Exam mechanics
HKSI Paper 1 exam format and passing score
Before you build a study plan, it helps to know exactly how Licensing Examination (LE) Paper 1 is structured and what score you need.
Reviewed 16 July 2026
The core numbers
The official LE Paper 1 Study Guide states that the paper consists of 60 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 90 minutes, and the pass mark is 70%.
There is no separate essay or short-answer section — every mark comes from the multiple-choice questions, so accuracy across the whole syllabus matters more than depth in any single area.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 60 multiple-choice |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Pass mark | 70% (42 of 60) |
| Format | Multiple choice only |
A simple pacing plan
Average time per question
- 90 minutes ÷ 60 questions = 1.5 minutes per question.
- 70% pass mark = 42 correct answers out of 60.
- This is a planning average, not a rule to spend the same time on every item — bank time on the questions you know so you can slow down on the hard ones.
Delivery format, available languages, enrolment and exact on-the-day arrangements are set by the HKSI Institute and can change, so confirm the current details on the official examination overview before you book.
Related guides
Sources
- HKSI Institute — LE examination overview — HKSI Institute
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