LSAT break time is one short, high-stakes pause: a single 10-minute intermission between Section 2 and Section 3, governed by surprisingly strict rules. Mishandle it — by checking your phone, missing the return clock, or burning the break replaying earlier questions — and you can lose your score before Section 3 even loads.
LSAT break time is unusually simple by exam standards: a single 10-minute intermission, scheduled at exactly one point in the test, and applied identically to in-person and remote-proctored modalities. There are no breaks between Sections 1 and 2, no break before Section 4, and no provision for an early return.
The LSAT 10-minute intermission falls between Section 2 and Section 3. The first two sections run back-to-back without a formal break, so your first reset moment is roughly an hour and ten minutes into the test. Section 3 will not begin until the full 10-minute window has elapsed, regardless of when you return to your desk.
Every standard test taker receives exactly 10 minutes. An onscreen timer counts down the intermission so you can pace yourself, and the system will not start Section 3 a moment sooner. The break is mandatory in length, not just maximum — you cannot reclaim the unused time as bonus testing minutes.
Even if you are back at your computer within three minutes, Section 3 will not launch until the timer reaches zero. LSAC designs the intermission as a fixed reset window, so attempting to shortcut it is pointless. Use the full 10 minutes deliberately instead of treating it as a race.
| Stage | Duration | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Check-in and proctor verification | 15–30 min (varies) | ID check, room scan, candidate agreement |
| Section 1 | 35 min | Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension |
| Section 2 | 35 min | Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension |
| 10-Minute Intermission | 10 min | Bathroom, snack, mental reset — the only standard break |
| Section 3 | 35 min | Multiple-choice section (may be the experimental) |
| Section 4 | 35 min | Multiple-choice section (may be the experimental) |
| LSAT Argumentative Writing | 50 min (taken separately) | Completed at home up to one year after the multiple-choice test |
The LSAT 10-minute intermission has the same rules whether you test in person or remotely. LSAC publishes a strict policy on what counts as authorized activity, and proctors continue monitoring throughout the break. The single most common reason for unintentional violations is the assumption that "no phones during the test" implies "phones are fine on the break." It does not.
You may step away from your computer to use the restroom, eat or drink something, stretch, pace, do light movement, or sit quietly and breathe. On the remote LSAT, you can briefly move out of camera view to access snacks or use the bathroom, as long as your camera and microphone remain on and unobstructed. In-person test takers can access their assigned locker for food and water during the intermission only.
| Activity | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Use the restroom | Allowed | Notify proctor before leaving the testing area |
| Eat or drink | Allowed | Off-desk at in-person centers; out of camera frame for remote |
| Stretch, pace, or do light exercise | Allowed | Stay within camera view on remote LSAT |
| Access a phone, smartwatch, or tablet | Prohibited | Can result in session termination |
| Work on scratch paper or notes | Prohibited | Treated as accessing test material |
| Discuss the test with anyone | Prohibited | Triggers misconduct review |
| Have another person enter the room (remote) | Prohibited | Session may be terminated |
| Turn off your camera (remote) | Prohibited | Triggers test termination |
LSAC's prohibitions on the intermission are broader than most test takers expect. You cannot access any electronic device — including phones, smartwatches, or tablets — and that holds whether the device is in your pocket, on a table, or in another room you walk through. You cannot work on scratch paper, review previous sections, or discuss the test with anyone, including someone in your home. Any of these can lead to session termination, score cancellation, or a referral to LSAC's misconduct subcommittee.
A handful of activities are only allowed with an LSAC-approved accommodation: keeping food or medication at your workstation, using a specific electronic medical device, or taking additional breaks between sections. If you have any of these needs, request the accommodation well before the published deadline — they cannot be granted on test day.
The mechanics of starting and ending the LSAT intermission are not optional. Skipping the proctor notification or returning without going through recheck-in can flag your session for review or end it outright. LSAC has built the procedure to keep the test secure, and you are responsible for following each step.
When the intermission timer begins, notify your proctor that you are taking the break and wait for acknowledgement before leaving the testing area. On the remote LSAT, that means messaging the proctor through the chat window and waiting for a response. Do not stand up, turn off your camera, or walk away before the proctor confirms.
Aim to be back at your desk with at least 60 seconds remaining on the intermission timer — this is the cushion that protects you from a last-second scramble. Click the "Continue to Step 2" button to signal that you are ready, then wait while the proctor completes a fresh room rescan and reverifies your photo ID. Once that recheck-in is complete, Section 3 will begin automatically.
On the remote LSAT, expect the proctor to ask you to pan the room with your webcam, show your desk and surroundings, and hold up your government-issued photo ID. Once the room is rescanned, you should not leave the camera view again, because that would require another rescan and eat into your testing time.
Worked Example: Notifying the Proctor on a Remote LSAT
You finish Section 2 on the remote LSAT and want to use the bathroom and grab a snack during the 10-minute intermission. Here is the exact step-by-step you should follow.
The intermission is your only chance during the LSAT to reset both physically and mentally before the second half of a long, mentally demanding test. Treat the 10 minutes as a structured routine, not idle time. Test takers who consistently report strong second halves describe a near-identical pattern: stand up, move, refuel, reset, return.
The LSAT is exhausting in a way most tests are not — back-to-back 35-minute sections of dense reading and tight pacing leave your body stiff and your focus flagging. Even gentle movement during the break boosts blood flow and combats fatigue. Many high-scorers describe doing pushups, jumping jacks, or sun salutations during the break specifically for the oxygenation and endorphin bump.
Choose foods that deliver fast carbohydrates without weighing you down: a banana, granola bar, or a small piece of chocolate works well. Avoid anything heavy, greasy, or unfamiliar — test day is not the time to experiment. Hydrate moderately. A few sips of water and a small snack is the goal; chugging an entire bottle of water creates a separate problem you will regret in Section 4.
The single hardest discipline of the break is refusing to re-litigate Sections 1 and 2. Whatever you did is done — replaying it burns the mental energy you need for Sections 3 and 4. Five deep diaphragmatic breaths, a brief stretch, and a deliberate "the first two sections are closed" mental cue are far more useful than a post-mortem.
Worked Example: A Minute-by-Minute Break Routine
You finish Section 2 feeling drained and slightly behind pace. You have 10 minutes to reset before Sections 3 and 4. Here is a structured way to spend those minutes.
LSAC's penalties for break-time violations are not warnings — they are immediate. Three categories of mistakes show up repeatedly in misconduct cases, and any one of them can end your test or void your score.
The most direct path to a terminated session is failing to complete the recheck-in process before the 10-minute window expires. Once that happens, your test ends — no refund, no second chance that day. You will need to register for a future LSAT administration to retake the exam.
Phones, smartwatches, tablets, fitness trackers, earbuds, and anything else that connects to a network are prohibited during the intermission. Proctors monitor on camera and microphone throughout, and a device sighting can end the session on the spot. Even an accidental glance at a smartwatch can trigger a review.
Working on scratch paper, discussing the test with anyone, or letting another person enter your remote testing area can trigger a referral to LSAC's subcommittee on misconduct and irregularities. Even when the test session is not terminated on the spot, your scores can be flagged, delayed, or invalidated during review.
LSAT break accommodations apply to test takers who have been approved for additional testing time. The default 10-minute intermission still applies, but additional breaks become available — usually in exchange for filing the right paperwork before the accommodation deadline.
| Break Type | When It Occurs | Length | Who Gets It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard intermission | After Section 2 | 10 minutes | All test takers |
| Additional break (after Section 1) | Between Sections 1 and 2 | 5 minutes (optional, on request) | Approved for 100%+ additional time |
| Additional break (after Section 3) | Between Sections 3 and 4 | 5 minutes (optional, on request) | Approved for 100%+ additional time |
| Stop/start break time | Any time during test day | Up to 60 minutes total (August 2025+) | Accommodated test takers with stop/start approval |
Test takers approved for 100% additional time or more can request optional 5-minute breaks after Sections 1 and 3, on top of the standard 10-minute intermission. These are not automatic — you must request them by the published accommodation deadline. If granted, they give you a brief reset window between every pair of sections.
The combined total of testing time plus break time on any single LSAT test day may not exceed 8 hours. Beginning with the August 2025 LSAT, stop/start break time is also capped at 60 minutes per test day. If your approved accommodations would push the combined total beyond 8 hours, LSAC will administratively split your test across two testing days.
Additional break accommodations must be requested through the same LSAC process as any other testing accommodation, supported by documentation, and submitted by the published deadline for the test administration you are registering for. Do not assume that a prior accommodation in another exam automatically transfers — confirm directly with LSAC.
Common situations students worry about during the intermission, and what LSAC's rules say should happen.
Pick a common situation and see exactly what happens — and what to do.
The questions students search most often about LSAT break time, answered with current LSAC policy.