CLAT 2027 Registration: 9 Simple Steps to a Mistake-Free Application Form

Last updated: July 3, 2026

Quick Answer: CLAT 2027 registration opens on consortiumofnlus.ac.in in the first week of August 2026 (expected 1 August) and closes around 31 October 2026. The exam is on Sunday, 6 December 2026, from 2 PM to 4 PM. The fee is Rs 4,000 for General category and Rs 3,500 for SC/ST/BPL candidates. One registration covers all 24 participating NLUs.

Key Takeaways

• The official notification is expected around 15-16 July 2026 from the Consortium of NLUs.
• Registration window: August 1 to October 31, 2026 (based on last year’s pattern).
• CLAT 2027 exam date: Sunday, 6 December 2026, offline, pen-and-paper, 2-4 PM (a 2-hour, 120-question paper).
• One form covers all 24 NLUs that accept CLAT. NLU Delhi does NOT accept CLAT, it uses AILET.
• Minimum eligibility: 45% in Class 12 (40% for SC/ST). No upper age limit.
• Class 12 appearing students can register. So can gap-year candidates.
• Fee is non-refundable. Pay carefully.
• Photo and signature specs are strict. Wrong uploads = form rejection.
• Your NLU preference order matters a lot. Change it before the deadline if needed.

What Is the CLAT 2027 Registration Process?

CLAT 2027 registration is the official application process through which students apply for admission to undergraduate LLB and postgraduate LLM programs at 24 National Law Universities across India. You fill one single form on consortiumofnlus.ac.in, pay the fee, and list your preferred NLUs in order of preference. That’s it. One form, one exam, up to 24 colleges.

The Consortium of NLUs conducts CLAT centrally, which means you don’t apply to each NLU separately. Your rank from the CLAT exam determines which NLU you get into, based on the preference order you submitted during registration. So yes, filling the form correctly the first time really does matter.

For students aiming at top NLUs like NLSIU Bangalore, NALSAR Hyderabad, or WBNUJS Kolkata, the registration form is step one. And we’ve seen students lose their shot at a dream college not because of a bad score, but because of a careless mistake in the form. Let’s make sure that’s not you.

Next up: the exact dates you need to mark in your calendar right now.

When Does CLAT 2027 Registration Start?

CLAT 2027 registration is expected to open in the first week of August 2026, based on last year’s pattern. The Consortium of NLUs typically releases the official notification a couple of weeks before registration begins, so keep an eye on consortiumofnlus.ac.in from mid-July onwards.

When Will the CLAT 2027 Notification Be Released?

The official CLAT 2027 notification is expected around 15-16 July 2026 from the Consortium of NLUs. This notification confirms the exam date, fee structure, eligibility rules, and the registration window. Until the notification drops, all dates are based on last year’s pattern. We’ll update this page the moment the official notice is out.

What Is the Last Date to Apply for CLAT 2027?

The last date for CLAT 2027 registration is expected to be around 31 October 2026, based on last year’s pattern. The Consortium typically keeps the window open for about three months, but don’t wait until the last week. Servers get slow, documents go missing, and payment failures happen. Our mentors at Lawgic always tell students: aim to submit by mid-October at the latest.

CLAT 2027 Timeline at a Glance

Event	Expected Date
Official Notification	~15-16 July 2026
Registration Opens	~1 August 2026
Last Date to Register	~31 October 2026
Admit Card Release	~Late November 2026
CLAT 2027 Exam	Sunday, 6 December 2026 (2-4 PM)

All dates except the exam date are based on last year’s pattern and subject to official confirmation.

Now let’s check whether you’re actually eligible to apply.

Who Is Eligible for CLAT 2027?

CLAT 2027 eligibility for the UG program requires a minimum of 45% marks in Class 12 (40% for SC/ST candidates), with no upper age limit. Students currently appearing in Class 12 board exams (CBSE, ICSE, or any State board) are also eligible to apply.

What Is the Minimum Percentage Required for CLAT UG?

The minimum percentage for CLAT UG is 45% in Class 12 for General, OBC, PWD, and NRI candidates. SC/ST candidates need 40%. This applies to your final Class 12 result. If you’re still in Class 12, you apply based on your expected performance, but you’ll need to submit your final marksheet during counselling.

Is There an Age Limit for CLAT 2027?

There is no upper age limit for CLAT 2027. The Consortium of NLUs removed the age cap a few years ago, so whether you’re 17 or 27, you can apply. This is great news for gap-year students and working professionals considering a law career.

Can Class 11, Class 12 or Gap-Year Students Apply?

Class 12 appearing students can absolutely register for CLAT 2027. Class 11 students cannot, since the eligibility requires completion or near-completion of Class 12. Gap-year students are fully eligible as long as they meet the percentage criteria. Many of our students at Lawgic are gap-year aspirants, and they often have a real advantage because they’ve had more time to prepare.

What Are the CLAT PG Eligibility Rules?

For CLAT PG (LLM admission), you need an LLB degree or an equivalent law degree with a minimum of 50% marks (45% for SC/ST). If you’re in your final year of LLB, you can apply provisionally. CLAT PG is a separate paper with a different syllabus, and the CLAT UG program at Lawgic focuses specifically on the UG track.

Eligibility sorted? Great. Let’s talk money.

How Much Is the CLAT 2027 Application Fee?

The CLAT 2027 application fee is Rs 4,000 for General category candidates and Rs 3,500 for SC/ST and BPL category candidates. Payment is online only, and the fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.

Category-Wise Fee Breakdown

Category	Application Fee
General / OBC / NRI / PWD	Rs 4,000
SC / ST / BPL	Rs 3,500

Fee amounts are based on last year’s pattern. Confirm on the official portal once the notification is released.

Is the CLAT Application Fee Refundable?

No. The CLAT application fee is completely non-refundable. If you pay and then decide not to appear, or if you’re found ineligible later, the fee will not be returned. This is exactly why you should double-check your eligibility before paying.

Which Payment Methods Work Best?

The Consortium of NLUs accepts online payment only. You can pay via UPI, net banking, or debit/credit card. UPI (Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm) tends to be the smoothest option for most students. If your payment fails, wait 24 hours and check your bank account before trying again. Duplicate payments have happened, and getting a refund for those is a slow process.

Now let’s get your documents ready before you even open the form.

Which Documents Do You Need for the CLAT 2027 Application Form?

You need a passport-size photograph, a scanned signature, and category/domicile certificates if applicable. Having these ready before you start filling the form saves a lot of frustration.

Photograph and Signature Specifications

Your photograph must be:

• Recent, passport-size, on a plain white or light background
• Clear face, no glasses, no cap
• File format: JPG/JPEG, size typically under 50 KB

Your signature must be:

• Signed in black or blue ink on white paper
• Scanned clearly, no smudging
• File format: JPG/JPEG

This is one of the top three fields where our mentors see rejections every single year. Students upload blurry photos, photos with busy backgrounds, or signatures that are too faint to read. Spend five minutes getting this right.

Category, PWD and Domicile Certificates

If you belong to SC, ST, OBC, BPL, or PWD category, you’ll need to upload the relevant certificate. Here’s the thing our mentors flag every August: check the validity date on your caste certificate before you start the form. Many states issue certificates with a validity period, and an expired certificate gets rejected during document verification.

One of our students last year, Priya from Lucknow, had everything ready in October but her caste certificate had expired in September. She had to rush to the tehsil office, and it was a stressful two weeks. She made it, thankfully. But don’t put yourself in that position. Get your certificates verified in August itself.

DigiLocker is a good place to check if your documents are digitally available. But always keep physical copies too.

Let’s now walk through the actual form-filling process, step by step.

How Do You Fill the CLAT 2027 Application Form?

Filling the CLAT 2027 application form involves creating an account on the official portal, entering your personal and academic details, uploading documents, and paying the fee. Here are the 9 steps:

1. Create your account on consortiumofnlus.ac.in using your mobile number. An OTP will be sent for verification. Use a mobile number you actively use, all future communication goes there.

2. Fill in personal details, name (exactly as in your Class 10 certificate), date of birth, gender, address, and parent/guardian information.

3. Enter academic details, your Class 12 board (CBSE/ICSE/State board), school name, year of passing or expected year, and percentage or predicted percentage.

4. Select your category, General, SC, ST, OBC, BPL, PWD, or NRI. Choose correctly. Changing this later is difficult.

5. Enter your NLU preference order, this is where you rank all 24 participating NLUs from most preferred to least preferred. More on this below.

6. Pick your exam centre, you’ll get a list of cities. Choose the one closest to you. Based on last year’s pattern, you can typically select up to three preferences.

7. Upload your documents, photograph, signature, and any category/domicile certificates.

8. Pay the application fee, via UPI, net banking, or card. Save the payment confirmation screenshot.

9. Review and submit, read every field one more time before hitting submit. Download and save the confirmation page.

How Should You Order Your NLU Preferences?

Your NLU preference order should reflect your genuine first choice at the top, going down to your least preferred. NLSIU Bangalore and NALSAR Hyderabad are typically the top two choices for most students. But think about what matters to you: location, specialisation, campus life, placement records.

NLU Jodhpur, RMLNLU Lucknow, GNLU Gandhinagar, and WBNUJS Kolkata are all excellent choices depending on your priorities. Use our CLAT college predictor to see which NLUs you’re realistically targeting based on your mock test scores.

One critical point: NLU Delhi does NOT participate in CLAT. It conducts its own entrance exam called AILET. This confuses a lot of students every year. You won’t find NLU Delhi in your preference list on the CLAT portal, and that’s correct. If you want NLU Delhi, you need to register separately for AILET.

How Do You Choose Your Exam Centre?

Pick the exam centre city closest to your home. Travelling long distances on exam day adds unnecessary stress. If your city has a centre, choose it first. Based on last year’s pattern, students can list multiple city preferences, and the Consortium tries to accommodate the first preference. Confirm your allotted centre on your admit card when it’s released.

What Are the 7 Most Common CLAT Registration Mistakes?

These are the mistakes our mentors see repeatedly every August and October. Avoid all seven.

• Wrong name spelling, your name on the form must match your Class 10 board certificate exactly. Even a missing middle name can cause issues at counselling.
• Incorrect category selection, selecting General when you’re SC/ST means you pay a higher fee AND lose reservation benefits. You can’t fix this easily after submission.
• Expired category certificate, as we mentioned with Priya’s story above, check the validity date before you upload.
• Bad photo upload, coloured backgrounds, sunglasses, or low-resolution photos get rejected.
• Careless NLU preference order, some students list NLUs randomly without researching. Your preference order is binding during counselling.
• Not saving the payment receipt, if a technical glitch shows your payment as failed but money was deducted, you’ll need this proof.
• Waiting until the last week, the portal slows down significantly in the last few days before the deadline. Submit early.

Can You Edit the CLAT Application Form After Submission?

Yes, the Consortium of NLUs typically opens a correction window after the initial registration period closes, based on last year’s pattern. During this window, you can edit certain fields like your exam centre preference and NLU preference order. However, changes to category, name, and date of birth are usually not allowed after submission.

So the rule is: get it right the first time. Use the correction window only if something genuinely needs fixing, not as a backup plan for careless mistakes.

Our online CLAT coaching mentors review student forms during the registration period. It’s one of the small but real ways we support students beyond just teaching the syllabus.

What Happens After You Submit the Form?

After submitting your CLAT 2027 registration form, you’ll receive a confirmation email and SMS on your registered contact details. Save the application number, you’ll need it for everything that follows, including downloading your admit card and checking your result.

When Does the CLAT 2027 Admit Card Arrive?

The CLAT 2027 admit card is expected to be released in late November 2026, based on last year’s pattern. You’ll download it from consortiumofnlus.ac.in using your application number and password. The admit card will show your exam centre, roll number, and reporting time. Print two copies and keep one safe.

How Should You Use August to December for Preparation?

August to December is your prep window. That’s roughly four months from registration to exam day. Here’s how to use it well:

• August-September: Build your foundation in English, Legal Reasoning, and GK. Start with the CLAT 2027 exam pattern to understand exactly what’s tested.
• October: Intensify mock tests. Take at least two full-length mocks per week.
• November: Focus on weak areas. Revise current affairs from the past 12 months.
• December 1-5: Light revision only. Sleep well. Trust your prep.

Grab our free CLAT study planner to map this out with actual daily targets. It’s free, it’s practical, and thousands of our students have used it to stay on track.

FAQs

Do I need to register separately for each NLU, or is one CLAT registration enough?

One CLAT registration covers all 24 NLUs that accept CLAT scores. You don’t apply to each NLU individually. Your preference order on the form determines your allotment during counselling. Note that NLU Delhi is not part of CLAT, it uses AILET, which requires a separate registration.

Can I register for CLAT 2027 if I’m still in Class 12?

Yes, Class 12 appearing students are eligible to register for CLAT 2027. You apply based on your expected percentage. If you clear the exam, you’ll need to submit your final Class 12 marksheet during the counselling process to confirm eligibility.

What if I miss the CLAT 2027 registration deadline?

If you miss the deadline, you cannot apply for CLAT 2027. The Consortium of NLUs does not accept late applications. Your only option is to wait for CLAT 2028. This is why submitting at least two weeks before the deadline is so important.

How do I know if my CLAT 2027 registration was successful?

After submitting the form and paying the fee, you’ll receive a confirmation SMS and email on your registered mobile number and email ID. You can also log in to consortiumofnlus.ac.in and check your application status. Save your application number and take a screenshot of the confirmation page.

Is the CLAT application fee different for PWD candidates?

Based on last year’s pattern, PWD candidates fall under the General category fee structure of Rs 4,000 unless they also belong to SC/ST/BPL, in which case the Rs 3,500 fee applies. Confirm this on the official portal once the CLAT 2027 notification is released.

What’s the difference between CLAT registration and CLAT counselling?

CLAT registration is the process of applying to appear in the exam (done August-October 2026). CLAT counselling happens after results are declared, where you’re allotted an NLU based on your rank and preference order. Counselling is a separate process that takes place in early 2027. Your registration form and preference order directly influence your counselling outcome.

Can NRI candidates register for CLAT 2027?

Yes, NRI candidates can register for CLAT 2027. They typically fall under a separate quota at participating NLUs. The application fee for NRI candidates is the same as General category (Rs 4,000, based on last year’s pattern). Check the official notification for any NRI-specific documentation requirements.

Conclusion

CLAT 2027 registration is not complicated. But small mistakes, a wrong photo, an expired certificate, a careless preference order, can cost you a lot. The window opens around 1 August 2026. The exam is on 6 December 2026. You have time to do this right.

Here’s what to do right now:

1. Bookmark consortiumofnlus.ac.in and check it from 15 July 2026 for the official notification.
2. Gather your documents (photo, signature, category certificate) and check their validity dates.
3. Use our CLAT college predictor to think through your NLU preference order before the form opens.
4. Start your prep now with the free CLAT study planner.

Your success is our mission at Lawgic. We’ve helped thousands crack CLAT, and we’re here to guide you through every step, from form-filling to the exam hall. Let’s build your law career together.