National and State Specific Certification Options

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I have listed below an assortment of options for paralegal (and related) certification.

Did I miss one? If you are aware of a program which should be added, please e-mail me at lmc@perfectlyparalegal.com and I’d be happy to add it.

I would be happy to discuss the different options in more details if you aren’t sure of the differences or aren’t sure which option is right for you. Feel free to contact me if you need help determining if you qualify or have other questions – if I can’t help you, I will make sure to put you in touch with someone who can.

All links updated/verified 9/8/2021

Nationally Recognized Programs

Certified Paralegal – CP (NALA)

Website: www.nala.org

To be eligible for the Certified Paralegal examination, a paralegal must meet one of the following requirements listed below. The NALA Certifying Board and NALA do not provide nor approve any education that is required for initial certification.

1. Graduation from a paralegal program that is:

(a) Approved by the American Bar Association; or

(b) An associate degree program; or

(c) A post-baccalaureate certificate program in paralegal studies; or

(d) A bachelor’s degree program in paralegal studies; or

(e) A paralegal program which consists of a minimum of 60 semester hours (900 clock hours or 90 quarter hours) of which at least 15 semester hours (225 clock hours or 22.5 quarter hours) are substantive legal courses.

NOTE: Under Category 1(e), an applicant may combine college hours from more than one institution. The applicant must have graduated from a legal assistant/paralegal program consisting of a minimum of 15 semester hours (or 225 clock hours or 22½ quarter hours.) Evidence of the minimum hours required under Category 1(e) must be provided with the application form.

2. A bachelor’s degree in any field plus one year’s experience as a paralegal. Successful completion of at least 15 semester hours (or 22.5 quarter hours or 225 clock hours or equivalent CEU hours) of substantive paralegal courses will be considered equivalent to one year’s experience as a paralegal.

3. A high school diploma or equivalent plus seven (7) years’ experience as a paralegal under the supervision of a member of the Bar, plus evidence of a minimum of twenty (20) hours of continuing legal education credit to have been completed within a two (2) year period prior to the examination date.

Advanced Certified Paralegal – ACP (NALA)

Website: www.nala.org

Advanced Paralegal Certification is available to those with a current Certified Paralegal certification. The advanced certification programs are written with the understanding that a person seeking advanced certification has already mastered the Certified Paralegal examination and has demonstrated knowledge and skills in areas of written communications, legal research, ethics, judgment and legal analysis, the American legal system, as well as general knowledge of business organizations, civil litigation and contracts.

Paralegals that do not have the Certified Paralegal certification are welcome to participate in these advanced programs. The credential will not be awarded, however.

Registered Paralegal – RP (NFPA)

Website: www.paralegals.org

Requirements for a paralegal to take PACE include work experience and education. The paralegal cannot have been convicted of a felony nor be under suspension, termination, or revocation of a certificate, registration, or license by any entity.  Additionally, the candidate’s experience must meet one of the following four options:

1. An associate degree in paralegal studies obtained from an institutionally accredited school, and/or ABA approved paralegal education program; and six (6) years substantive paralegal experience; OR

2. A bachelor degree in any course of study obtained from an institutionally accredited school and three (3) years of substantive paralegal experience; OR

3. A bachelor degree and completion of a paralegal program with an institutionally accredited school, said paralegal program may be embodied in a bachelor’s degree; and two (2) years substantive paralegal experience; OR

4. Four (4) years substantive paralegal experience on or before December 31, 2000.

Core Registered Paralegal – CRP (NFPA)

Website: www.paralegals.org

1. High school diploma or GED, 5 years of experience and 12 hours of CLE, including 1 hour of ethics, taken within 2 years preceding the exam application date; OR

2. Paralegal certificate from a program that meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in NFPA’s Short Term Paralegal Program Position Statement, 1 year of experience and 6 hours of CLE, including 1 hour of ethics, taken within 1 year preceding the exam application date; OR

3. Associate degree in any subject, no paralegal certificate, 1 years of experience and 6 hours of CLE, including 1 hour of ethics, taken within 1 year preceding the exam application date; OR

4. Associate degree in any subject plus a paralegal certificate, no experience or CLE; OR

5. Associate degree in paralegal studies, no experience or CLE required; OR

6. Bachelor degree in any subject, no paralegal certificate, 6 months of experience and 1 hour of ethics, taken within 1 year preceding the exam application date; OR

7. Bachelor degree in any subject plus a paralegal certificate, no experience or CLE; OR

8. Bachelor degree in paralegal studies, no experience or CLE required.

Certified Legal Professional – CLP (NALS)

Website: www.nals.org

(Formerly identified as Professional Legal Secretary or PLS)

Any person who has had a minimum of three years of experience in the legal field may take the examination. Membership in NALS is not a requirement. A partial waiver of the three-year legal experience requirement may be granted for post-secondary degrees, successful completion of the ALP exam, or other certifications. The maximum waiver is one year. All waiver requests must be submitted, in writing, to NALS National Certification and Education Manager.

Professional Paralegal – PP (NALS)

Website: www.nals.org

To be eligible to sit for the Profession Paralegal exam, candidates must meet one of the following criteria:

1. Have five years of experience performing paralegal/legal assistant duties.

2. Be a graduate from an ABA approved Paralegal Program.

3. Hold a Bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies.

4. Be a graduate from an accredited paralegal program which consists of a minimum of 60 semester hours (900 clock hours) of which a minimum of 15 hours (225 clock hours) is substantive law.

5. Hold a Bachelor’s degree in an unrelated field and have one year of experience performing paralegal/legal assistant duties.

Accredited Legal Professional – ALP (NALS)

Website: www.nals.org

To be eligible to sit for the Accredited Legal Professional exam, candidates must meet one of the following criteria:

1. an accredited business/legal course,
2. the NALS Legal Training Course, or
3. one year of general office experience.

Certified E-Discovery Specialist – ACEDS

Website: www.aceds.org

After purchasing the CEDS-certification exam you are immediately eligible to sit for the exam. Candidates have one year from the date of purchase to take and pass the CEDS exam. However, in addition to passing the CEDS exam you must submit the following documentation in order to earn the CEDS credential. Any person who has passed the CEDS exam without completing the supporting documentation will be a CEDS in waiting. CEDS in waiting have a period of up to 90 days of successfully completing the examination to turn in the supporting documentation earning them the CEDS credential.

The following is required to earn the credential CEDS.

1. Document at least 40 CEDS credits in e-discovery and closely related fields based on education, training, and professional certifications in the field.
2. Provide two professional references. You need the contact information for each reference and their relationship to you. The following table explains the three categories in which you are able to obtain CEDS credits. Please note that you must document your credits before earning the CEDS credential.
3. Professional Experience (Maximum 20 credits allowed) – Calculate the percentage of time you spent on e-discovery and related activities in the three (3) consecutive years prior to submission of the CEDS application. Multiply this percentage by 20 credits. (% Time Spent on E-Discovery x 20). This is documented by listing your employer and previous employers as need be along with your job tasks.
4. Education (Maximum 15 credits allowed) – Choose one degree because they are not cumulative. They may be documented by either taking a photo of your degree or submitting your transcripts.

• High School or GED Equivalent – 5 Credits
• Associate degree or equivalent – 7 credits
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent – 10 credits
• Post-graduate degree or Juris Doctor degree – 15 credits

3. Training (Maximum 25 credits allowed) – Web Seminars, Live training, Panels, Internal training, ACEDS training and more can be used to count towards CEDS credits. You must document your training credit(s) by either presenting a certificate of attendance along with the date and length of the course, in hours or by naming the course, instructor, place of event, date and time. Internal training should be documented in the same fashion with the signature of the supervisor who conducted the training.

One (1) CEDS credit is equivalent to 60 minutes of continuous training at one event.

Covers e-discovery and related training within the past three (3) consecutive years prior to submission of the CEDS application.

C. Five (5) credits are allowed for each professional certification that is related or relevant to e-discovery, subject to a maximum of two (2) certifications allowed. (Examples of recognized certifications are: Membership by an attorney in a state bar association, Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Records Manager (CRM), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Legal Assistant (CLA), Certified Paralegal (CP), Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)).

American Alliance of Paralegals Certification Program

Website: www.aapipara.org

I. Education/Experience Criteria: Every paralegal seeking American Alliance certification must possess no less than five (5) years of substantive paralegal experience and meet one (1) of the following three (3) educational criteria:

(a)   A Bachelor or advanced Degree in any discipline from an accredited institution; or

(b)   An Associate Degree in paralegal studies from an ABA approved paralegal program or a program which is a voting institutional member of the American Association for Paralegal Education; or

(c)   A Certificate from an ABA approved paralegal program or a program which is a voting institutional member of the American Association for Paralegal Education.

State Specific Programs

Arizona Legal Document Preparer – LDP  

Website: www.azcourts.gov

How to apply for certification as a legal document preparer:

1.    Check the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration, specifically section § 7-208(E) for  eligibility requirements to ensure that you are eligible for certification.  Click here for ACJA § 7-208.

2.    You must first sit for and pass the examination.  To download the exam schedule and registration form for the Legal Document Preparer (LDP) Knowledge Examination, click here.  Please note that all fees are non-refundable, so be sure to schedule your exam on a day that you can attend as scheduled. There is a study guide that corresponds to the current examination being administered. Please see the link below. The Supreme Court does not provide any preparatory classes or trainings for the exam or the Legal Document Preparer Program in general.

3.    Test results will be mailed to the address you provided to Division staff within 2-4 weeks. An application for initial certification and a fingerprint card will be included if you have successfully passed the exam. If you did not pass, you may send a written request to retake the exam to LDP@courts.az.gov and further instructions will be provided.

4.    Fill out the Initial Certification Application as instructed.  Be sure to include the required picture and fingerprints for the background check. If any further information is needed, Division staff will be in contact with you. Please note that any deficient information or documentation will prolong the application process.

5.    Once the application process is complete, Division staff will present your application during the next scheduled Legal Document Preparer Board meeting for a decision. The decisions made during the Board meeting will be mailed to any and all applicants on the agenda unless the applicant is deferred due to deficient information.   Allow 2-4 months to process applications.

California Certified Paralegal

Website: www.caparalegal.com

Paralegals compliant with Business and Professions Code (“BPC”) Section 6450 et. seq., and 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 and
have worked as a paralegal for a minimum of 4 years .
(A declaration from the supervising attorney(s) asserting the substantive paralegal work experience and MCLE credits as required.)

All 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.

California Legal Document Assistant (LDA)

Website: http://calda.org/

To be eligible to apply for registration under this chapter as a legal document assistant, the applicant shall possess at least one of the following:

1. A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, and either a minimum of two years of law-related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney, or a minimum of two years experience, prior to January 1, 1999, providing self-help service.
2. A baccalaureate degree in any field and either a minimum of one year law-related experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney, or a minimum of one year of experience, prior to January 1, 1999, providing self-help service.
3. A certificate of completion from a paralegal program that is institutionally accredited but not approved by the American Bar Association, that requires successful completion of a minimum of 24 semester units, or the equivalent, in legal specialization courses.
4. A certificate of completion from a paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association.

Delaware Certified Paralegal Program (DCP)

Website: www.deparalegals.org

An applicant seeking DPA certification must be a Full member in good standing of the DPA and meet one of the following five criteria:

1. Bachelor degree in paralegal studies OR a Bachelor degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND a certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal program AND one year of substantive paralegal experience
2. Bachelor degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND two years of substantive paralegal experience
3. An Associate degree in paralegal studies OR a certificate from an ABA-approved paralegal program AND three years of substantive paralegal experience
4. An Associate degree in any discipline from an accredited institution OR a certificate from a non-ABA-approved paralegal program AND four years of substantive paralegal experience
5. Five years of substantive paralegal experience

Florida Certified Paralegal – FCP (PAF)

Website: www.pafinc.org

Participants must have the CP/CLA designation in order to be eligible for the Florida certification.

Florida Registered Paralegal – FRP (Florida Bar)

Website: www.floridabar.org

Rule 20-3.1 – In order to be a Florida Registered Paralegal under this chapter, an individual must meet 1 of the following requirements. (a) Educational and Work Experience Requirements. A person may become a Florida Registered Paralegal by meeting 1 of the following education and paralegal work experience requirements:

(1) a bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an approved paralegal program, plus a minimum of 1 year of paralegal work experience;

(2) a bachelor’s degree or higher degree other than a juris doctorate from an institution accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency approved by the United States Department of Education or the Florida Department of Education, plus a minimum of 3 years of paralegal work experience;

(3) an associate’s degree in paralegal studies from an approved paralegal program, plus a minimum of 2 years of paralegal work experience;

(4) an associate’s degree from an institution accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency approved by the United States Department of Education or the Florida Department of Education, plus a minimum of 4 years of paralegal work experience; or

(5) a juris doctorate degree from an American Bar Association accredited institution, plus a minimum of 1 year of paralegal work experience.

(b) Certification. A person may become a Florida Registered Paralegal by obtaining 1 of the following certifications:

successful completion of the Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE certification as offered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations “NFPA”) and good standing with NFPA; or

successful completion of the Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal examination (CLA/CP certification as offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants “NALA”) and good standing with NALA.

(c) Grandfathering Reapplication. A paralegal who was registered under the grandfathering provision on or prior to March 1, 2011, who resigns or whose registration is revoked may reapply based on work experience alone. The paralegal must provide work experience as defined elsewhere in these rules for 5 of the 8 years immediately preceding the date of reapplication.

Illinois Accredited Paralegal – ILAP

Website: www.ipaonline.org

An individual applying for the ILAP credential must be a Regular Member of IPA, in good
standing, and meet one of the following criteria:

• A Masters degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution AND one (1) year of substantive paralegal experience.
• A Masters degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND a certificate from a paralegal program from an accredited institution AND one (1) year of substantive paralegal experience.
• Masters degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND three (3) years of substantive paralegal experience.
• A Bachelor degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution AND one (1) year of substantive paralegal experience.
• A Bachelor degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND a certificate from a paralegal program from an accredited institution AND one (1) year of substantive paralegal experience.
• A Bachelor degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND three (3) years of substantive paralegal experience.
• An Associate degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution AND two (2) years of substantive paralegal experience.
• An Associate degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND a certificate from a paralegal program from an accredited institution AND two (2) years of substantive paralegal experience.
• An Associate degree in any discipline AND three (3) years of substantive paralegal experience.
• A Certificate in paralegal studies from an accredited institution AND four (4)  years of substantive paralegal experience.
• Five (5) years of substantive paralegal experience.
• Designation of PACE Registered Paralegal (RP), Certified Legal Assistant (CLA), Certified Paralegal (CP) or other paralegal credential approved and recognized by the IPA.

Indiana Registered Paralegal – IRP (Indiana State Bar)

Website: www.inbar.org

The following are requirements for the IRP status:

Currently employed as a Paralegal: Paralegals are those persons, regardless of job title or classification, who are employed by a lawyer, law office, government agency or other entity in Indiana and working under the direction of an attorney in a capacity that involves the performance of substantive legal work that usually requires knowledge of legal concepts, and who perform those duties at least 70 percent of the time. Substantive legal work is defined as work for which an attorney is ultimately responsible, and absent such paralegal, the attorney would perform the task. Affiliate Member of ISBA in good standing for 3 consecutive years.

One of the following:

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 12 hours of undergraduate credit in law or paralegal studies from an institutionally accredited paralegal program;

• Bachelor’s Degree and a Paralegal Certificate from an institutionally accredited paralegal program;

• Bachelor’s Degree from an institutionally accredited program plus at least 2 years of paralegal experience;

• Associate’s Degree in paralegal studies from an institutionally accredited paralegal program plus at least 2 years of paralegal experience;

• Certification in paralegal studies from an institutionally accredited paralegal program plus at least 2 years of paralegal experience;

• Paralegal Advanced Competency Exam (PACE) (as offered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations) and is in good standing;

• Paralegal CORE Competency Exam (PCCE) (as offered by the National Federation of Paralegal Associations) and is in good standing;

• Certified Legal Assistant/ Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) certification (as offered by the National Association of Legal Assistants) and is in good standing.

Certified Kentucky Paralegal – CKP

Website: www.kypa.org

The minimum education requirements for eligibility to take the CKP examination are:

1. Graduation from an ABA approved course of paralegal studies (Official transcript required); or

2. Graduation from a paralegal course of study which is not ABA approved, but is in substantial compliance with ABA approval guidelines (Official transcript required); or

3. Graduation from an appropriately accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in any field (Official transcript required) plus one (1) year of paralegal work experience verified by the supervising lawyer (on form provided with application); or

4. As of May 14, 2012 , a minimum of 5 years work experience as a paralegal performing substantive legal tasks under the supervision and direction of a licensed attorney. Said experience must be attested to by the paralegal’s supervising attorney (on form provided with application) and verified by the Kentucky Paralegal Association Certification Committee.

Any person with a minimum of five (5) years of verifiable work experience as a paralegal, accrued prior to May 14, 2012, will be given constructive credit for the education requirements. Intent to seek constructive credit must be submitted to the CKPP, Inc., on a form provided by the CKPP, Inc.

Applicants must submit documentary verification of completion of education and work experience requirements.

KPA membership is not required to sit for the exam but, once certified, KPA membership is required to maintain CKP status

Louisiana Certified Paralegal – LCP

Website: www.la-paralegals.org

***LCP Certification not available at this time as of 9/8/2021***

To qualify to take the examination you must either:

(1) be a CLA whose credential is current at the time of taking the examination, or

(2) meet one of the following criteria:

Category 1: You must have graduated from one of the paralegal programs that is approved by the American Bar Association or an associate degree program or a post-baccalaureate certificate program in paralegal studies or a bachelor’s degree program in paralegal studies or a paralegal program that consists of a minimum of 60 semester hours of which at least 15 semester hours are substantive legal courses.

Category 2: A bachelor’s degree in any field plus one year’s experience as a paralegal.

Category 3: A high school diploma or equivalent plus seven years’ experience as a paralegal plus a minimum of twenty hours of continuing legal education completed within a two-year period prior to application for the examination.

Minnesota Certified Paralegal – MnCP

Website: www.mnparalegals.org

Indicate the criteria by which you seek registration and complete the application section of this application. You must only complete the section that applies to you. If you are eligible for registration based on more than one criteria, chose one criteria under which you wish to register. If your criteria is education and work experience, you must complete both the education and work experience sections. If your qualifying criteria is certification, you must complete the certification and work experience sections. With either qualifying criteria, the attesting attorney(s) must complete the attorney attestation form included with the application or evidence of other qualifying employment.

1. The applicant has obtained an associate’s degree in paralegal studies or an equivalent paralegal certificate from an ABA Approved or institutionally accredited educational institution and has 4 years of substantive paralegal experience.

2. The applicant has obtained a baccalaureate degree in paralegal studies from an ABA approved or institutionally accredited educational institution and has 2 years of substantive paralegal experience.

3. The applicant has received a baccalaureate degree in any discipline from an accredited educational institution, has obtained a post-­‐baccalaureate certificate in paralegal studies from an ABA approved or institutionally accredited educational institution, and has 2 years of substantive paralegal experience.

4. The applicant has received a baccalaureate degree in any discipline from an accredited educational institution, and has 4 years of substantive paralegal experience.

5. The applicant is a PACE Registered Paralegal.

6. The applicant is a CORE Registered Paralegal (NFPA) or Certified Paralegal.

New Jersey Certified Paralegal

Website: www.sjpaparalegals.org

*** Website unavailable when checked on 9/8/2021*

North Carolina Certified Paralegal

Website: www.nccertifiedparalegal.org

To become a NC Certified Paralegal you must fulfill the educational requirements of Subchapter G, Certification of Paralegals, Rule .0119(a) of the Plan for Paralegal Certification and successfully pass the certification examination:

To qualify to sit for the certification examination, an applicant must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Be a legal resident of the United States.

2. Education. The applicant must have earned one of the following:

(a) an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree from a qualified paralegal studies program;

(b) a certificate from a qualified paralegal studies program and an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in any discipline from any institution of post-secondary education that is accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education (an accredited US institution) or an equivalent degree from a foreign educational institution if the degree is determined to be equivalent to a degree from an accredited US institution by an organization that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE). You can check the ABA website to see if your school is approved by the ABA. There is also a listing of NC Qualified Paralegal Studies Programs on our website; or

(c) a juris doctorate degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

Ohio State Bar Association Paralegal Certification Program

Website: www.ohiobar.org

The OSBA offers a voluntary credentialing program for paralegals. Individuals meeting the OSBA definition of “paralegal,” meeting the eligibility requirements and passing a written examination will be designated as an “OSBA Certified Paralegal.” This credential, along with a logo provided for the purpose may be used by the paralegal to the extent permitted by the Supreme Court of Ohio’s Rules for the Government of the Bar and Rules of Professional Conduct.

Pennsylvania Certified Paralegal Program

Website: www.keystoneparalegals.org

Qualifications

To become a Pennsylvania Certified Paralegal, an individual must satisfy each of the following criteria as well as one of the criteria under the Educational Requirements:

Applicant must be a legal resident of the United States of America; and

Applicant must satisfy one of the criteria set forth under Educational Requirements; and

All years of substantive paralegal experience under Educational Requirements shall be consecutive; and

Applicant must submit a declaration from an attorney in good standing who will attest to his/her direct knowledge of the Applicant’s skill level and his/her work as a Paralegal; and

Applicant must be currently employed as a Paralegal pursuant to the definition established and approved by the Keystone Alliance of Paralegal Associations.

Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization

website: http://www.tbls-bcp.org/

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) offers an examination to certify paralegals in certain specialty areas of law. Those specialty areas of law are: Personal Injury Law, Civil Trial Law, Family Law, Real Estate Law, Estate Planning and Probate Law, and Criminal Law. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) sets the requirements to be eligible to sit for this examination. The application period begins each year in January and the test is administered in the Fall of each year. To learn more, please visit their website.

Virginia Registered Paralegal – VARP

Website: http://www.vaparalegalalliance.org/varp/

An individual applying for the VARP™ credential must be a voting member of any VAPA member association and/or liaison of VAPA, in good standing, and meet at least one of the following criteria:

• A Bachelor’s degree in paralegal studies from an accredited institution AND one (1) year of substantive paralegal experience; or
• A Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND a certificate from an institutionally accredited paralegal program AND one (1) year of substantive paralegal experience; or
• A Bachelor’s degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND three (3) years of substantive paralegal experience; or
• A Bachelor’s degree in any subject AND a paralegal certificate from any paralegal program not institutionally accredited AND two (2) years of substantive paralegal experience; or
• An Associate’s degree in paralegal studies AND two (2) years of substantive paralegal experience; or
• A Certificate from an institutionally accredited paralegal program AND three (3) years of substantive paralegal experience; or
• An Associate’s degree in any discipline from an accredited institution AND four (4) years of substantive paralegal experience; or
• A Certificate from a paralegal program not institutionally accredited AND four (4) years of substantive paralegal experience; or
• Five (5) years of substantive paralegal experience AND six (6) hours of Continuing Legal Education taken within the preceding two years before application for VARP™ registration. At least one (1) of the six (6) hours being in ethics; or
• A Certified Paralegal (i.e., CLA, CLAS, ACP, CP, CRP, and/or RP) in good standing or other paralegal credential approved and recognized by VAPA.

Washington State Limited License Legal Technician Program (LLLT)

website: http://www.wsba.org/licensing-and-lawyer-conduct/limited-licenses/legal-technicians

All applicants for licensure as a Limited License Legal Technician must meet certain requirements and take and pass the Legal Technician exam.

To apply, you must complete three education requirements:

• An associate-level degree or higher.
• 45 credit hours of core curriculum through an ABA-approved law school or ABA-approved paralegal program.
• Practice area courses with curriculum developed by an ABA-approved law school.

Core Curriculum Requirement

To satisfy the 45 credit hours of core curriculum requirement, you must take the following seven courses at an ABA-approved legal studies program:

• Civil Procedure, minimum 8 credits.
• Contracts, minimum 3 credits.
• Interviewing and Investigation Techniques, minimum 3 credits.
• Introduction to Law and Legal Process, minimum 3 credits.
• Law Office Procedures and Technology, minimum 3 credits.
• Legal Research, Writing, and Analysis, minimum 8 credits.
• Professional Responsibility, minimum 3 credits.

Please visit their website for additional requirement information.

Washington State Limited Practice Officer (LPO)

website: http://www.wsba.org/Licensing-and-Lawyer-Conduct/Limited-Licenses/Limited-Practice-Officers

A limited practice officer, or LPO, is a person certified by the Washington Supreme Court under rule 12 of the Admission to Practice Rules (APR). Although not a lawyer, an LPO is authorized to select, prepare, and complete documents in a form previously approved by the Limited Practice Board for use in closing a loan, extension of credit, sale, or other transfer of real or personal property.

Part of the application process for becoming a licensed limited practice officer is passing the LPO exam. The exam is given twice a year in both Seattle and Spokane. It consists of 50 multiple-choice questions, two to four essay questions, and a problem section in which a sample closing transaction is completed. Four hours are allotted for the exam.

Please visit their website for additional requirement information.

State Bar of Wisconsin Certified Paralegal

Website: https://www.wisbar.org/Paralegal/Pages/default.aspx

All paralegal program applicants must:

• Be employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, or agency
• Be directly supervised by a Wisconsin-licensed lawyer
• Consent to a criminal history background check
• Meet the program’s education OR experience requirements