Bar Exam Information

Getting Started

In the U.S., a law school graduate cannot practice law or describe oneself as a lawyer or attorney unless licensed. A license requires admission to the bar of at least one of the 56 jurisdictions in the U.S. (the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five territories). Each jurisdiction establishes its own criteria for admission to its bar. In most jurisdictions, the initial admission process broadly involves taking a professional responsibility examination (MPRE), taking a 2-3 day bar examination in February or July, and completing a character and fitness investigation. However, because each jurisdiction has its own application procedures, deadlines, fees, prerequisites, examinations, scoring and reciprocity policies, and post-admission requirements, it is incumbent on students to familiarize themselves with the admission process in the jurisdiction(s) where they plan to practice.

Every U.S. jurisdiction has an official bar examination website with detailed requirements and application materials. In addition, the National Conference of Bar Examiners provides an annual summary (updated each spring) of the bar admission requirements in every U.S. jurisdiction: Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements.

If you are entering your final year of law school and still uncertain about where and when to sit for the bar, the interplay of reciprocity policies or whether you should sit for an exam in more than one jurisdiction, please seek guidance from your faculty advisor, an ASP instructor or the Associate Dean of Students as soon as possible.

Character & Fitness

In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

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Professional Responsibility Exam

  • Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)
    • The MPRE is a two-hour, 60-question, multiple-choice examination administered 3 times per year by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).
    • It was required for admission to the bars of all but two jurisdictions (PR and WI) in 2026.
    • The MPRE is administered separately from a jurisdiction’s bar exam.
    • Law students may take the MPRE prior to graduation but should note that many jurisdictions set time limits on acceptable scores, a consideration addressed in more detail during UDC Law’s required Professional Responsibility course.

Bar Exams

Each jurisdiction determines its own rules for bar admission, including the composition of its bar exam. Understanding the content and structure of your jurisdiction’s bar exam will help you to tailor your studying and develop strategies for passing the exam.

Traditionally, most jurisdictions have used a combination of multiple choice and essay questions, often some combination of Multistate exams developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and jurisdiction-specific questions developed by their own courts or bar examiners. Between July 2026 and July 2028, most jurisdictions will transition to the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam (NextGen UBE).

Each jurisdiction decides which exam it will use, the weight assigned to each section, acceptable passing score, and rules for accepting portable scores. Each jurisdiction’s bar admission agency / bar examiner maintains a website where it publishes its policies, rules, and application procedures; these websites are updated regularly.

  • NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen UBE)
    • The NextGen UBE consists of 120 multiple-choice questions, six integrated question sets, and three performance tasks administered over two days (some have an additional jurisdiction-specific exam component).
    • It results in a portable score that can be transferred to participating jurisdictions (acceptance of NextGen UBE score transfers, minimum score requirements, and time limits differ by jurisdiction).
    • As of Summer 2026, 52 jurisdictions, including DC, confirmed they will transition to the NextGen UBE between July 2026 and July 2028. The NextGen UBE was administered by 10 jurisdictions in July 2026. DC’s first administration of the NextGen UBE will be in February 2028. Information about first administration dates, minimum passing scores, and other jurisdiction policies is available on NCBE’s NextGen Decisions by Jurisdiction page, though as you get closer to the exam application period, you should rely on the bar examiner’s website for information.
  • Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) aka the “legacy” UBE
    • The “legacy” UBE consists of the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) tasks, and the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE) administered over two days (some have an additional jurisdiction-specific exam component).
    • It results in a portable score that can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions (minimum score requirements and time limits for transfers differ by jurisdiction).
    • It was administered by 35 jurisdictions, including DC, in 2026.
    • Between July 2026 and February 2028, UBE jurisdictions may administer either the “legacy” UBE or the NextGen UBE, but not both. February 2028 will be the last administration of the legacy UBE.
  • Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)
    • The MBE is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-choice examination.
    • It was administered by 44 jurisdictions, including DC, in 2026, either as a component of the “legacy” UBE in UBE jurisdictions or as one part of the exam in non-UBE jurisdictions.
    • Between July 2026 and July 2028, most jurisdictions that use the MBE will transition to the NextGen UBE.
  • Multistate Performance Test (MPT)
    • The MPT consists of two 90-minute writing tasks.
    • It was administered by 40 jurisdictions, including DC, in 2026, either as a component of the “legacy” UBE in UBE jurisdictions or as one part of the exam in non-UBE jurisdictions.
    • Between July 2026 and July 2028, most jurisdictions that use the MPT will transition to the NextGen UBE.
  • Multistate Essay Examination (MEE)
    • The MEE consists of six 30-minute essay questions.
    • It was administered by 38 jurisdictions, including DC, in 2026, either as a component of the “legacy” UBE in UBE jurisdictions or as one part of the exam in non-UBE jurisdictions.
    • Between July 2026 and July 2028, most jurisdictions that use the MEE will transition to the NextGen UBE.

Bar Examiners

Note: A small number of jurisdictions have a registration requirement or option for current law students. Depending on a state’s rules, a student may be able to save time or money by registering for the bar exam during the first or second year of law school.

Miscellaneous Links

  • Being admitted to a state’s bar does not mean that a lawyer is admitted to the federal courts located in that state. Each federal court sets its own admission rules. For example:
  • Admission to a bar, i.e. permission to practice law in a particular jurisdiction, is distinct from membership in a bar association. Some jurisdictions, such as DC, have a mandatory (also called a unified or integrated) bar association such that a lawyer must become a member of the jurisdiction’s bar association in order to practice in that jurisdiction. Other jurisdictions, such as Maryland, have a state-wide voluntary bar association that any lawyer admitted to the bar in that jurisdiction may choose to join. In addition, groups of legal practitioners with shared professional or personal interests may form local, state or national voluntary bar associations. While membership in voluntary bar associations is not required in order to practice law, it can play an important role in a lawyer’s professional development. Many voluntary bar associations offer law student memberships.