The CLAT 2027 registration process is entirely online, conducted through the Consortium of NLUs portal. A correctly filled application is your entry ticket to the exam — and by extension, to 24 National Law Universities across India. Every year, hundreds of candidates face issues at the application stage: rejected photographs, payment failures, name mismatches that haunt them through counselling. This page walks you through the entire registration process, document requirements, fee structure, and important dates, so you get it right the first time.
Dates and fees mentioned below are based on the CLAT 2026 cycle. The Consortium of NLUs will confirm CLAT 2027 specifics in its official notification — always verify before applying.
The Consortium typically opens registration between August and September and closes it in November, giving candidates approximately two to three months to complete their applications. Based on the historical pattern across previous CLAT cycles, here is the expected timeline for CLAT 2027.
Do not wait until the last week to register. The Consortium portal experiences heavy traffic near the deadline, leading to slow loading, payment gateway timeouts, and OTP delays. Aim to complete your registration within the first two weeks of the window opening.
The CLAT application is completed in a single online sitting, though you can save your progress and return later. Here is each step in detail, so you know exactly what to expect before you begin.
Go to consortiumofnlus.ac.in and click "New Registration" or "Apply for CLAT 2027." You will be asked to enter your name, a valid email address, and an active mobile number. An OTP will be sent to both your email and phone for verification. Once verified, you will receive login credentials. Save these credentials — you will need them to complete the application, download your admit card, and check your results.
Fill in your personal information: full name (exactly as it appears on your Class 12 marksheet — this is critical), date of birth, gender, category (General/SC/ST/OBC/PwD), parent or guardian details, correspondence address, and permanent address. For academic details, enter your Class 10 and Class 12 board, year of passing (or expected year), and marks or percentage. Appearing candidates should select "Appearing" and enter their school details.
Upload your passport-size photograph: it must be a recent colour photo with a plain white background, in JPG or JPEG format, with a maximum file size of 80 KB. The photo should show your face clearly without sunglasses, caps, or heavy filters. Next, upload your scanned signature: sign with a black or dark blue ink pen on plain white paper, scan it, and upload in JPG or JPEG format with a maximum file size of 40 KB. If applicable, upload your category certificate (SC/ST/OBC/PwD) issued by the competent authority.
Choose your programme: UG (5-year integrated LLB) or PG (1-year or 2-year LLM). You can only select one — the Consortium does not allow applying for both programmes simultaneously. Next, select up to five exam centre city preferences in order of priority. The Consortium conducts CLAT across 130+ cities in India. Your exam centre is allotted based on your preference order and seat availability in each city, so list your most preferred city first and ensure all five slots are filled.
The application fee is Rs. 4,000 for General, OBC, and PwD candidates and Rs. 3,500 for SC and ST candidates (based on the CLAT 2026 fee structure). Payment can be made through net banking, debit card (Visa, MasterCard, RuPay), credit card, or UPI. The payment gateway is integrated into the portal. If the transaction fails or times out, do not attempt an immediate retry — wait 30 minutes and check your application status first. Double-debits are refunded automatically within 7-10 business days.
After successful payment, a confirmation page is generated with your unique application number. Download this page as a PDF and take a printout. Save your application number separately — in your email, phone notes, and a physical notebook. You will need this number to download your admit card, log in to the counselling portal, and for all future correspondence with the Consortium. Do not rely solely on the portal; keep offline copies.
Gather all documents before you begin the application. Uploading incorrect or improperly formatted files is one of the most common causes of application issues. Here is the complete list with specifications.
Recent colour photo, white background, JPG/JPEG format, maximum 80 KB. Face must occupy at least 75% of the frame. No sunglasses, caps, or filters. This photo will appear on your admit card.
Black or dark blue ink on white paper, JPG/JPEG format, maximum 40 KB. The signature must be consistent with what you will use on the exam day and during counselling.
Passing certificate or marksheet from your Class 10 board. This is used to verify your date of birth and name. Ensure the name matches exactly across all documents.
Final marksheet if you have completed Class 12, or a bonafide/appearing certificate from your school if you are a current Class 12 student appearing in 2027.
SC/ST certificate, OBC Non-Creamy Layer certificate (must be recently dated, within validity period), or PwD certificate issued by the competent authority. Without a valid certificate, you will be treated as General category.
Some NLUs require domicile certificates for state-quota seats. While not mandatory for the CLAT application itself, having this ready ensures you do not miss out on state-reservation benefits during counselling.
Every CLAT cycle, the Consortium helpdesk is flooded with queries that could have been avoided with a little care during registration. Here are the most frequent mistakes candidates make — and how to avoid them.
Your name in the CLAT application must exactly match the name on your Class 12 marksheet. Even small discrepancies — initials vs. full name, a missing middle name, or a spelling variation — can create problems during document verification at the counselling stage. If your Class 10 and Class 12 certificates have different name spellings, use the Class 12 version and carry a name-correction affidavit.
The photograph must be in JPG/JPEG format and under 80 KB. Candidates frequently upload PNG files, oversized images, or photos with coloured backgrounds. Use an online image compressor to reduce file size without losing clarity. Ensure the photo is recent, front-facing, and has a white background. This photo will be printed on your admit card and used for identification on exam day.
Your application number is your identity for the entire CLAT cycle — from admit card download to counselling to admission. If you lose it and cannot access your email, recovery becomes difficult and time-consuming. Save it in at least three places: email, phone, and a physical notebook. Download the confirmation page as a PDF the moment it is generated.
The Consortium provides a brief correction window (typically 3-5 days) after registration closes. This is your only chance to fix errors in your application — wrong photo, incorrect category, spelling mistakes, or exam centre preferences. Many candidates are unaware this window exists or miss it because they are not checking their email. Set a reminder and make corrections on the first day of the window.
If your payment fails mid-transaction, the amount may still be debited from your account. Do not immediately attempt another payment — this can lead to a double debit. Wait at least 30 minutes, then check your application status on the portal. If it shows "Payment Pending," only then retry. Failed transactions are typically auto-refunded within 7-10 business days. If the issue persists, contact the Consortium helpdesk with your transaction reference number.
Age limits, percentage criteria, qualifying exams, and reservation policy for CLAT 2027.
Explore →Confirmed and expected exam date, shift timings, and exam-day schedule.
Explore →Complete section-wise syllabus with topics, subtopics, and marks distribution.
Explore →How to download your admit card, details printed on it, and what to carry on exam day.
Common questions about the CLAT 2027 registration process, application fees, correction window, payment modes, and document requirements.
The application fee for CLAT 2027 is expected to be Rs. 4,000 for General, OBC, and PwD candidates and Rs. 3,500 for SC and ST candidates, based on the CLAT 2026 cycle. Payment can be made via net banking, debit card, credit card, or UPI. The fee is non-refundable once the application is submitted.
No. The CLAT application fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. Once you submit your application and complete the payment, the fee will not be returned even if you do not appear for the exam, become ineligible, or if the exam is cancelled. If a payment fails but the amount is debited, it is typically refunded to the source account within 7-10 business days.
No. The Consortium does not allow multiple applications from the same candidate. If you submit more than one application, all your applications may be cancelled. If you need to make changes after submission, use the correction window provided by the Consortium rather than submitting a new application.
The Consortium typically opens a correction window for 3-5 days after the registration deadline. During this period, you can edit certain fields in your application — such as your photograph, signature, exam centre preferences, and personal details. However, you cannot change your programme choice (UG/PG) or category during the correction window. The exact dates are announced by the Consortium after registration closes.
The Consortium accepts payment through net banking, debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, RuPay), credit cards, and UPI. The payment gateway is integrated into the application portal. If your payment fails mid-transaction, do not attempt to pay again immediately — wait for 30 minutes and check your application status. If the amount was debited but the application shows unpaid, raise a query with the Consortium helpdesk.
Your CLAT application number is sent to your registered email address upon successful submission. If you lose it, you can retrieve it by logging into the Consortium portal using your registered email and password. This is why it is critical to use a valid, active email address during registration and to save your confirmation page immediately after submission.
You can change your exam centre preferences only during the correction window. After the correction window closes, no changes to exam centre choices are permitted. The Consortium allots exam centres based on your preference order and seat availability — there is no guarantee that you will get your first-choice city, so choose all five preferences carefully.
The passport-size photograph must be a recent colour photo with a white background, in JPG or JPEG format, with a maximum file size of 80 KB. The signature must be done with a black or dark blue ink pen on white paper, scanned in JPG or JPEG format, with a maximum file size of 40 KB. Photos with filters, sunglasses, or caps will be rejected. The signature must match what you will use on the exam day.
No. The entire CLAT registration process is online. You do not need to send any physical documents to the Consortium of NLUs. All documents are uploaded digitally during the application process. Physical document verification happens only during the counselling and admission process at individual NLUs after the results are declared.
It is strongly advised against. All official communication — including your admit card, result, and counselling notifications — is sent to the registered email and phone number. Using someone else's contact details risks missing critical updates. Additionally, OTP verification during registration and login requires access to the registered mobile number. Always use your own active email and phone number.
Registration is just the first step. Join a structured programme that covers every section of CLAT 2027 with expert guidance and real mock tests.