What happens if you fail SQE1?

Failing SQE1 is recoverable. You can resit, and you keep any part you have already passed. The SRA’s cumulative figures show that about 54% of all candidates pass at the first attempt and about a further 10% of all candidates pass at the second, which is about 64% after two attempts. Many candidates are in the same position. In the last two sittings with published figures, between 47% and 58% of candidates did not pass (42% passed in July 2026 and 53% in January 2026). This page sets out the resit rules, the January 2027 dates and how to prepare for a resit.

Just had your July 2026 results? They were released on 8 September 2026. If the result was not the one you wanted, go to what to do next. The diagnostic in that list costs nothing and takes twenty minutes.

How many attempts you get

SQE1 has two parts, FLK1 and FLK2. You have three attempts at each part, and you cannot resit a part you have already passed. So if you passed FLK1 and fell short on FLK2, you resit FLK2 only — your FLK1 pass stands.

The six-year window

All your attempts have to fall within a six-year window that starts on the first day of your first SQE assessment. Inside that window you need to pass both parts of SQE1 (and later SQE2). The window leaves time to plan a resit properly, so you do not need to rebook for the first available sitting.

If you use all three attempts

If you use all three attempts at the same part without passing, you have to wait until your six-year window expires before you could begin the SQE again — and previous passes would not carry forward. Because attempts are limited, resit when you are prepared to meet the standard.

Resitting in January 2027: the dates and the cost

The next SQE1 sitting is in January 2027: FLK1 on 11–15 January and FLK2 on 18–22 January 2027. If you passed one part in July, you book only the part you failed. The SRA’s seat reservation form for January was sent on 22 September 2026 and closed on 24 September 2026. If you did not complete it, a limited number of seats can be booked directly in your SQE account from 19 November 2026 (10am) to 23 November 2026 (5pm), subject to availability. Candidates with reasonable adjustments must not book this way. Your SQE account, ID check and pre-booking tasks need to be done first. If you completed the diversity survey before, the SRA says it has been updated: you must go back to it, reconfirm your answers and complete the new section at the end, or you cannot book your next assessment. Booking closes on 23 November 2026, and January results come on 9 March 2027. The steps are on our SQE1 dates page and the SRA’s official booking windows page.

The format of the papers also changes from January 2027, and the change applies to resitters too. Each FLK is 170 questions instead of 180, sat as two 85-question sessions of 2 hours 33 minutes, and each session tests a set group of subjects. The SRA announced this on 10 September 2026 (SRA announcement).

For assessments from September 2026 onwards, the SRA charges £1,003 to resit one FLK and £2,006 for both (up from £1,934 for the pair). A resit costs the fee above and counts as one of the three attempts at each FLK you resit. Use the four months between results day and January to prepare properly.

What to do next

  1. Read your SRA feedback first. Your results include performance information by subject area. It tells you where the marks were lost — start there, not with a study plan.
  2. Check your weak areas independently. Before you plan anything, take a free 25-question diagnostic. It scores you by topic across the syllabus, so you can see whether your weak areas match the SRA feedback or whether there are gaps you did not know about. It takes twenty minutes and needs no card.
  3. Rebuild coverage across the whole syllabus. Treat full coverage of the 13 subject areas as the goal, weak areas first.
  4. Practise in the exam format. Drill single-best-answer questions under exam timing — about 1 minute 48 seconds a question in the January 2027 format — and review most carefully the ones you get wrong.
  5. Rebook when you are ready, not for the first available date. Your practice results across every topic are a better guide than the calendar. See how to prepare for SQE1.

Try a real SQE1 question

This question is taken from the bank. Answer it to see the worked reasoning and the tutor. You do not need to sign up to try it.

A man prepares a syringe of heroin at the request of his adult friend, who is fully conscious and lucid. He hands the loaded, ready-to-use syringe to the friend. The friend takes it, injects himself, suffers a reaction and dies. The man is charged with unlawful act manslaughter. The prosecution argues that supplying and preparing the drug was an unlawful and dangerous act that caused the death. There is no suggestion the friend was pressured, deceived or lacked capacity. Which of the following is the best analysis of the man's liability for unlawful act manslaughter?

Practise at the real standard

A January resit is £1,003 for one FLK, £2,006 for both. Each FLK has its own three-attempt limit. Find your weak spots before you rebook.

Complete includes

  • ✓An AI tutor on every question. The tutor already knows the correct answer
  • ✓5 full timed mock papers, plus unlimited drilling — no daily cap
  • ✓The whole 2,263-question bank, with worked answers and references, all 137 topics
  • ✓Your weak-spot map: exactly where you’re losing marks
See what it costs →or try 25 questions free

One payment, nothing recurring. The 25-question diagnostic is free with no card.

Common questions

How many times can you resit SQE1?

You have three attempts at each part of SQE1 — FLK1 and FLK2 — within a six-year window that starts on your first SQE assessment. If you pass one part you keep it and only resit the part you failed.

What is the six-year window?

You must pass all parts of the SQE within six years of your first assessment. The clock starts on the first day of your first attempt at any SQE assessment, and all attempts must fall inside it.

What happens if you fail SQE1 three times?

If you use all three attempts at the same part without passing, you cannot sit it again until your six-year window has expired, after which you would start the SQE afresh — previous passes would not carry forward. For that reason, resit when you are prepared rather than at the first opportunity.

Do you have to resit the whole of SQE1 if you fail one part?

No. FLK1 and FLK2 are assessed separately, and you cannot resit a part you have already passed. If you passed FLK1 but failed FLK2, you resit FLK2 only. Always check the current rules on the official SQE site, as the SRA sets them.

More: the latest pass rate, how to prepare, and free practice questions.

Independent SQE1 preparation for study — not legal or careers advice. Resit rules and the assessment window are set by the SRA and can change; see the official SQE results and resits page for the definitive rules.