ACP Practice Test

The ACP, Advanced Certified Paralegal, is a NALA online course for paralegals who want to show advanced knowledge in a specific area of law. Anyone can take a course, but the credential is only available to current Certified Paralegals. This page gives you free practice sets by topic, worked explanations, and the official course facts in one place.

ACP Exam at a Glance

What changed for ACP in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Exam fee changed to $250 members / $300 non-members (previously $250 members / $300 non-members per course).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Retake policy changed to 3 attempts included; repurchase required if not passed (previously 3 attempts per purchase; after that, repurchase the course).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Time limit changed to Approx. 20 hours (previously Self-paced, about 20 hours; access lasts one year from purchase).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Delivery changed to Online web-based self-study course (previously Online, web-based self-study course with a built-in assessment; not a scheduled, proctored exam).^[3]
• Oct 27, 2026: Eligibility changed to Open to all; active CP® required for ACP® credential (previously Anyone may take a course; only current Certified Paralegals (CP®) are awarded the ACP® credential).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Renewal changed to No extra CLE; maintain active CP® (50 CLE hours every 5 years) (previously No extra CLE; keep the CP® current (50 CLE hours to recertify)).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Validity changed to Valid while CP® is active; forfeited if CP® is revoked (previously Valid while the CP® stays in good standing; lost if the CP® is revoked).^[3]

What the ACP is and how it works

According to NALA - The Paralegal Association, “Anyone can take an ACP® course. You do not have to be a NALA Certified Paralegal. However, the distinguished ACP® credential is only available to current Certified Paralegals.”^[1]

The ACP program is a course-based, online learning program run by NALA - The Paralegal Association. Each course focuses on deepening and showcasing advanced knowledge in a specific area of law. It is self-study and web-based, so there is no testing center appointment to book.

Anyone can take an ACP course, and you do not have to be a NALA Certified Paralegal. However, the ACP credential itself is only available to current Certified Paralegals (CP). If your CP lapses or is revoked, the ACP designation is forfeited.

The average course is about 20 hours in length and is organized into multiple chapters. Completing a course can earn up to 20 hours of CLE. The fee is $250 for members and $300 for non-members. A passing score is 85%.

Your course purchase includes 3 attempts at a passing score. If you do not pass on those attempts, you must repurchase the course and start over, so it is worth preparing before you sit the final assessment.

To maintain the ACP, you do not need CLE beyond the 50 hours every 5 years that you already need to recertify as a CP. Fees, content and course availability can change, and each course has its own page. Check the NALA site for the course you plan to take before you pay. Our practice sets are written by us, not taken from the real assessment.

Worked examples: how to reason through ACP questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is the primary purpose of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support?

1. To demonstrate the petitioner's financial ability to support the intending immigrant above 125% of the federal poverty guidelines
2. To waive the public charge ground of inadmissibility permanently
3. To certify the beneficiary's employment history
4. To request fee waivers for immigration filing fees

Answer: A. To demonstrate the petitioner's financial ability to support the intending immigrant above 125% of the federal poverty guidelines

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Form I-864 is a contract in which the sponsor promises to support the intending immigrant, and it shows the petitioner can do so at a level above 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. That promise is legally enforceable, which is why the form carries weight.

Option B is wrong because the affidavit does not waive the public charge ground of inadmissibility. It is evidence that helps address that ground. Option C is wrong because the form does not certify the beneficiary's employment history. It concerns the sponsor's finances. Option D is wrong because fee waivers are requested through a separate process and have nothing to do with the support affidavit.

Rule to remember: match each immigration form to its function. The I-864 is about financial sponsorship and an enforceable obligation, not eligibility waivers, work history or fees.

Example 2

Question: In the context of contract drafting & redlining, what role does continuous professional development play for ACP practitioners?

1. It is optional and only needed for career advancement
2. It ensures practitioners remain current with evolving standards, technologies, and best practices
3. It is required only during the first year of certification
4. It serves primarily as a networking opportunity with no practical benefit

Answer: B. It ensures practitioners remain current with evolving standards, technologies, and best practices

Explanation:

Option B is correct. Standards, tools and drafting conventions change over time, and ongoing professional development keeps a practitioner's redlining and drafting work current. A paralegal who stops learning risks relying on outdated clauses, outdated software habits or outdated practice.

Option A is wrong because it treats development as optional and only useful for promotion, when it supports competence in everyday work. Option C is wrong because the need does not end after the early part of a credential. Option D is wrong because networking may be a side benefit, but the practical value is the point, not an absence of it.

Rule to remember: when a question asks about the role of continuing education in a legal skill, look for the answer about staying current and competent over a whole career. Answers that call it optional, short-term or pointless are usually distractors.

Example 3

Question: Why is communication critical in case management?

1. To create confusion
2. To reduce transparency
3. To align team and client expectations
4. To avoid task completion

Answer: C. To align team and client expectations

Explanation:

Option C is correct. In case management, communication keeps the legal team and the client working from the same understanding of tasks, timing and outcomes. When expectations are aligned, fewer things are missed and the client is less likely to be surprised.

Option A is wrong because good communication reduces confusion rather than creating it. Option B is wrong because it works against transparency, and clients and supervising attorneys depend on clear status updates. Option D is wrong because communication supports task completion by assigning, tracking and confirming work.

Rule to remember: on case management questions, the right answer usually improves clarity, coordination or accountability. If an option describes a result nobody would want in a law office, such as confusion, secrecy or avoided work, you can eliminate it quickly and compare the remaining options more carefully.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read the page for the specific ACP course you plan to take on the NALA site, note its chapters, and confirm the current fee and attempt rules. Because you only get a limited number of attempts, treat the course content as your main source and our sets as a way to test recall.

Next, pick the practice set closest to your course topic, for example Contract Drafting & Redlining, Civil Litigation & Trial Preparation or Legal Research & Writing. Work through it after you finish each chapter, not only at the end.

For every miss, write down the rule behind the right answer in your own words, then find that rule in the course text. Pay attention to why each wrong option is wrong, since real questions often reuse the same distractor patterns.

Once you can explain your misses without looking, try a different set to check that you are not just memorizing questions. Finish with the full practice test shortly before you sit the final assessment. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps, not to predict content.

Sources & last verified

1. NALA - The Paralegal Association — time limit, renewal, eligibility (official source). “The average course is about 20 hours in length and organized into multiple chapters, so you can earn up to 20 hours of CLE for…” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.
2. NALA - The Paralegal Association — exam fee, passing score, retake policy (official source). “Fees: $250 for Members and $300 for Non-members” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.
3. NALA - The Paralegal Association — validity, delivery (official source). “While no additional CLE is required to maintain your ACP® designation, you must keep your CP® designation in good standing and fulfill the recertification requirements…” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 22, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.