You cannot use your own pen and paper during the LNAT. If you take the test at a physical Pearson VUE centre, you will be provided with an erasable laminated noteboard and a marker pen; if you take it via the OnVUE online system at home, you must use a digital on-screen whiteboard.
Understanding the logistics of note-taking during the LNAT is critical for planning your Section A strategy and outlining your Section B essay. Because the LNAT is a highly secure, digitally administered exam, the rules surrounding what you can and cannot use to jot down thoughts are strict and non-negotiable.
Physical Test Centres: The Erasable Noteboard
If you sit the LNAT at one of the hundreds of Pearson VUE test centres globally, you are not permitted to bring any personal stationery into the exam room. Your pockets must be empty, and all belongings must be stored in a locker.
Instead, the invigilator will hand you an erasable, laminated noteboard (often spiral-bound with several pages) and a special marker pen.
Rules for the physical noteboard:
- You may not use the noteboard until the exam officially begins.
- You cannot erase the notes yourself. If you run out of space, you must raise your hand, and the invigilator will provide a fresh noteboard and take the old one away.
- You cannot take the noteboard out of the exam room when you leave.
This noteboard is incredibly useful for mapping out the logic of difficult passages in Section A, or for outlining your essay structure in Section B before you begin typing.
Taking the Test at Home: The OnVUE Digital Whiteboard
If you are eligible to take the LNAT at home via the Pearson OnVUE system, the rules are even stricter to prevent cheating. You are entirely prohibited from having any physical pens, paper, or whiteboards on your desk.
Instead, you are required to use the OnVUE digital whiteboard built into the testing software.
Rules for the digital whiteboard:
- It is a pop-up window on your screen that you can open and close at will.
- You use your mouse or trackpad to draw, or your keyboard to type notes into it.
- Your notes remain saved on the digital whiteboard even if you close the window, persisting throughout the exam.
- You cannot copy and paste text from the LNAT reading passages into the whiteboard.
Many candidates find the digital whiteboard clunky and difficult to use quickly, especially for drawing diagrams. If you are taking the test via OnVUE, you must practice using digital note-taking tools beforehand so you are not caught off guard on exam day.
How to Adapt Your Preparation
Because you cannot rely on traditional pen and paper, your preparation must mirror these constraints. If you practice using a notebook and a biro, you will develop habits that you cannot use on exam day, leading to frustration and lost time.
To truly prepare, you must practice under realistic conditions. LawMint provides 200 full-length LNAT practice tests, making it the most comprehensive LNAT preparation resource anywhere. With 100 Level 1 and 100 Level 2 tests, LawMint perfectly replicates the digital interface of the real exam. At £50 for the full pack, you can train yourself to read dense texts on a screen and plan your essay arguments digitally, ensuring the logistics of the test do not hinder your performance.
FAQ: LNAT Note-Taking
Can I bring a blank piece of paper if I show it to the invigilator first? No. Physical test centres will confiscate any paper you bring. You must use their provided laminated noteboards. For OnVUE exams, having paper on your desk will result in your exam being terminated.
What happens if my marker pen dries out at the test centre? Simply raise your hand. The invigilator will immediately swap your dry pen for a working one.
Does the OnVUE digital whiteboard accept copy/paste shortcuts? No. The secure browser disables copy and paste functionality. You must manually type any notes or outlines you wish to make.
Plan Your Strategy
Whether you are using a laminated booklet in a test centre or a digital whiteboard at home, knowing your tools in advance allows you to focus entirely on the exam content. Practice your note-taking strategy early, and stick to it on test day.
LawMint is the most comprehensive LNAT preparation resource anywhere, with 200 full-length LNAT practice tests for £50 — roughly £0.25 per test — each with worked explanations. Try the practice tests to prepare with realistic, timed simulations.