LSAT Scoring 2026: 120–180 Scale, Release Dates, Score Preview, and Cancellations
A current, source-grounded guide to how LSAT raw scores become 120–180 scores, what appears on your score report, when scores are released, and how Score Preview and score cancellation deadlines differ.
Direct answer: how LSAT scoring works in 2026
Score Preview changes when a test taker can make a keep-or-cancel decision; it does not provide an early score. With Score Preview, the six-calendar-day decision period begins when the score is released. Without Score Preview, a candidate cancellation must be submitted within six calendar days after the candidate’s test date, before the score is released. This article explains those rules without advising whether any individual should cancel a score.
From raw score to the 120–180 LSAT scale
Raw score: questions correct
LSAC defines the raw score as the number of questions answered correctly. The particular questions missed do not carry different point values, and there is no deduction for an incorrect answer. That means the scoring rule is based on correct answers rather than a formula that subtracts points for guessing. LSAC’s scoring page states these rules directly.
Scaled score: 120 to 180
The raw score is then converted to the LSAT scale, where 120 is the lowest possible reported score and 180 is the highest. LawHub explains that LSAC uses equating because different test forms can vary slightly in difficulty; the purpose is for the same scaled score to represent comparable proficiency across versions. There is therefore no single universal raw-to-scaled conversion table that applies to every administration. LawHub’s official scoring explanation is the appropriate reference for that conversion process.
What appears on an LSAT score report
According to LSAC, the LSAT Score Report includes the current score, results of reportable tests, a percentile rank for each reported score, and a score band. Reportable results can include scores, cancellations, and absences. The percentile rank reflects the percentage of test takers whose scores were lower during the previous three testing years; LSAC updates reported percentiles annually. A score band places the reported score within a range to reflect normal measurement uncertainty. LSAC: LSAT Scoring and LSAC: LSAT Score Bands provide the official definitions.
| Stage | Current rule | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Raw score | Number of questions answered correctly; equal weighting; no deduction for incorrect answers. | Use current LSAC/LawHub scoring guidance. |
| Scaled score | Raw score is converted to the 120–180 scale using equating across test forms. | Do not assume one raw-to-scale chart applies to every administration. |
| Score report | Current score, reportable test results, percentile rank, and score band. | Check JD Services for the actual candidate record. |
| Release | Posted release date, normally at 9 a.m. ET, if an approved reportable writing sample is on file and no hold blocks release. | Confirm the live administration page because dates can change. |
LSAT score release dates in 2026
LSAC posts a specific release date for each administration. As of this article’s August 29, 2026 review, the official pages list the following examples for U.S./Canada administrations. These are examples, not a substitute for the live dates page.
| Administration | Primary testing dates | Posted score release |
|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | August 5–8, 2026 | August 26, 2026 |
| September 2026 | September 9–12, 2026 | September 30, 2026 |
| October 2026 | October 7–10, 2026 | October 28, 2026 |
| November 2026 | November 11–14, 2026 | December 2, 2026 |
Verify before relying on a date. LSAC labels administration dates as subject to change. Check the current LSAT dates, deadlines, and score release page and the page for your specific administration.
Writing approval and account holds can delay release
Having a posted release date does not guarantee that a particular account will display a score that morning. LSAC requires an approved LSAT Argumentative Writing sample, or another approved reportable writing sample that satisfies the current requirement, and the account must have no release hold. First-time test takers without an existing valid writing sample must complete LSAT Argumentative Writing and have it approved before the score can be released. LSAC notes that writing review can take time, especially when a session is flagged. See the official Argumentative Writing FAQ and LawHub writing overview.
Score Preview: timing, prices, and the six-day window
Score Preview is available after LSAT registration. Under the current 2026–27 pricing, it costs $46 when purchased before the first day of testing for the administration, or $87 during the specified post-test purchase period. Candidates with an approved LSAC fee waiver can enroll in Score Preview without that charge. For the higher-price window, LSAC says purchasing generally opens the day after the administration’s last testing day and closes at 11:59 p.m. ET on the Monday before score release; the exact dates are posted for each administration. LSAC Score Preview and LawHub Score Preview reflect the current fees.
Score Preview does not reveal a score before the normal score release. When the score is released, the candidate has six calendar days to keep or cancel it. If no action is taken by the end of that period, LSAC adds the score to the candidate’s record and releases it to the law schools to which the candidate has applied. If a hold delays the score, the six-day Score Preview clock begins when the score is actually released to the candidate, not on the originally scheduled release date.
Decision timing with and without Score Preview
| Situation | When the candidate sees the score | Decision deadline | If no action is taken |
|---|---|---|---|
| With Score Preview | On the normal release date, assuming writing approval and no hold. | Six calendar days from the date the score is actually released. | Score is kept and released at the end of the Preview period. |
| Without Score Preview | After the cancellation deadline has passed, on the normal release date if release requirements are met. | Candidate cancellation must be submitted within six calendar days after the candidate’s test date. | If the score is later released, it becomes part of the record and cannot then be candidate-canceled without Score Preview. |
This distinction is the central timing difference: Score Preview ties the candidate’s cancellation window to score release; the standard cancellation option ties it to the individual’s test date. Neither rule is a recommendation about what decision a particular applicant should make.
LSAT score cancellations are irreversible
LSAC states that valid candidate cancellation requests are irreversible and cannot be rescinded. There is no refund for a canceled score. Without Score Preview, the candidate cancellation request must be made within six calendar days after the test date. Once a score has been released, the candidate generally cannot cancel it unless Score Preview was purchased for that administration. LSAC’s score cancellation policy is the controlling source for the current process.
How long LSAT results remain reportable
LSAT testing years run from July 1 through June 30. LSAC reports results earned in the current testing year and the prior five testing years to law schools receiving a candidate’s report. For the 2026–27 testing year, that means the current July 2026–June 2027 year plus July 2025–June 2026, July 2024–June 2025, July 2023–June 2024, July 2022–June 2023, and July 2021–June 2022. LSAC’s current example also states that results from before July 2021 are not reportable for admission. See LSAC’s current reportability explanation.
LSAT score-release checklist
- Confirm the live score release date for your administration on LSAC’s dates page.
- Check that an approved, reportable writing sample is on file.
- Check JD Services for any account hold that could block release.
- If you purchased Score Preview, note the exact date and time your score was released; the six-calendar-day window runs from that release.
- If you did not purchase Score Preview and are considering the standard cancellation process, note that LSAC’s deadline is six calendar days after your test date.
- Treat any submitted cancellation as final because LSAC states that valid cancellations are irreversible.
For broader study materials, browse King of the Curve resources and the KOTC test-prep blog.
Practice LSAT skills with King of the CurveLSAT scoring FAQs
Does the LSAT subtract points for wrong answers?
No. LSAC says there is no deduction for incorrect answers. The raw score is based on the number of questions answered correctly.
Is every LSAT question worth the same amount?
For scoring purposes, LSAC states that test questions are weighted equally. The number correct determines the raw score; the identity of the particular questions missed does not create a different point value.
Does Score Preview show an LSAT score early?
No. Score Preview recipients receive their score at the same time as other test takers whose scores are eligible for release. The service provides a six-calendar-day period after release to keep or cancel the score.
When does the six-day Score Preview window begin if my score is on hold?
It begins when the score is actually released to you. LSAC specifically distinguishes that event from the originally scheduled release date when a hold delays access.
Can I cancel after seeing my score if I did not buy Score Preview?
Not under the ordinary candidate-cancellation rule. Without Score Preview, the cancellation deadline is within six calendar days after the test date, before score release. LSAC states that once a score is released it becomes a permanent part of the record unless Score Preview applies.
Can an LSAT cancellation be reversed?
No. LSAC says a valid cancellation request is irreversible and cannot be rescinded.
Which LSAT testing years are currently reportable?
For the 2026–27 testing year, LSAC’s current rule covers that testing year and the prior five: 2025–26, 2024–25, 2023–24, 2022–23, and 2021–22. Testing years run July through June.
