The Council of Legal Education (CLE) has pushed the deadline for registration for the November 2026 Advocates Training Programme (ATP) examinations to Tuesday, October 27.
In a notice released on Tuesday, October 20, the council urged candidates planning to sit the examinations to complete their registration before the revised deadline.
CLE warned that candidates would not be granted another extension once the new deadline expires.
“The Council of Legal Education (CLE) has extended the deadline for Registration for November 2026 ATP Examination to Tuesday, 27th October 2026. Interested candidates are required to register within the timelines as no further extension shall be granted,” the council wrote.
The council has also announced a deferral period for candidates who have already registered but are unable to take the November examinations.
Those wishing to defer their examinations must submit applications through their individual candidate portals and attach the necessary supporting documents.
The deadline for deferral requests is also October 27, with CLE warning that applications submitted after that date will not be considered.
Candidates whose deferral requests are approved will be required to utilise the opportunity within two years, covering a maximum of four ATP examination cycles.
They must also register for the deferred examination unit in the particular examination series when they are ready to sit.
For further enquiries, candidates have been advised to contact the council through its official support email and include their registration numbers in the subject line to facilitate assistance.
Meanwhile, CLE has announced that candidates gazetted in October 2026 will be able to collect their Certificates of Compliance and final transcripts from its offices between Monday, October 26, and Wednesday, October 28.
The documents must be collected in person unless a candidate has obtained prior written authorisation allowing a representative to collect them on their behalf.
KSL Suspends 2027/2028 ATP Applications
The latest announcements come amid uncertainty surrounding admissions into Kenya's legal education institutions following a dispute over entry requirements involving the Kenya School of Law (KSL).
On Thursday, October 15, KSL announced the temporary suspension of applications for its 2027/2028 Advocates Training Programme intake following interim orders issued by the High Court over contested admission criteria.
The court issued the orders on October 6, restraining both KSL and CLE from admitting students under the disputed requirements until further directions are issued.
The suspension has raised uncertainty over the upcoming intake as the institutions await further court guidance on the contested admission rules.
