January LSAT 2027

The January 2027 LSAT is the first administration of the new year and the last one most applicants use in the current admissions cycle.

Key dates for the January 2027 LSAT

Test window	January 13–16, 2027
Registration deadline	December 1, 2026 (11:59 p.m. Eastern)
Scheduling opens	December 22, 2026
LSAT Argumentative Writing opens	January 5, 2027
Score release	February 3, 2027

What the January LSAT is good for

January works for regular-decision applications. Scores arrive February 3, 2027, which fits most February and March deadlines.
If you tested in the fall and were close to your target, January is a low-disruption retake: you already have the prep base, and three months of targeted drilling can close the gap.
Applicants who started studying late in the fall get a realistic runway: mid-October to mid-January is twelve weeks, a full study plan.

Registration deadline guidance

Registration closes December 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. That is earlier than people expect - it falls during final exams and the holidays, when nobody is thinking about deadlines.

Set a reminder for mid-November and register then. Waiting until the last week of November puts you up against holiday travel and a closed support desk.

If you need testing accommodations, file that request first - it has its own earlier deadline.

LSAT Argumentative Writing opens January 5, 2027. Finish it early in the window so it does not hold up your score.

Score release timing

Scores from the January 2027 administration will be released February 3, 2027, about three weeks after the test window.

If you are starting now: a prep sketch

If you are starting now (mid-October) and targeting January:

Weeks 1–3 (mid-October to early November)
Free diagnostic, then untimed LR and RC fundamentals. Do not skip this: speed built on shaky fundamentals collapses on test day.
Weeks 4–9 (November through December)
Untimed drilling by question type. Six weeks of steady drilling beats two weeks of panic.
Weeks 10–12 (late December to test day)
Timed sections and weekly full tests. Review every miss. Watch for holiday-week slippage - schedule your study days explicitly.
Final 5 days
Taper. Light review, sleep, no new strategies.

Sources

Test window, registration deadline, scheduling, writing, and score release dates: LSAC's official LSAT dates and registration pages. Last verified October 12, 2026. LSAC notes dates are subject to change - confirm on LSAC's official dates page before you finalize plans.

Match your prep to the month

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Last updated October 12, 2026