NCA Exam Dates · 2026 Schedule

NCA Exam Dates 2026: Complete Official Schedule

Q: When do NCA exam results come out?

NCA exam results take 10–12 weeks from the exam date. Results are published to your NCA portal account.

The NCA runs exam sittings in most months of 2026, and each subject is offered on set dates several times through the year. Below you will find every subject's exact 2026 dates, registration deadlines, results timelines, and an interactive planner showing your personalised countdown per subject, calendar view, and study load analysis.

Subject-by-Subject Exam Calendar

Every NCA subject and its available exam dates across the three remaining 2026 sessions. Dates are based on published NCA schedules — always confirm at nca.legal. Found your subject? The Prep column links straight to the notes and answer templates for that exam.

Subject	Session 1	Session 2	Session 3	Prep
Professional Responsibility	May 4–7	Aug 4–7	Nov 3–6	Get notes →
Criminal Law	May 12–15	Aug 10–13	Nov 9–13	Get notes →
Contract Law	May 11	Sep 8	—	Get notes →
Evidence Law	May 26	Aug 25	—	Get notes →
Property Law	Jun 1	Oct 20	—	Get notes →
Administrative Law	Jun 2–5	Aug 31–Sep 3	Nov 17–20	Get notes →
Family Law	Jun 9	Sep 8	—	Get notes →
Constitutional Law	Jul 7–10	Oct 5–8	—	Get notes →
Foundations of Canadian Law	Jul 14–17	Oct 13–16	—	Get notes →

A dash (—) indicates the subject is not offered in that session. Registration typically closes 6 weeks before the exam date. See individual session cards below for registration deadlines.

Interactive Exam Planner

Personalise your countdown per subject, calendar view, and study load analysis

Pass rate figures are community-estimated — the NCA does not publish official subject-level pass rates. Exam dates sourced from the official 2026 NCA schedule. Always verify at nca.legal before registering. Reference date: Apr 11, 2026.

2026 NCA Exam Schedule by Subject

The NCA holds exam sittings in most months of 2026, and each subject is offered on specific dates several times through the year. Below is every subject with its 2026 sitting dates, from the official NCA 2026 Examination Schedule (issued 9 October 2025). Registration for each sitting closes roughly 4–8 weeks earlier (see the close dates below the table). Exams are 3-hour, open-book, online-proctored, and the pass mark is 50%. Always confirm the current schedule at nca.legal.

Subject	2026 sitting dates (first day of each window)
Administrative LawMandatory	3–6 Mar · 2–5 Jun · 31 Aug–3 Sep · 17–20 Nov
Constitutional LawMandatory	6–9 Jan · 30 Mar–2 Apr · 7–10 Jul · 5–8 Oct
Criminal LawMandatory	10–13 Feb · 12–15 May · 10–13 Aug · 9–13 Nov
Professional ResponsibilityMandatory	3–6 Feb · 4–7 May · 4–7 Aug · 3–6 Nov
Foundations of Canadian LawMandatory	13–16 Jan · 7–10 Apr · 14–17 Jul · 13–16 Oct
Contract Law	12 Jan · 11 May · 8 Sep
Property Law	9 Feb · 1 Jun · 20 Oct
Civil Procedure	10 Mar · 9 Sep
Family Law	13 Apr · 2 Nov
Evidence Law	14 Apr · 19 Oct
Torts	9 Mar · 13 Jul · 16 Nov
Business Organizations	2 Feb · 17 Aug
Commercial Law	5 Jan · 6 Jul
Remedies	2 Mar · 18 Aug

Registration close dates by sitting month: January — 11 Dec 2025 · February — 8 Jan · March — 5 Feb · April — 5 Mar · May — 2 Apr · June — 7 May · July — 11 Jun · August — 9 Jul · September — 6 Aug · October — 10 Sep · November (2–13) — 1 Oct · November (16–20) — 22 Oct. All close at 11:00 PM Eastern.

Use the interactive planner above for a personalised countdown to your next sitting.

Important notes about NCA exam dates

These dates are based on historical NCA exam scheduling and information published at nca.legal. Always verify the exact dates with the NCA directly before registering. The NCA occasionally adjusts session dates.

Registration closes approximately 6 weeks before the exam session. Late registration may not be available. Register early.
Each subject is a separate exam. You can register for multiple subjects in the same session. Exams are typically scheduled on different days within the session week.
Results take 10–12 weeks. Plan your subject sequencing with this delay in mind — if you need one result to inform whether to register for a follow-up subject, you may need to wait for the next session.
You get 3 attempts per subject before a formal re-assessment is required.
The Indigenous Law competency (mandatory since March 2026) is a separate requirement, not an NCA exam — it can be completed at any time alongside your NCA exams.
LRW (Legal Research and Writing) is separate from the challenge exams and has its own registration and deadline schedule.

See also: NCA Cost Calculator — estimate your total cost to qualify based on number of subjects. · NCA Preparation Checklist — track every milestone from assessment to exam day.

Once you have your NCA Certificate of Qualification, the next step depends on your province. See our province guides: Ontario (LSO) · British Columbia (LSBC) · Alberta (LSA)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many NCA exam sessions are there in 2026?

The NCA runs exam sittings in most months of 2026 (January through November). Each subject is offered on specific dates several times during the year — for example, Administrative Law sits in March, June, August/September and November — rather than in one annual session. Always check nca.legal for the current confirmed schedule.

When do NCA exam results come out?

NCA exam results typically take 10–12 weeks from the exam date. For a January exam, expect results in April. For April exams, expect results in July. Results are published to your NCA portal account and you receive an email notification.

Can I register for multiple NCA exams in one session?

Yes. There is no formal limit on how many subjects you register for in a single session. Most candidates write 2–3 subjects per session. Writing more than 3 significantly increases the risk of failing at least one. Each exam is registered and paid for separately.

What happens if I miss the registration deadline?

Late registration is not always available. If you miss the registration deadline, you will typically need to wait for the next session. Contact the NCA directly if you believe there are exceptional circumstances.

Can I withdraw from an NCA exam after registering?

The NCA has a withdrawal policy with deadlines and associated fees. Check the NCA's current policies at nca.legal — withdrawal close to the exam date may result in forfeiture of the exam fee.

Are NCA exams in-person or online?

NCA exams are online-proctored via MonitorEDU. You write from your own location with a webcam, microphone, and the secure Paradigm Testing browser. Hard copy materials are permitted — no digital notes or internet access during the exam.

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