Passing score
CSLB doesn't publish the passing score
It's the most searched question about this exam, and the honest answer is uncomfortable: nobody outside CSLB knows the exact number. What you can know is what your score report tells you, and how much margin to build.
What we checked
We read the official 13E-LAW (03-2026) study guide, CSLB's examination FAQ and PSI's Examination Information Guide. None of the three names a passing percentage. We'd rather tell you that than make a number up.
What your score report says
When you finish you return to the check-in desk and are handed a printed report. It's confidential — only you and CSLB get it, and results are never given over the phone. What it contains depends on whether you passed.
If you pass
- It does not show your overall score.
- It is not a license.
- CSLB mails you a Bond and Fee letter with what's left to do before your license is issued.
If you fail
- It does show your overall score, including how many items you answered correctly.
- It includes a breakdown by section: how many right and wrong in each.
- You cannot see the questions or the answer key.
That section breakdown is the only diagnostic information CSLB gives you. Here’s how to use it if you’re retaking.
Why a fixed percentage is misleading
CSLB's own study guide footnotes the seven section weights with an asterisk: percentages are approximate. Not every form of the exam carries exactly the same mix, so the same 74% can mean different things depending on what you drew.
On top of that, CSLB only reports how many items you got right when you fail. You will never learn how close you came, or whether your form was harder than someone else's.
The practical conclusion isn't to hunt for the magic number — it's to stop needing it. If you're consistently getting four in five right, the difference between 70 and 75 stops mattering.
Why we train to 80%
Inside ContractorReady you are “Ready” when you score 80% or higher on two full timed 115-question exams back to back. Two in a row, not one lucky run. It's the same bar our pass guarantee is built on.
We're not claiming that's CSLB's cut score. We're saying that when the real score is secret, margin is the only protection you control.
How the pass guarantee worksFAQ
What score do I need to pass the Law and Business exam?
CSLB does not publish it. The official study guide, the CSLB examination FAQ and PSI's information guide all avoid naming a percentage. Any site that gives you an exact number is not getting it from an official source.
So where does the 72% everyone repeats come from?
From schools and forums, not from CSLB. We don't use it: we cannot verify it in any official publication, so we won't present it to you as a fact.
Do they tell me my score when I pass?
No. CSLB states it plainly: the passing score report does not show the overall score. Only the failing report shows your score and how many questions you answered correctly.
Can I see the questions I got wrong?
No. Test questions and answer keys are not available for review. If you fail, you do get a breakdown by section of how many you answered correctly and incorrectly.
Is there a penalty for guessing?
No. CSLB's study guide says there is no penalty for guessing, so it's better to answer every question than to leave any blank.
Why do you use 80%?
Because it leaves room. It's our “Ready” rule: 80% or higher on two full timed exams in a row. It is not CSLB's official cut score — it's the cushion we think is reasonable when the real number isn't published.
See what you'd score today
20 free questions spread like the real exam, with results by section so you can see where the gap is.
Official sources: CSLB Examination FAQ · CSLB study guide 13E-LAW (03-2026) · PSI Examination Information Guide