Ontario bar exam dates and deadlines

The deadlines behind the deadline

Four dates gate every sitting, and they fall in this order. First the licensing process application, which must be submitted and paid. Then the accommodation request, if you need one: requests made within two weeks of that deadline may not be met in time. Then registration for the specific exam, which is also the last day to cancel or defer that registration. Then the sitting itself.

There is no late registration. Cancelling after the deferral deadline, or simply not turning up, is recorded as an unexcused absence and the examination fee is not refunded, unless the Law Society approves a medical absence.

Deferring, and what it costs you

Deferral is done by cancelling in LSO Connects before the deadline and registering for a later date. The trap is the licensing year: the summer 2027 sittings belong to the 2027-2028 year, so moving from winter 2027 to summer 2027 means a new application deadline of March 1, 2027 and new study materials at a further cost.

Planning backwards from the date

Candidates who do well tend to work back from the sitting rather than forward from today: a full-length rehearsal about two weeks out, the second rehearsal a week before that, and the index finished before either. Ontario Bar Academy gives you two full-length papers per exam, 160 original questions each, on a real 4.5-hour clock, with every answer explained and the authority cited. Start with the free 15-question samples and see where you stand.

Frequently asked questions

When is the next Ontario bar exam?

The next sittings are the Barrister examination on November 3, 2026 and the Solicitor examination on November 17, 2026. After those, the winter sittings are February 25, 2027 for the Barrister exam and March 11, 2027 for the Solicitor exam.

What is the deadline to register for the Ontario bar exam?

Registration closes well before the sitting: September 21, 2026 for the fall Barrister exam, October 2, 2026 for the fall Solicitor exam, January 12, 2027 for the winter Barrister exam and January 27, 2027 for the winter Solicitor exam. You must also have applied to the licensing process and paid by the earlier application deadline, which was July 28, 2026 for the fall sittings and is November 10, 2026 for the winter sittings.

Is there late registration for the Ontario bar exam?

No. The Law Society publishes one registration deadline per sitting and no late window. If you miss it, you register for a later sitting.

Can I defer my Ontario bar exam?

There is no deferral form. You cancel your registration in LSO Connects before the deferral deadline, which is the same date as the registration deadline for that sitting, then register for a later sitting. Deferring into a new licensing year means buying that year's study materials.

How many sittings are there each year?

Each licensing year normally has summer, fall and winter sittings of both exams. The Law Society's table shows only sittings still to come, so a year can look as though it has fewer.

When do results come out?

About eight weeks after the sitting. The Law Society's guide says six to eight weeks. Results are pass or fail only.

Dates and deadlines published by the Law Society of Ontario and checked on October 20, 2026. The Law Society notes that dates are subject to change: confirm on lso.ca before you rely on them. More on the licensing examinations. Ontario Bar Academy is independent. It is not reviewed, regulated, accredited or endorsed by the Law Society of Ontario.