Know Your Papers

Before you begin preparing for the Competency-Based Examinations (CBA), make sure you know which examination structure applies to you.

The Legal Practice Council is currently transitioning from the four-paper CBA to a five-paper CBA under the new syllabus.

The Transition from Four Papers to Five

The four-paper CBA remains in place during 2027, with the August 2027 examination sitting being the final opportunity to complete the four-paper CBA.

The five-paper CBA will commence in March 2028.

This means that candidates may encounter study materials, notes and past examination papers relating to two different examination structures.

Four-Paper CBA

The four-paper CBA is the legacy examination structure and will conclude after the August 2027 sitting.

Five-Paper CBA

The five-paper CBA will be introduced under the new syllabus, which incorporates the 15 compulsory modules prescribed by the regulations under the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014.

The five papers are structured as follows:

Paper	Modules
Paper 1: Court Practice and Procedures	High Court Practice; Magistrates’ Court Practice; Personal Injury Claims; Drafting of Contracts
Paper 2: Criminal Court Practice & ICT	Criminal Court Practice; Information and Communication Technology for Practice and associated aspects of Cyber Law
Paper 3: Wills and Estates and Matrimonial Law	Wills and Estates; Matrimonial Law
Paper 4: Professional Legal Ethics, Constitutional Practice, Labour Dispute Resolution and ADR	Professional Legal Ethics; Constitutional Practice; Labour Dispute Resolution; Alternative Dispute Resolution
Paper 5: Attorneys’ Bookkeeping, Legal Costs and Introduction to Practice Management	Attorneys’ Bookkeeping, including trust account management; Legal Costs; Introduction to Practice Management

Which Structure Applies to You?

Your examination structure depends on your circumstances and when you commenced Practical Vocational Training.

Candidates who are completing outstanding papers under the current four-paper CBA have until the August 2027 sitting to complete them. Candidates who register for Practical Vocational Training for the first time on or after 1 January 2027 will still be permitted to register for the four-paper CBA. However, if a candidate has not passed all outstanding four-paper CBA papers by the release of the August 2027 results, their accumulated credits will be forfeited and they will have to register for the five-paper CBA under the new syllabus. There will be no extension beyond the August 2027 sitting. The LPC has urged candidates with outstanding papers to finalise them at the earliest available sitting rather than defer them.

Be Careful With Study Materials

The transition means that you may find resources referring to:

• the four-paper CBA;

• the five-paper CBA;

• the old syllabus; or

• the new syllabus.

Do not assume that a resource is current simply because it refers to the Competency-Based Examinations.

Before using any study material or past examination paper, check:

• which syllabus it relates to;

• which examination structure applied at the time;

• when it was prepared or published; and

• whether the relevant law and examination requirements have changed.

For past examination papers, see Past Exam Papers.

For guidance on preparing for the examinations, see How to Prepare for the Board Exams.

A Final Reminder

The transition is important, but the rule is simple:

Four-paper CBA: final sitting in August 2027.

Five-paper CBA: first assessment in March 2028.

Always check the latest LPC notice, syllabus and examination information before preparing for your examinations.

Know your papers. Know your syllabus. Know which examination structure applies to you.