Center Administrator (TCA). During the check-in process applicants will be required to present valid, government issued identification, and store all personal items in provided lockers. Applicants testing in person will also go through a security check prior to every entry into the test room. If you are wearing eyeglasses, you will be required to remove them for visual inspection to ensure they don’t contain a recording device. You might also be asked to remove any contents in your pockets. In addition, large jewelry items must be stored in your locker due to concerns over concealed recording devices. You must sign out each time you leave the test room. Onsite Prometric personnel will inform you what is permitted during scheduled or unscheduled breaks.
| Permitted items: In-person testing at a Prometric test center | |
|---|---|
| Back support (one permitted; no cover) | Chapstick and lip balm (no label or writing) |
| Diabetes-related equipment (no food or drinks) (non-Bluetooth) | Eye drops (no larger than 0.5 ounces; no label or writing) |
| Eyeglasses (no cases or sunglasses) | Face masks (no writing) |
| Foam earplugs (not connected to one another) | Footrest (one permitted) |
| Government-issued photo identification (e.g., driver's license, California Identification Card, or passport) | Hearing aids (non-Bluetooth) |
| Inhalers | Locker key (provided by Prometric) |
| Menstrual products | Orthopedic cushion or pillow (one permitted; no cover) |
| Over-the-counter and prescription medications | Pencils (provided by Prometric) |
| Physical scratch paper (provided by Prometric) | Religious headwear |
| Silent analog watches, nondigital timers, and clocks (4” x 4” or smaller) | Splints, braces, crutches, casts, or wheelchairs |
| TENS units | Unwrapped cough drops |
| Water bottle (one unlabeled, clear bottle or cup with a lid, no larger than 40 oz; no other types of drinks or powder drink mixes are permitted) | |
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
| Specialty | Code Book(s) | Publisher(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Bankruptcy Law | United States Bankruptcy Code and Rules Booklet The Portable Bankruptcy Code and Rules The Collier Pamphlet Edition | LegalPub.com American Bar Association (ABA) LexisNexis |
| Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law | California Probate Code | Deerings West (Thomson Reuters) Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)West (Thomson Reuters) |
| Immigration & Nationality Law | Immigration & Nationality Act Pamphlet Immigration & Nationality Act | Matthew Bender American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) |
| Taxation Law | Internal Revenue Code (Two Volumes) | CCH Books and Publications RIA (Thomson Reuters) |
Annotated Code Books Allowed in the Legal Specialist Examination Testing Room
| Specialty | Code Book(s) | Publisher(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Bankruptcy Law | Bankruptcy Code, Rules and Forms | Thomson Reuters |
| Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law | California Probate Code Annotated California Probate Code Annotated to CEB Publications | McGovern (Thomson Reuters) Continuing Education of The Bar (CEB) |
| Immigration & Nationality Law | Bender’s Immigration & Nationality Act Pamphlet Immigration & Nationality Act | LexisNexis American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) |
| Taxation Law | Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and Treasury Regulations: Annotated and Selected, 32nd Edition | South-Western Federal Taxation |
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.
For more information on what to expect on test day, click here.
For more information on test center regulations, click here.
To view deadline dates, go to October 2025 Certified Legal Specialist Examination page.
Schedule Your Exam
Scheduling an Exam
Applicants must complete the State Bar of California’s Legal Specialist Examination application and be approved to sit for the exam prior to scheduling an appointment. Applicants who are approved to sit for the exam will receive an email from the State Bar confirming so or they can log into the Applicant Portal to view the status of their application.
Beginning October 2, 2025, applicants approved to sit for the exam will receive an email from the State Bar of California with instructions on how to schedule their exam appointment with Prometric.
Applicants must schedule their exam appointment no later than October 20. Applicants who do not schedule their exam appointment by this deadline will not be allowed to sit for the exam.
Cancellation or Rescheduling an Exam
All exam schedule changes must be made directly with Prometric online or by phone. A voice mail message is not an acceptable form of requesting an appointment be rescheduled or cancelled. Rescheduling is only permitted within the same exam administration.
A $30 fee is required to cancel or reschedule your appointment 30 or more calendar days prior to the exam appointment date. Applicants who cancel in this period can make a new exam appointment for the same administration.
A $60 fee is required to cancel or reschedule your exam appointment between 29 and 5 calendar days prior to the exam appointment date. Applicants who cancel in this period can make a new exam appointment for the same administration.
Within 5 days of the appointment date, reschedule of an appointment is not available.
For more information on what to expect on test day, click here.
To view deadline dates, go to October 2025 Certified Legal Specialist Examination page.