SQE vs LPC: which route applies to you?

Which route applies to you?

The SQE is now the standard route to becoming a solicitor in England and Wales. You can only qualify through the Legal Practice Course (LPC) route if you meet the SRA’s transitional requirements – and only until 31 December 2032. (SRA, LPC transitional requirements) After 2032, the SQE is the only route.

According to the SRA, you can qualify through the LPC route if you:

• completed the Common Professional Examination or Graduate Diploma in Law (accepted before 1 September 2021);
• accepted an offer for a qualifying law degree or exempting law degree by 21 September 2021, started the course before 31 December 2021 and have graduated; or
• deferred a qualifying or exempting law degree offer for 2020/21 and started the course by 31 August 2022.

If you began a qualifying law degree in September 2022 or later, you are not eligible for the transitional arrangements and cannot take the LPC: the SQE is your only route. (SRA, LPC transitional requirements) If you started a training contract (period of recognised training) before 1 September 2021, you can continue on the LPC route. (SRA, SQE Q&A) The rules are set out in regulation 11 of the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations; if your case is borderline, check them or ask the SRA.

SQE route and LPC route compared

Sources for the table: the SRA’s SQE route and LPC route pages. (SRA, SQE route) (SRA, LPC transitional requirements) (SRA, pathways to qualification)

Does the LPC exempt you from the SQE?

No. Having the LPC does not give you any exemption from the SQE assessments. (SRA, LPC transitional requirements) If you switch to the SQE route, you sit SQE1 and SQE2 like any other candidate. There is one combination, described next, in which an LPC graduate qualifies without sitting SQE1 – but that is still the LPC route, not an exemption.

The middle path: LPC plus QWE plus SQE2

If you have started or passed the LPC but have no training contract, you can use two years’ qualifying work experience and a pass in SQE2 as an equivalent to the period of recognised training. You must pass the LPC, record two years’ full-time (or equivalent) QWE and pass SQE2. You do not need to sit SQE1, complete a training contract, take the Professional Skills Course or validate your degree, and you are admitted under the LPC route. (SRA, QWE and SQE2 instead of a training contract)

There is no fee for the application itself, but you pay for SQE2 (SRA, QWE and SQE2 instead of a training contract) – £3,086 at the 2026/27 fee. (SRA news release, 21 April 2026) The same 31 December 2032 deadline applies. (SRA, pathways to qualification)

The SRA adds a warning: SQE2 pass rates of LPC graduates have been lower than those of the wider cohort, and it has reminded LPC graduates that the SQE is more demanding than the LPC. It publishes this comparison:

Source: (SRA, LPC transitional requirements). The SRA’s own conclusion: sitting SQE2 on top of LPC fees means more cost, and “it may be better not to do an LPC but to take the SQE route”. (SRA, LPC transitional requirements)

Should you start the LPC now?

Most LPC providers have stopped offering the course because demand has fallen, and only a few are authorised to deliver it in 2026/27. Before starting, the SRA suggests asking three questions (SRA, LPC transitional requirements):

1. Can you finish and qualify by December 2032? The LPC allows five years for completion, but places are limited – check your provider’s timelines and resit deadlines.
2. Can you get a training contract? There are fewer periods of recognised training, and most training contracts are now for qualifying work experience on the SQE route.
3. Would QWE plus SQE2 be the realistic alternative? If so, compare the total cost and the SQE2 pass rates above with going straight to the SQE route.

Other situations

• You completed a training contract but not the LPC: you can use the training contract as QWE and pass SQE1 and SQE2, or apply under Equivalent Means. (SRA, LPC transitional requirements)
• You started the LPC more than five years ago: both stages must be completed within five years; your provider may consider an extension in exceptional circumstances. Otherwise you can qualify through the SQE or use Equivalent Means. (SRA, LPC transitional requirements)
• You are qualified in another jurisdiction: different rules apply. See our guide to SQE for lawyers qualified outside England and Wales.

If the SQE route is yours: what comes next

On the SQE route you need SQE1, which tests functioning legal knowledge across 14 subject and practice areas, including ethics. (SRA blog, 24 September 2026) Start with what FLK1 and FLK2 cover, check the 2027 sitting dates, and see where you stand with the free SQE1 quick test. Our SQE1 course covers FLK1, FLK2 and ethics.

High Performer Certs is an independent study platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and it is not authorised or accredited by the SRA or the SQE assessment provider. The SQE and SOLICITORS QUALIFYING EXAMINATION trade marks are the property of and are used under licence from the Solicitors Regulation Authority.