The Ontario Paralegal Licensing Exam (P1)

The Paralegal Licensing Exam, which most candidates call the P1, is the one examination the Law Society of Ontario requires before it will license a paralegal. It is a single paper of 160 multiple-choice questions, written in person over 4 hours and 30 minutes, and it is open book. The next sitting is 3 Nov 2026, and registration for it closed on 21 Sept 2026.

Facts on this page are taken from the Law Society of Ontario’s public pages, last checked 17 Sept 2026. Dates and fees can change, so confirm them with the Law Society before you rely on them.

Set by

Law Society of Ontario

Papers

One

Questions

160 multiple choice

Time

4 hours 30 minutes

Format

Open book, print materials only

Where

In person, Toronto and Ottawa

Language

English or French

Result

Pass or fail, about eight weeks later

What is the P1?

P1 is the everyday name for the Ontario Paralegal Licensing Examination. Lawyer candidates write two papers, the Barrister and the Solicitor. Paralegal candidates write one, and passing it is a required step in the Law Society’s paralegal licensing process, alongside graduating from an accredited paralegal program and meeting the good character requirement.

It is a self-study exam. The Law Society gives registered candidates online access to the study materials, and every question is drawn from that year’s materials. No outside textbook is required.

What is the format of the Paralegal Licensing Exam?

One paper, 160 multiple-choice questions, 4 hours and 30 minutes. Each question has four options and one best answer, and each is worth one mark. The Law Society does not use “all of the above” or “none of the above”.

The paper is divided into sections by area of law. Some questions stand alone. Others are case based: a short scenario followed by several questions, each of which can be answered on its own. A small number of questions in every paper are unscored trial questions, and they are not identified, so every question deserves the same care.

That works out to about 1 minute and 40 seconds a question, including the time you spend looking anything up. Pacing is a skill in its own right on this paper, which is why our full mock exams run on the same clock.

What does the P1 test?

The Law Society tests the competencies an entry-level paralegal needs to practise effectively and ethically. It lists them in these categories:

• Ethical and professional responsibilities
• Knowledge of Canadian law
• Knowledge of civil litigation, administrative law, and criminal and quasi-criminal law and procedure
• Alternative dispute resolution
• Litigation process
• Practice management issues

Questions are written at three levels: knowing and understanding a rule, applying it to facts, and critical thinking about what to do next. Professional responsibility is not confined to one section. It appears inside the fact patterns of the other subjects.

When is the next Paralegal Licensing Exam?

The next sitting is 3 Nov 2026, and registration for it closes on 21 Sept 2026. The exam is offered three times in a licensing year: summer, fall and winter. The Law Society has published these sittings:

The registration deadline is also the last day to defer or cancel. The exam starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. Sign-in opens at 7:30 a.m., you must arrive by 8:30 a.m. for security screening and be seated by 9:30 a.m., and the Law Society asks you to allow an hour afterwards for exit procedures. It is written in person only. There is no online sitting.

Who can register, and how?

To write the exam you need to have completed a paralegal education program accredited by the Law Society, applied to and been registered in the paralegal licensing process, registered for a sitting by its deadline, and paid the fees or arranged a payment plan. Registration is done through your LSO Connects account. Places outside Toronto are limited, so an Ottawa seat is not guaranteed.

How much does the P1 cost?

The Law Society charges $1,460 for the Paralegal Licensing Examination and $100 for the study materials, plus applicable taxes. If you defer or rewrite in a later licensing year you have to buy that year’s materials, because they are revised annually. The materials for a licensing year are released in May.

Is the Paralegal Licensing Exam open book?

Yes, with one condition that matters: print only. You may print the study materials, mark them up and bring them with you, along with your own notes and index. No digital access to any material is allowed in the testing area.

Open book does not mean there is time to read. At well under two minutes a question, the materials help only if you can find the right page quickly, which is why candidates tab their binders and build an index, and why practising under the clock with your own materials beside you is worth doing before the day.

How is the P1 scored?

Your score is the number of questions you answer correctly. There is no penalty for a wrong or blank answer, so never leave one empty, and results are not graded on a curve. There is a single overall standard for the paper, with no separate standard for each section.

The Law Society reports a pass or a fail and nothing else. It does not release your score, and it does not publish the passing standard, so any figure you see quoted for it is a guess. Results arrive about eight weeks after the sitting.

What happens if you do not pass?

You may write the exam up to three times within your licensing term. Candidates who are unsuccessful receive a profile from the Law Society that breaks their performance down by competency category. To rewrite, you register again through LSO Connects by the deadline for the sitting you choose. An appeal must be requested within 10 business days of the result being released or the profile being posted, whichever is later.

Are accommodations available?

Yes. The Law Society provides accommodations on the grounds listed in the Human Rights Code, and asks that you request them as soon as you have applied to the licensing process. If you have been granted extra time or another accommodation, tell us after you buy a mock exam and before you start it, and we will match it at no charge.

How to practise for it

Reading the materials is the first job. The second is finding out, while there is still time to act, whether the reading is turning into marks. That is what a timed rehearsal is for.

• Paralegal Mock Exam A: a full 160-question paper on a 4.5-hour timer, with a report that ranks what to study next.
• Paralegal Complete Collection: four full mock exams and every quiz we make for the P1.
• Subject quiz packs: untimed drilling on one area of law, for the subject a report tells you to shore up.

Questions about access, timing, the report or writing again are answered in our FAQ.

Sources

Everything stated about the examination on this page comes from the Law Society of Ontario:

• Paralegal licensing examinations
• Examination dates and deadlines
• Licensing examination fees
• Guide to licensing examinations

ParalegalExam.ca is an independent exam-preparation service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Law Society of Ontario. This page is a summary for convenience. The Law Society’s own pages are the authority.