How to Set Up for the Online LSAT
August 5, 2025
You've decided to take the LSAT online, believing your performance will benefit more from being in the comfort of your own home rather than an unfamiliar test center. Making this decision, based on knowing what works best for you, is a key step towards earning a high score.
Unlike students who plan to take the LSAT at a test center, who will find a test station ready for them when they arrive, those taking it online have to set up their own computer and prepare their testing space. When doing that, you want to ensure that you're doing everything necessary to be ready to go technically for the exam, and that you're abiding by LSAC's regulations. You don't want a misstep to prevent you from being allowed to take the LSAT on exam day.
We'll take you through all the essentials in this article so you don't have to worry about that happening, including computer, workspace, I.D., and security requirements, as well as other important regulations.
Online LSAT: Getting Your Computer Ready
Once you go through the steps to ensure you're able to take the test on your computer, and get it prepared for the exam, you can just sit down in front of your computer on test day and put all your studying and hard work into performing to the best of your ability.
The LSAT is administered via LSAC's LawHub digital platform website and proctored by Prometric. It can be taken on a desktop or laptop only, and you must have administrative rights to it so you can download the required software. 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. Hot spots and VPN are not permitted. The computer or laptop is required to have a webcam that must be external for a desktop, and a microphone. Make sure you have the latest Google Chrome web browser, and either 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. To help ensure there are no glitches with your internet connection, ask anyone who'll be in your home while you're taking the exam to stay offline until it's over.
To prepare your computer for the LSAT, you will need to download and install Prometric's ProProctor app from the candidate portal. Before doing so, restart the computer and make sure all system updates are installed. Once you've downloaded ProProctor, enter your Prometric confirmation number and last name and run a system check to make sure you will be able to take the exam on the desktop computer or laptop. The download and installation and the system check should be done before exam day. Consider taking care of it at least a week ahead of time so you can resolve any issues and won't have to be concerned with getting it done closer to the test.
Sign into your LawHub JD Account about 24 hours before your exam is set to begin and check to make sure that there's a new "LSAT" link in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen. If it's not there, contact LSAC at 1-800-336-3982 or via email at LSACinfo@LSAC.org.
Online LSAT: What You Can and Can't Have in Your Workspace
Taking the LSAT online doesn't mean that there won't be strict rules about what you are allowed have in your workspace, just are there are when you sit for it in a test center. Once you understand the regulations, prepare the room where you'll be taking the test at least a couple of days ahead of time. You don't want to be racing around on exam day trying to set up the area according to the rules. The workspace must be private and fully enclosed without any transparent/glass walls or doors. The door must be closed during the exam and no one else is allowed inside the room at any time.
The computer must be on a hard surface, such as a table or desk, and you have to be seated in a chair. You are allowed to have: six sheets of blank scratch paper; pens or pencils; an eraser; a pencil sharpener; soft, non-electronic, non-corded/banded generic foam ear plugs without any string; and a beverage in a clear container with all labels removed. No other food or drinks are permitted, and chewing gum and smoking are also barred. You are also allowed to have medical, religious, and certain comfort items like lip balm, eye drops, unwrapped cough drops, and unwrapped pills that aren't in a bottle or container. A complete list of these items can be found through the LSAC and/or Prometric websites.
Test takers are allowed to have one cell phone in the room with them, which 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 during the test or 10-minute break if there is a problem that requires you to contact LSAC or Prometric. All other electronic devices are banned from the test room, including watches or timers of any kind, electronic cigarettes, calculators, headsets, media players, and photographic, recording, or listening devices. Also not permitted in the room are any other desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or monitors.
There are other items that can be in the test room, but may not be used or referenced during the exam. They include briefcases, handbags, backpacks, non-religious head coverings, sunglasses or other tinted eyeglasses, books, printed materials, and written notes that aren't on your in-test scratch paper.
Online LSAT: Preparing to Verify Your I.D.
You will have to verify your identification on test day before starting the exam, so ensure in advance that you have the proper I.D. Review what forms of identification are acceptable and have your I.D. at your work station with you on test day so there won't be any problems when you're ready to begin the test. You will have to take a photo of yourself and your I.D. during the check-in process.
A valid physical passport or government-issued photo I.D. from the U.S. or Canada is required to take the LSAT. The I.D. must be current or have expired within the previous three months, and have: your first and last names that exactly match the first and last names associated with your LSAC JD account; your date of birth; and a recent, recognizable photo. Other than a passport or driver's license, forms of I.D. that are acceptable include a state- or province-issued I.D. card and a U.S. Permanent Resident Card, commonly called a Green Card. A U.S. military I.D. can't be used to take the LSAT online since they are legally not allowed to be photographed.
You will also need to have your Prometric confirmation number, and your LawHub username and password, the same ones you use to get into your LSAC JD Account. Write them down and have them with you as a backup even if you've memorized them. You won't be able to get into outside programs while taking the LSAT, so you won't be able to reset the credentials via email if you forget them.
Online LSAT: Test Day – Going Through Check-in
The day you've put so much hard work into studying for has arrived and you're ready to take the LSAT. Before you begin checking in, make sure the volume and audio levels on your computer are set to a normal range, since you won't be able to change them once you open the ProProctor app. Start at your scheduled test time by launching ProProctor, which you hopefully downloaded at least a week earlier, and enter your Prometric confirmation number and last name. You will then go through another system check to make sure nothing has changed with your computer since you downloaded the app that would prevent you from using it for the LSAT. After the system check, you will verify your identity, including by taking a photo of yourself and your I.D.
Online LSAT: Test Day – Room Inspection and Security
Once the online proctor confirms your identity, they will inspect the room where you are taking the exam by having you use the webcam to do a 360-degree scan, including above and below your desk, and do a security check. The proctor will be checking to see that your workspace complies with the regulations, including having no banned items either in the room or near you. After the inspection is completed, the proctor will launch the exam, and you will log into the LSAC LawHub testing interface with your username and password. The proctor will direct you to read the exam rules out loud and agree to them, and you'll click on a Start button to begin the test.
The LSAT is two-and-a-half hours long, made up of four 35-minute sections and a 10-minute break between the second and third sections. The break is the only time you can step away from the computer during the test. While you may leave camera range during the break to use the restroom or eat something, your scratch paper must remain at your work station, and you're not allowed to access your cellphone or any other banned items. Once you return, you will be required to do another webcam room scan before resuming the exam.
You will be monitored during the entire LSAT through your computer's webcam and microphone by the proctor, and the video and audio of your test session will be recorded. Do not disable the audio and video functionality at any time. Stay in view of the camera with it focused on you, and don't read out loud as you're taking the exam.
Online LSAT: The Night Before the Exam
After all of your months of dedicated studying, you're finally going to be taking the LSAT online tomorrow. You've downloaded the ProProctor app and done a system check at least a week in advance, and prepared the room where you will take the exam in line with LSAC's regulations a couple of days ahead of time. You also checked 24 hours ahead of the test that the necessary "LSAT" link is in your LawHub JD account, and know what security procedures you'll go through tomorrow. So now that you, your computer, and your workspace are prepared, what should you do the night before the exam? People have different perspectives on this, but we believe it's best to keep things low-key and simple:
- Get a good night's sleep. You want to be well-rested when you take the LSAT, so turn in an hour or two early to make sure you have enough sleep.
- Lay out what you'll need the next day. Put your I.D. at your workspace desk, along with your written-down Prometric confirmation number, and LawHub username and password. Set up your blank scratch paper and pens or pencils at the desk as well.
- Don't try to pack in hours of last-minute studying. Cramming hours before the exam won't improve your score, so believe in all the work and preparation you've done instead. End any study time early, and spend the rest of the day doing something relaxing and enjoyable.
Online LSAT: The Rules
Beyond LSAC's rules about what you are and aren't allowed to have in your workspace, there are other important policies you must follow. Some of the important regulations you need to know for the online exam are listed below:
- Communicating with anyone about exam-related information, including LSAT exam questions and answer choices, during testing, the break, or after the exam is forbidden. You are also banned from reproducing or copying any part of the test. Violations of these rules are subject to potential consequences.
- The proctor may dismiss you from the test for policy violations, including: giving false information; trying to take the test for another person; not having proper identification; accessing banned items; not complying with the proctor's instructions; trying to tamper with the operations of the ProProctor app; accessing non-exam computer functions; being disrespectful to the proctor; and not following other rules, procedures, or policies.
There can be consequences for violating any of the policies or regulations, even if it wasn't intentional. Below are some of the possible repercussions for two common violations. Be aware that the top reason students' test sessions are canceled is having an electronic device that isn't allowed.
| Policy Violation | Consequences |
| Accessing unauthorized materials or devices |
|
| Mouthing questions or reading questions out loud |
|
Making sure that you abide by the rules for taking the LSAT is essential for successfully earning the high score you've worked to achieve. Take the time to review and understand them ahead of time, so you can best follow them and keep your focus on the exam.
Online LSAT: Takeaway
It's essential to know LSAC's rules about how to set up for taking the LSAT online, including what you can and can't have in the room with you, so you don't have any snags on test day. You could potentially be disqualified from taking the exam if you don't carefully abide by the regulations. Get ready in advance by setting up what's needed on your computer and preparing the room where you'll be taking the exam, so you're ready when test day arrives.
Here are a few closing tips for what to do on test day morning, when you'll be taking the LSAT in just a few hours:
- Get out of bed early so you have time to fully wake up and aren't sitting down for the test while you're still groggy. You want to be awake and alert for the LSAT, ready to use all you learned during months of study to earn a high score.
- Take time to have breakfast. Even if you usually just gulp down a cup of coffee and have a few bites of toast, it's particularly crucial to have breakfast when you're taking an exam like the LSAT. Choose healthy food with protein to fuel your brain and body for the important test.
- Maintain an optimistic attitude. Thinking negatively can have a detrimental effect on how you do on the test. Expect that you're likely to have trouble with some difficult questions and don't get upset with yourself when it happens. An optimistic outlook boosts confidence, which will help you perform at your absolute best and achieve a high score.