Bar Examination
Effective with July 2016 bar examination, the New York bar examination consists of the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). The UBE is a high quality, uniform battery of tests that are administered contemporaneously in every other jurisdiction that has adopted the UBE. The UBE is uniformly administered, graded and scored, and it results in a score that can then be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions.
The UBE consists of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), and the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE). An applicant must take all sections of the UBE concurrently in the same jurisdiction in order to earn a UBE score that may then be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions.
The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) is held each year on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July.
More information regarding the UBE, including the list of jurisdictions that have adopted the UBE, is available at the website of the National Conference of Bar Examiners at: https://www.ncbex.org/exams/ube/.
Application Deadlines
A. General Rules
The bar examination is administered on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. Applications must be filed during the month of November for a February examination and during the month of April for a July examination. An application is considered filed when it is filed electronically online and the application fee is paid. The application must be completed and the fee must be received during the application period for the application to be considered filed. There is no late application period.
B. Special Rule for Re-Applicants
For applicants who failed the immediately preceding administration of the New York State Bar Examination, the deadline for filing a re-application for the next offered bar examination is the later of (i) the application filing deadline set forth in Board Rule 6000.4(b) [which is April 30th for a July exam or November 30th for a February exam] or (ii) the 14th day following the date of the Board's release of the examination results. Re-applicants who did not complete both days of the immediately preceding examination must file their application by April 30 for a July exam or November 30 for a February exam.
Dates of Exams
|
Dates of Bar Exam
|
Application Filing Dates
|
| February 25-26, 2025 |
October 1 - 31, 2024 |
| July 29-30, 2025 |
March 1 - 31, 2025 |
| February 24-25, 2026 |
October 1 - 31, 2025 |
| July 28-29, 2026 |
March 1 - 31, 2026 |
| February 23-24, 2027 |
October 1 - 31, 2026 |
| July 27-28, 2027 |
March 1 - 31, 2027 |
Application Fees
The application fee is set in statute by the New York State Legislature and is based on the method of qualifying (see Judiciary Law section 465). Since the fees are set by the legislature neither the Board nor the Court of Appeals has the authority to reduce or waiver the fees.
Section 520.3 (JD received from an ABA approved law school) - $250
Section 520.4 (law office study) - $250
Section 520.5 (unapproved law school) - $250
Section 520.6 (study of law in foreign country) - $750
Section 520.17 (Pro Bono Scholars Program) - $250
Eligibility Requirements
Section 520 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law sets forth the eligibility requirements for qualifying to sit for the New York State bar examination. Prior to applying for the exam, you should carefully review the Rules pertaining tohow you will qualify to sit for the exam (Rule 520.3, 520.4, 520.5, 520.6 or 520.17), which can be found on the Board’s website, to confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the examination. A summary of the requirements is also available by clicking on the Bar Exam Eligibility section on the Board's website. If you are not in compliance with any of these rules, and you commenced the study of law in the United States prior to April 1, 2012, the Saving Clause of Rule 520.1(b) provides that the rules which were in place when you began your law school study apply. Please contact the Board if you have any questions concerning your eligibility for the examination. The Board has no authority to waive any of the requirements of Rule 520.
Payment of Fees
A. Online Application
The only acceptable form of payment is a Visa or MasterCard credit card. Debit cards are not accepted. The Board cannot accept credit card payment by mail or by phone.
B. All Other Fees (see Board Rule Section 6000.14)
If you are making any payment to the Board other than the online application fee, the only acceptable forms of payment are: certified check or cashier's check drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. funds; U.S. Post Office money order; or a money order drawn on a U.S. bank or financial institution. All payments should be made payable to: "NYS Board of Law Examiners." Personal checks are not accepted. Do not send cash.
For more details, click here.
