Certified Paralegal (CP)

NALA Certified Paralegal (CP®) — Program Overview & Steps What It Is The CP® credential is the nationally recognized gold standard in paralegal certification, administered by NALA (National Association of Legal Assistants). It demonstrates comprehensive legal knowledge across federal law and procedure and is recognized by the American Bar Association. The exam consists of two parts: a Knowledge Exam and a Skills Exam, both of which must be passed to earn the credential. Eligibility — You Qualify Under One of Three Categories Category 1: Graduation from a qualifying paralegal program (ABA-approved, associate's degree, post-baccalaureate certificate, bachelor's degree in paralegal studies, or a program with at least 60 semester hours including 15 hours of substantive legal courses). Category 2: A bachelor's degree in any field plus one year of paralegal experience, or completion of at least 15 semester hours of substantive paralegal courses. Category 3: A high school diploma plus five years of paralegal experience plus at least 20 hours of substantive continuing legal education completed within the two years prior to application. 5 Steps to Certification Plan — Review the exam specifications and eligibility requirements at nala.org. Identify which eligibility category applies to you and gather required documentation (transcripts, employer attestations, etc.). Apply — Submit your application, application fee, testing center fee, and supporting documents online, by email, fax, or mail. Approval typically takes about 72 hours if the application is complete. Upon approval, you receive an Authorization to Test and a link to schedule through PSI. Prepare — Study the ten Knowledge Exam subject areas (U.S. Legal System, Civil Litigation, Contracts, Corporate/Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Estate Planning, Real Estate, Torts, Ethics, and Bankruptcy/Creditor-Debtor) plus Legal Writing and Critical Thinking for the Skills Exam. NALA offers study materials, on-demand courses, and a CP Study Group, though none are required. Test — Take the Knowledge Exam first (120 multiple-choice questions, 3 hours, available year-round at PSI testing centers or via remote proctoring). Results are available immediately at the testing center. After passing, you have 365 days to take the Skills Exam (written essay assignment, 2 hours, offered in February, April, July, and October at PSI testing centers). Skills Exam results are released within about 15 weeks of the testing window closing. Certify — Upon passing both exams, NALA mails your CP® certificate and renewal instructions within three weeks of score release.