Optional or employer preference
CILEX Professional Qualification (CPQ)
CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives); CPQ (CILEX Professional Qualification)
The route to becoming a CILEX lawyer (chartered legal executive). This is a different legal career from solicitor — it is shown here so you can compare, not as a step to becoming a solicitor.
- Awarding body
- CILEX
- Level
- Three stages: Foundation, Advanced, Professional
- Where it applies
- England & Wales
- Exams
- Foundation 6 exams, Advanced 5 exams, Professional 2 exams
- Entry
- Check CILEX's current entry guidance.
- Also required
- Typical durations: Foundation and Advanced 18 to 24 months each; Professional 12 to 18 months
- Outside this area
- England and Wales only.
Assessment and registration fees
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Stage prices (CILEX Law School), all three stages | £12,855 to £13,616 | CILEX (opens in a new tab)checked 12 Oct 2026 |
| Exam fees | Extra — check current fees with CILEX | CILEX (opens in a new tab)checked 12 Oct 2026 |
- CILEX's own page is inconsistent: it is labelled with prices 'correct at 1 March 2024' and images from 2025, and its modular total (£13,616) does not match the sum of its stage prices. Treat the range as a guide and check current fees with CILEX.
Membership and subscriptions
| Fee | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Student registration (2026) | £40 | CILEX (opens in a new tab)checked 12 Oct 2026 |
| Student annual subscription (2026) | £150 | CILEX (opens in a new tab)checked 12 Oct 2026 |
Official page: CILEX (opens in a new tab)Checked 12 Oct 2026