Legal Assistant Exam
Information
Certified Paralegal (CP) Exam Details
Altrain Assisting Academy assists our students through the entire process of becoming a Certified Paralegal through the NALA Paralegal Association. We teach everything that is on the exam throughout the 5-month classroom portion of the program. We thoroughly prepare our students for the knowledge and skills exam with lectures, pretests and handouts, and hands-on training. We submit their application and include the exam fees and study materials in the tuition.
Application Fees:
- $250 NALA Members
- $275 Non-NALA Members
- Paralegal Student – $125 NALA Members
- Paralegal Student – $150 Non-NALA Members
Certified Paralegal (CP) Examinee Eligibility
Candidates for certification must meet one of the following requirements outlined below in Categories 1, 2, or 3 at the time of filing an application form. (The deadline to submit additional documentation is 60 days from the notification date from NALA.) Altrain Assisting Academy students qualify under Category 1 (e). More information on the NALA CP Exam can be found here: https://nala.org/
Category 1 Requirements:
(Candidates applying under Category 1(e) may combine college hours from more than one institution. The candidate must have graduated from a paralegal program consisting of a minimum of 15 semester hours [or 225 clock hours or equivalent quarter hours]. Evidence of the minimum hours required under Category 1(e) must be provided with the application form.)
Knowledge Exam
- Three (3) hours testing time; Multiple-choice questions
- Candidate MUST first pass the Knowledge Exam before proceeding to the Skills Exam.
- Candidates are eligible to take the Knowledge Exam only after they have graduated from a paralegal educational program or are currently in the last semester or quarter of the program if using the eligibility pathway or have the required minimum experience if using the experience category. The new system of on-demand testing will remove deadlines to apply for the examination. Candidates will be able to apply when they are eligible.
- Once candidates receive the authorization to test for the Knowledge Exam, candidates will have up to three attempts within 365 days from the initial authorization to test date to pass the Knowledge Exam.
- If the candidate does not take all three attempts of the Knowledge Exam within 365 days of the initial authorization to test date, the application is voided. A new application and fee are required to reapply for the Certified Paralegal Exam.
- If the candidate does not pass the Knowledge Exam in three attempts during the 365 days, a new application and fee are required to reapply for the Certified Paralegal Exam.
- Candidates MUST wait 90 days between each of the three attempts of the Knowledge Exam and must submit a retake application and fee to NALA to initiate each additional attempt and receive a new Testing Ticket notification
Skills Exam
- Two (2) hours testing time; written essay
- Candidates who pass the Knowledge Exam will receive authorization to take the Skills Exam.
- Candidates have up to three attempts within 365 days from the authorization to test date to pass the Skills Exam.
- If the candidate does not take all three attempts of the Skills Exam within 365 days of the initial Skills Exam authorization to test date, the application is voided. A new application and fee are required to reapply for the Certified Paralegal exam. The candidate is required to start over by taking the Knowledge Exam.
- If the candidate does not pass the Skills Exam in three attempts during the 365 days, a new application and fee are required to reapply for the Certified Paralegal exam. The candidate must start over by taking the Knowledge Exam.
- Candidates MUST wait 90 days between each of the three attempts of the Skills Exam and must submit a retake application and fee to NALA to initiate each additional attempt and receive a new Testing Ticket notification.
