Taking the LSAT online vs. in person – which option should you chose?

August 6, 2025

Taking the LSAT is an important part of applying to law school, and you want every advantage possible to help you perform at your absolute best. Fortunately, test developer and administrator LSAC lets you choose how you want to take the exam, so you can decide whether you think you'll do better sitting for the LSAT in person at a test center or online from home. 

Both online testing and taking the exam in a test center have their pluses and minuses, but their importance will vary from person to person. You also should take your own past experiences with tests and other stressful situations into account as you think about which of the two testing environments is more likely to work in your favor. 

The best way to take the LSAT won't be the same for everyone. Read through the information we provide in this article about the online and test center LSAT experiences, and determine which one will put you in the best position to succeed when exam day arrives. 

Introduction of Online vs. In-Person Choice

For most of its history, the LSAT was only offered at testing locations in a pen-and-paper format. That changed in 2019, when the exam transitioned to a digital format, while still being administered in test centers. With the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic the following year, the entire test went online in 2020, and that continued for a while as the only option. However, some people were telling LSAC they preferred taking the exam at a testing location, so LSAC brought back the in-person LSAT, while keeping online testing. Since August 2023, test takers have had the choice between taking the exam online from home or in person at a test center.

What's the Same for the Online and In-Person LSAT 

While taking the LSAT online and in person at a test center are different experiences, many things are the same for both. Most importantly, the test itself is identical. It's made up of four 35-minute sections — two Logical Reasoning (LR), one Reading Comprehension (RC), and one Variable that will be either another LR or another RC — with a 10-minute break between the second and third sections. Additionally, no matter where you take the multiple-choice part of the LSAT, the Argumentative Writing section is always taken online and separately at a different time. 

The LSAT is administered for both via LSAC's LawHub digital platform website and is proctored by Prometric, either in person at one of its test centers, or remotely via its ProProctor software for online test takers. Whether you take the LSAT in person or online, you must present a valid physical passport or acceptable photo I.D. issued by the U.S. or Canadian government, and have your Prometric confirmation number and LawHub username and password. The fee for the LSAT is also the same for both. 

Taking the LSAT In Person

If you register to take the LSAT at a test center, there's not much else you need to do to prepare for the exam except study hard. When you arrive at the test center on exam day, you will be led to a computer station that's already set up for you. 

The only things you will be allowed to bring into the test room are a clear or transparent container of water with a lid or cap, foam earplugs with no string, and medical, religious, or comfort items like lip balm, eye drops, and unwrapped cough drops. You can also have an extra clothing layer to put on or off in case the test room is chilly or warm. You will be provided with three blank scratch paper booklets with two pages each and two pencils. Anything else, including your cellphone, must be stored in a locker outside the test room that you will be assigned. Any snacks you bring to eat before the test begins or during the 10-minute break must also be kept in the locker. 

When test day arrives, you will travel to the test center. Once there, you will verify your identification and be assigned a locker. An administrator will finish a security check at your test station and the exam will begin. You won't be allowed to leave the computer at any time except for the 10-minute break. 

Taking the LSAT Online

If you decide to take the LSAT online, you will prepare your computer yourself and have the responsibility of making sure it's done properly. You will have to use either a desktop or laptop that must have a webcam (external for a desktop) and microphone. The computer must have the latest Google Chrome web browser and a Windows operating system of 8.1 or higher, or any version of MacOS 12 Monterey, 14 Sonoma, or 15 Sequoia, or 13 Ventura 13.3 or higher. You'll need a strong, stable internet connection with a download speed of at least 1.0 Mbps (5.0 Mbps is recommended) and an upload speed of at least 0.5 Mbps. You must also download and install Prometric's ProProctor app, and sign into your LawHub JD Account 24 hours before the exam to make sure there's a new "LSAT" link in the menu.

You will also have to prepare the physical space where you will take the exam. It must be private and fully enclosed without any transparent/glass walls or doors. The computer itself must be on a hard surface, such as a table or desk, and you will have to be seated in a chair. 

The only items you can have at your desk during the exam are a beverage in a clear container with all labels removed, soft foam ear plugs without any string, and medical, religious, or certain comfort items. One cellphone can be in the room, but it must be powered off, face down, out of arm's reach, and located where it can't capture images from the computer screen. It may ONLY be used if there is a problem that requires you to contact LSAC or Prometric. All other electronic devices are banned from the test room. Other items can be in the room, but may not be used during the exam, including briefcases, handbags, backpacks, non-religious head coverings, sunglasses or other tinted eyeglasses, books, printed materials, and written notes from before the test began. You are allowed to have six sheets of blank scratch paper and pens or pencils, along with an eraser and a pencil sharpener. 

When test time arrives, you will launch the ProProctor app and the proctor will verify your identification. They will then conduct a room check, which you'll assist by using your computer's webcam to show them the entire workspace, including the top of your desk and under it. After that, the test will begin. The door to the room must be closed during the exam and no one else is allowed inside at any time. The proctor will monitor you throughout the exam via the computer's webcam and audio, and the camera must be focused on you at all times. You are not allowed to walk away from the computer except during the 10-minute break.

Pros and Cons

As you review what's required both before and during the exam, you can see that there are pros and cons of taking the LSAT both in person at a test center and online from home. However, the positives and negatives won't balance the same for everyone. You have to decide which method has more benefits than drawbacks for you. 

• Some people prefer the familiar, less stressful atmosphere of home for the exam. However, others find that they are more focused when taking it at a test center.
• Online test takers are responsible for setting up the test computer properly, and for any internet connection or other technical concerns, which isn't an issue for anyone going to a test center.
• When you take the test online, you also are responsible for setting up the room correctly, and making sure there are no banned items in it. Additionally, you have to carry out a room check with your webcam for the proctor.
• You must put your belongings in a locker at a test center. While they are by definition locked, some people may still be uncomfortable with having things like their purse and keys out of their possession.
• You have to travel to a test center, which means making sure you know how to get there, allowing enough travel time on test day, and having to worry about traffic. Online test takers don't have travel concerns.
• When you take the test at home, there can be noise from outside the room, particularly from small children and pets. Anyone in the house could also mistakenly walk into the test room, which is a rule violation. However, there are other test takers who will be coming and going from the room at a test center, which could also be distracting.
• You have to provide your own scratch paper and pens or pencils when you take the test at home. 

Accommodations and Changes

Before making your final decision, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. If you've requested and/or been granted an accommodation, some either require that you take the exam at a test center or are better handled in person, while others do better with online testing. Check to see if the taking the LSAT with the accommodation that applies to you should be done at a test center or online.

If you decide later to change to the test method you chose when you registered, there may be some restrictions. It's usually not an issue to switch from taking the LSAT at a test center to online. However, you're allowed to change from online to in person only if the seven-day deadline to schedule at a test center hasn't passed. 

The Takeaway

LSAT test takers now have the benefit of being able to choose how they want to take the crucial test for law school admission, either in person at a test center or online in their home. It's an important decision, because being comfortable in the testing environment can influence how you perform on the exam. Learn what taking the test in both ways will be like and balance the pluses and minuses of both. Consider from knowing yourself and how you do in stressful situations which one might give you an advantage. Make your decision, believe you've made the best choice for yourself, and move on, devoting your time to studying for the LSAT so you'll be ready to do your best on exam day, no matter where you take it.