How Long Are LSAT Scores Valid? Everything You Need to Know
LSAT scores are valid for 5 years from the date you tested. This means a score earned in June 2021 can be used for applications through the 2026–2027 admissions cycle. After 5 years, the score expires and you must retake the LSAT to apply.
This guide answers every common question about LSAT score validity — including what happens to old scores, whether law schools care about score age, and how to plan around the 5-year window.
Check where your score places you right now with the free LSAT Score Calculator.
LSAT Score Validity: The Official Rule
According to LSAC policy:
- LSAT scores are valid for 5 years from the testing date
- A score must still be within the 5-year window at the time you submit applications — not just at the time you tested
- Scores outside the 5-year window will not appear on score reports sent to law schools
- You cannot request that LSAC send an expired score to a school; it is simply not available
How to Calculate When Your Score Expires
| Test Date | Score Expiration | Last Application Cycle Valid For |
|---|---|---|
| June 2020 | June 2025 | 2024–2025 cycle |
| October 2020 | October 2025 | 2025–2026 cycle (barely) |
| June 2021 | June 2026 | 2025–2026 cycle |
| October 2021 | October 2026 | 2026–2027 cycle |
| June 2022 | June 2027 | 2026–2027 cycle |
| October 2022 | October 2027 | 2027–2028 cycle |
| June 2025 | June 2030 | 2029–2030 cycle |
The law school application cycle for a given entering class runs roughly September through April. A score that expires in October is fine for that year’s cycle since you would have submitted applications before the expiration.
Do Law Schools Care How Old Your LSAT Score Is?
Within the 5-year window, most law schools do not penalize you for score age. A valid 5-year-old score is treated the same as a score from last month in most admissions reviews.
However, there are a few nuances:
- Significant time gap between testing and applying: If you tested 4 years ago and are just now applying, admissions officers may note the gap in your timeline and wonder what you have been doing since. This is not a problem — it is just context for the “what have you been doing” narrative, which you can address in your application.
- Old score with a low performance: If your score is several years old and significantly below a school’s median, some schools may informally consider whether the score reflects your current ability — especially for applicants who have been doing academically rigorous work in the intervening years. A few schools have stated they look favorably on recent preparation that might predict better test performance if retaken.
- Competitive T14 applications: At extremely selective schools, a score from 3–4 years ago may prompt a quiet question about whether the applicant has grown since then — though this is informal and not a stated policy.
For most applicants, a valid LSAT score is a valid LSAT score.
What If Your Score Is About to Expire?
If your score expires before or during the application cycle you intend to use it for, you have two options:
- Apply in the current cycle before expiration: If your score expires in October and you intend to apply to schools with November deadlines, apply before October to use the score while it is valid.
- Retake the LSAT: If you cannot apply before expiration, or if you want to apply in a future cycle, you must retake. See the retake guide for how to approach a new test.
Can You Use Multiple Scores If Some Have Expired?
When your score report is sent to law schools, it shows all scores within the 5-year window. Expired scores do not appear on the report — schools never see them. So if you tested in 2019 (expired) and 2022 (valid), schools only see your 2022 score.
This can be strategically relevant: if your older scores were lower, expiration means schools only see your improved recent performance.
LSAT Score Validity vs. CAS Report Validity
Note that LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) — through which all law school applications are processed — has separate subscription requirements. Your CAS report must be active at the time you apply; it is not the same as your LSAT score validity. Renew your CAS subscription if you are applying in a cycle where it has lapsed.
Does Score Validity Apply to LSAT Flex or Digital LSAT Scores?
Yes. All LSAT scores — regardless of format (paper, digital, LSAT Flex administered during COVID) — follow the same 5-year validity rule from the date of testing.
Planning Around the 5-Year Window
For applicants who tested early (during undergrad or shortly after) and plan to take time off before law school:
- A score from junior or senior year of college is valid for applications up to 5 years later
- If you tested as a college junior and plan to take 1–2 gap years, your score will still be valid when you apply as a 23–24 year old
- If you plan to take 4–5 gap years, your score will expire at or near the edge of your application window — consider testing again closer to your application date
See When to Take the LSAT for a full timing strategy guide.
Next Steps
- Use the LSAT Score Calculator to see what your current score means for your target schools
- Check LSAT test dates if you need to retake before your score expires or to strengthen your application
- Read Should I Retake the LSAT? if you are weighing testing again
- Review the law school application timeline to plan your full cycle