This hub is supported by our partners. While we may receive compensation when you click on links, our editorial content is independent and based on our own testing. We only recommend products we have actually vetted.
As students prepare for law school, one question that often arises is “how long are LSAT scores good for?”
You’ve already knocked the LSAT out of the park, and perhaps even attended your last class as an undergrad. Your original plan was to apply to law schools and be enrolled for fall semester, but now for some reason life is getting in the way and you’re thinking – maybe I need a gap year. After all, who wouldn’t want a year off before law school? But if you delay, how long do LSAT scores last? That’s the topic we’ll be covering today in this detailed guide.
In short: LSAT scores are valid for five years. Most law schools will only accept LSAT scores taken within that window. LSAC allows law schools to view and use LSAT scores for up to five years. After that period, LSAT scores expire and are no longer reportable for admissions purposes.
How Long Do LSAT Scores Last?
If you’re worried about losing your LSAT scores, don’t sweat it. That LSAT score from the exam you crushed a few months ago will be kept by LSAC for five years after your test date.
So, if your test date was June 8, 2025, your score will be removed from LSAC on June 8, 2030. If you take more than one LSAT, each will be deleted from LSAC at the 5-year mark from each test date.
That said, some schools will only look at scores from the last three years, or sometimes the last four years. It’s a tighter window, but that still gives you plenty of time to apply to your school(s) of choice and begin your journey towards becoming a lawyer.
Some schools also have the added requirement that your LSAT score still be valid at the beginning of the semester for which you are applying (within 5 years of your expected date of entry to their program).
St. John’s and The University of Texas at Austin are two institutions that include this information right on their website. Still though, this shouldn’t be much of an issue.
Unless you plan on extending that gap year to a very long break before applying, it provides you sufficient time to take care of business. So, if you ever find yourself wondering “how long is an LSAT score good for?”, know that you’re probably just fine.
Even if you tested before August 2024 (the final appearance of Logic Games), your score is still accepted and viewed as a direct equivalent to current scores. Law schools evaluate all results equally, focusing on your highest scaled score whether it was earned under the legacy format or the current two-section Logical Reasoning format.
Yes. LSAT scores expire after five years. Once a score is older than five years, it is no longer reportable to law schools through LSAC.
Do Law Schools Discount Old Scores?
For the most part, law schools are more interested in your actual scores than the age of the scores unless, of course, they are older than their acceptance windows of 3-5 years (depending on each school’s policy).
The factors that could have more of a negative influence than the age of your score are a lack of score improvement over multiple attempts or extreme disparities in scores.
To avoid stagnant results across multiple attempts, many students use a structured program like Blueprint to pinpoint their specific logical weaknesses and ensure each new score shows a meaningful improvement.
In cases with high inconsistencies in reported scores, some schools will accept (or require) a statement from the applicant, detailing specific reasons or special circumstances that affected their performance on an exam.
Generally speaking, the highest score will be considered by most schools, while others consider your entire testing history or averaging of scores, regardless of how old the scores are.
Are LSAT Scores Valid For Future Application Cycles?
LSAT scores remain valid across multiple application cycles as long as they fall within the five-year validity window. Applicants planning to delay law school should always check that their score will still be reportable when they apply.
Reasons To Possibly Delay Law School
You’ve completed your degree and have every intention of heading off to law school soon. Unfortunately, even the best laid plans can be dismantled when life altering circumstances get in the way. You will need to pave your own path for the future, and you might be questioning if you should postpone or not.
The decision to delay law school shouldn’t be taken lightly. There are certainly some instances where delaying law school would be an acceptable option. Perhaps you are the primary caregiver for a sick or aging parent or you are dealing with a medical condition of your own.
On a more positive note, you might have just learned that you are going to be a new parent. You might decide to serve a term for Teach for America, or have the opportunity of a lifetime to travel with and work on the political campaign of your favorite U.S. Senator.
Life events circumvent schedules and plans sometimes. If you have a good reason for doing so, you shouldn’t feel bad about delaying law school.
FAQ
How long do LSAT scores last?
Technically, LSAT scores remain valid for five years; however, that doesn’t mean law schools will accept them. Each law school maintains their own policy regarding “old” scores.
Can you use an old LSAT score to apply to law school?
Only if the score is less than five years old at the time of application.
Do law schools accept expired LSAT scores?
No. Law schools only receive LSAT scores that fall within LSAC’s five-year validity window.
