Exam FAQ
Who is eligible to take the CCP Exam? California paralegals compliant with Business and Professions Code ("BPC") Section 6450 et. seq., and must meet one of the following education requirements:
1. The applicant has a Certificate of Completion in paralegal studies from an American Bar Association (ABA) approved paralegal program. (Search for ABA-approved paralegal programs)
2. The applicant has a Certificate of Completion in paralegal studies at, or a degree (associates or baccalaureate degree) from, a postsecondary institution that requires the successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester, or equivalent, units in law-related courses and that has been accredited by a national or regional accrediting organization or approved by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education.
3. The applicant has a baccalaureate degree or an advanced degree, in any discipline from, an accredited educational institution, has four (4) years of substantive paralegal experience, and has completed the required minimum number of MCLE (Mandatory Continuing Legal Education) credits pursuant to BPC § 6450(d) prior to submission of the application.
“Substantive paralegal experience” shall mean work requiring recognition, evaluation, organization, analysis, and communications of relevant facts and legal concepts that would have been performed by an attorney, and have worked at least eighty (80%) percent of that time as a paralegal for a minimum of 4 years. (A detailed verification letter from the supervising attorney(s) asserting the substantive paralegal work experience and MCLE.)
All California applicants must be compliant as to the required minimum number of MCLE (Mandatory Continuing Legal Education) credits required by BPC § 6450(d) prior to submission of the application.
What if I am a student in a current paralegal program, can I apply for the CCP Exam? California students may apply to sit for the CCP Exam after graduation from an ABA-approved or an accredited educational institution confirmed by the CCP Certification Program.
What is the cost of the CCP Exam? Please access the current CCP Exam Fee Schedule and the CCP Exam Registration and Application form provided online at www.caparalegal.org, Certification Tab. All fees are non-refundable.
When and where will the CCP Exam be administered? CAPA will be offering the CCP Exam multiple times a year in northern, central, and southern California. Please check the above CAPA website, Certification, Exam Registration Tab, for future 2024 dates and locations.
What areas will be tested on the CCP Exam? Section 1—Core Paralegal Competencies: Communications, California Legal System, Legal Research, and Legal Terminology; Section 2—Ethics, California Rules of Professional Conduct, Business and Professions Code Section 6450 et. seq. , and Judgment and Analytical Skills; and Section 3—Substantive Law: Civil Litigation; Corporate Law, Criminal Law, Employment Law, Family Law, Probate & Trust Law, and Real Estate Law.
What types of questions will be asked? The CCP Exam is a written test consisting of 200 multiple choice and true/false questions. Questions in the exam may not be equally distributed among the different areas of law.
Is there a study guide? Yes, a current CCP Study Guide is available for purchase on CAPA’s website, Certification Tab. An electronic Study Guide will be delivered within 24-48 hours of receipt of payment. If revision or update is made by CAPA prior to your CCP Exam Date, a complimentary current version will be uploaded to their profile account.
When will I receive my CCP Exam results? Examinees must achieve a cumulative score of 75% to pass the CCP Exam. Examinees will receive their PASS/FAIL results by email notification from the CCP Certification Program within 30 days of taking the CCP Exam. Paralegals that have successfully passed the CCP Exam will then be required to pay their Certification Fee within 15 days of receiving their Notification. Once payment is received, the Certificate of Designation will be sent to the CCP. At that time, the CCP credential can be used following their name.
What if I receive a FAIL CCP Exam result? Examinee who receives a Fail result may: 1) appeal within 15 days of Notification by submitting an online Hand Score Request Form to the CCP Committee who have designated a neutral third party to review the CCP Exam taken and determine if there was an error in the grading of the CCP Exam, and/or, 2) retake the CCP Exam. All Examinees are required to submit a Retake Application and CCP Exam Registration, with all applicable fees.
What is required to maintain the CCP credential? The CCP must attend a minimum of 30 hours of general law MCLE credit, and 10 hours of legal ethics credit, for a combined total of 40 hours, every 5 years. In addition to tracking each of their two (2) two-year and one (1) year of California Compliance credits, they must submit copies of all Certificates of Attendance or Completion of all verifiable California MCLE credits, and the applicable CCP Renewal of Certification Fees.
CAPA’s website provides a CCP Fee Schedule for informational purposes. Always access the current form, request or online application for all related fees; administration, examination, registration, or renewal, and any further information or instructions. All fees provided here are subject to change without notice at CAPA’s discretion. All fees are non-refundable.
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