Update: Results for the October 2023 Legal Specialist Examination
Results were posted electronically on March 15, 2024, to the Applicant Portal. The overall pass rate for the 2023 Legal Specialist Examination across all exams was 74.8%.
Successful applicants are now eligible to file their Post-Examination Application for Initial Certification by April 24, 2025. Applicants may apply in the Applicant Portal, or a PDF application can be found on the Forms page.
Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to register for the next Legal Specialist Examination scheduled for Tuesday, October 21, 2025. Registration is expected to open in summer 2025, and this page will be updated at that time. Please check back, or you may submit a notification request by filling out the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry Form.
File an application online to take the exam Requesting Testing Accommodations
The Legal Specialist Examination is a one-day test given remotely in October every odd-numbered year. 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.
Date: October 24, 2023
The October 2023 Legal Specialist Examination will be administered primarily remotely through ExamSoft.
ExamSoft provides a secure testing remote assessment platform, Examplify. Examplify is an easy-to-use test taker interface that enables a test-taker to confirm computer compatibility, preview the system before the exam by completing a mock exam, and launch the exam on exam day.
You will be able to complete a system readiness check to ensure that your computer is ready to run the application on exam day.
On exam day, an easy-to-follow check-in process will guide you through the final preparations to take your exam before beginning each session.
After completing this process, you will be ready to take your online remotely proctored exam.
For additional information on the technical and environmental requirements and the testing process, please review the minimum requirements for ExamSoft or their brief videos. Please review all the information related to completing your practice exam and the actual exam on Laptop Computers.
The Legal Specialist Examination consists of eight short essay questions and 75 multiple-choice questions and tests whether an attorney has a proficient understanding of the key laws, rules, and procedures applicable to that area of law. Review the free exam preparation packet for your selected specialty area, which contains a full listing of exam subject areas.
While most applicants will not be allowed to bring reference books into the examination room, those taking the examinations in the following four specialty fields have the option to bring in one of the following code books if they wish to do so (annotated or unannotated version):
Only the publications listed above will be allowed. 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.
Note that physical scratch paper is not allowed, but virtual scratch paper will be available for all applicants.
Application filing
Final filing deadline
Testing accommodations petition final filing deadline*
* The petition or appeal, together with the required documentation and verification, must be completed in the Applicant Portal no later than the final filing deadline. Upon request, the petition or appeal may be submitted in hard copy.
Withdrawals
Requests to withdraw from the October 2023 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 and exam day
First date admittance tickets available
ExamSoft mock exams open
All applicants must pay the required fees:
$350
*Request received subsequent to filing application
The transfer of fees from one exam to another is prohibited.
Refunds requested due to hospitalization, death, or call to active duty will be considered in accordance with the California Board of Legal Specialization refund policy. See the Refund of Fees Policy for more information. Withdrawal requests can be submitted by logging into the Applicant Portal.
Credit and debit card payments: For credit or debit card payments, a processing fee of 2.5 percent will be added to all charges. If your credit or debit card transaction is denied, you will not be able to submit your application until you provide another Mastercard, Visa, American Express, or Discover card.
ACH (e-check) Payment: You may also make payments by ACH. There are no processing fees associated with ACH payments. You will need your Bank Routing Number and Bank Account Number. It takes seven days for ACH payments to be processed by our bank processor. If within the seven days a payment is returned for insufficient funds or declined for any reason, your application will be considered incomplete until a replacement payment plus service charges are received.
All declined payments will incur a $20 service charge added to any late fees in effect. The application deadline will be enforced if the payment is not received within the published deadlines.
Applicants who change their address after filing the application can make updates by logging into the Applicant Portal to update their profile. If admittance tickets are lost, a duplicate can be requested by contacting the Legal Specialization Unit, Office of Admissions. Deadline to request a change of address: September 15, 2023.
Results from the October 2023 Legal Specialist Examination are scheduled to be released electronically to applicants through the Applicant Portal on March 15, 2024.