www.nzcle.org.nz

New Zealand Council of Legal Education

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Law Practice Exams

The New Zealand Law and Practice Examination

The Council requires many overseas applicants to pass all or a number of Parts of an examination on the law of New Zealand.

The Examination consists of a six Part written Examination following a comprehensive self-taught prescription. The exam is held twice a year. Each sitting consists of two days (three Parts per day). The purpose of the Examination is to test the applicant's knowledge of the distinct features of the New Zealand law, and proceeds on the basis that the applicant will already have an understanding of the common law principles in that subject, by virtue of the applicant's overseas law degree.

The Examination covers the areas of Legal System, Contract Law, Criminal Law, Property Law, Torts, and Equity. Each Part consists of one written Examination of 90 minutes duration.

Removal of Temporary Covid-19 Measures − Overseas Venues

Prior to the disruptions of COVID-19, examinations (as per regulations) were either sat in New Zealand or in one venue in the United Kingdom which was determined by the Council.

Owing to the worldwide COVID-19 travel restrictions, the Council implemented temporary measures to allow candidates who did not reside in the United Kingdom or New Zealand to sit the examinations overseas.

Due to the end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency, as of January 2024, the Council will be reverting to examinations sittings being in New Zealand and one venue in the United Kingdom which will be determined by the Council.

2025 Examination Sittings

The next sittings for the NZLP examination will take place on:

• 15 and 16 July 2025
• 11 and 12 November 2025

NZ Sitting

The examination will be held at the following venues: Auckland University, Waikato University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Canterbury, and University of Otago.

The application form and exam schedule will be available closer to the sitting dates.

UK Sitting

The overseas sittings venue will be confirmed in 2025.

The general information brochure and exam schedule can be found at the bottom of this webpage.

Additional Information and Application Forms

General Information (click to download)

Prescription for the Examination 2024 (click to download)

November 2024 application form - New Zealand venues (click to download)

November 2024 application form - Overseas venue (click to download)

2024 Exam Schedule - date and times (click to download)

Schedule of Fees (click to download)

Request for Past Papers (click to download)

For enrolments and administrative enquiries please contact the Examination Administrator Breid Keating at NZLPexam@nzcle.org.nz. For all other enquiries please contact operations@nzcle.org.nz