The 2026 bar exam dates are Tuesday and Wednesday, February 24–25, and Tuesday and Wednesday, July 28–29. Most jurisdictions test on these same days under a schedule coordinated by the National Conference of Bar Examiners. July 2026 also marks the debut of the NextGen bar exam in a small group of jurisdictions, which changes the format for the people testing there.1National Conference of Bar Examiners. NextGen Bar Exam
February 24–25, 2026
The February 2026 administration runs Tuesday, February 24 and Wednesday, February 25. Every jurisdiction administering the Uniform Bar Examination will use the legacy UBE format for this sitting. The NextGen version does not appear until July.
Forty-one jurisdictions currently use the UBE, which means the same test, same scoring, and portable results.2National Conference of Bar Examiners. UBE Jurisdictions States that do not participate in the UBE, including California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Virginia, generally test on the same February and July days but may use different components or add state-specific questions.3National Conference of Bar Examiners. UBE Exam
July 28–29, 2026
The July 2026 administration runs Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 29. This sitting splits in two. Most test-takers will see the familiar legacy UBE. A smaller group will sit for the first-ever NextGen UBE administration.
Ten jurisdictions administer the NextGen UBE in July 2026: Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau, Virgin Islands, and Washington.1National Conference of Bar Examiners. NextGen Bar Exam More than 40 additional jurisdictions have formally adopted the NextGen UBE for later implementation. A small number of states, including California, Louisiana, and Nevada, have made no announcement about adopting it. If you are sitting in July, confirm directly with your jurisdiction’s board which version you will face.
What the NextGen Format Changes
The NextGen UBE runs one and a half days instead of two. Day one has two three-hour sessions, and day two has a single three-hour session.4National Conference of Bar Examiners. About the NextGen Bar Exam Scoring combines performance across multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets, and performance tasks. The integrated question sets are new and blend facts, law, and skills into a single scenario rather than testing them in isolation.1National Conference of Bar Examiners. NextGen Bar Exam
The NextGen exam tests fewer subjects: civil procedure, contracts, evidence, torts, business associations, constitutional law, criminal law, and real property. Family law joins the list starting with the July 2028 administration.5NCBE. Recommendations
What the Legacy Two-Day Exam Covers
If you are sitting the legacy UBE in February or July 2026, both days run a morning and afternoon session of three hours each.
Day one is the written portion. The morning session is two Multistate Performance Test tasks, roughly 90 minutes apiece. Each task gives you a fictional client file and a small library of legal authorities and asks you to produce a specific work product. The MPT does not test any particular subject; it measures whether you can read unfamiliar law and apply it. The afternoon brings the Multistate Essay Examination: six essays in three hours, drawing from contracts, torts, constitutional law, criminal law, evidence, real property, business associations, and other areas.6National Conference of Bar Examiners. MEE Preparation You will not know which topics appear until you open the booklet.
Day two is the Multistate Bar Examination, a 200-question multiple-choice test split into two three-hour sessions of 100 questions each. The subjects are civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, real property, and torts. At roughly 1.8 minutes per question, pacing is tight.
MPRE Dates in 2026
Most jurisdictions also require the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, a separate two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice test on legal ethics. It runs on its own schedule, three times in 2026:
- March 24–25, 2026 (registration deadline: January 22)
- August 11–12, 2026 (registration deadline: June 11)
- November 12–13, 2026 (registration deadline: September 17)7National Conference of Bar Examiners. 2026 MPRE Dates and Deadlines
Passing scores range from 75 to 86 across jurisdictions, with 85 being the most common. You can take the MPRE before or after the bar exam in most states, and many candidates sit for it during law school. Score validity windows vary by jurisdiction.
Registration Deadlines and Fees
Timely filing deadlines for the February exam typically fall in October, and deadlines for July typically fall in March. Missing the early deadline triggers late fees that can add hundreds of dollars. Base registration generally runs $750 to $1,200 for first-time examinees, and late filing can push total costs above $1,400. Exact figures vary by state.
Before you can register anywhere, you need an NCBE account, which generates an NCBE Number. That number follows you through every bar admissions interaction and links your MBE, MPRE, UBE, and Character and Fitness records.8National Conference of Bar Examiners. What is an NCBE Number Used For You should only ever have one, so check for an existing account before creating a new one.
The application also requires official law school transcripts and a Character and Fitness questionnaire covering employment, addresses, and any legal, academic, or disciplinary history. Incomplete or dishonest disclosures cause more trouble than the underlying issues typically would.
Withdrawal policies are not generous. Most jurisdictions do not offer full refunds. Some provide a reduced fee for the next administration if you withdraw by a specific deadline. No-shows typically forfeit the full fee and may trigger a report to the Character and Fitness committee. Read your jurisdiction’s rules before assuming anything is refundable.
What to Bring and What to Expect
You need a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID to enter the testing site. A driver’s license or passport works in every jurisdiction. No ID, no exam.
Most jurisdictions let you type your written answers on a personal laptop using exam software like Examplify. Laptop use requires a separate registration with its own deadline and fee, and you will typically need to install the software and complete practice exams in advance. Miss the laptop deadline and you handwrite. The option usually must be elected during the initial application window; opting in later generally is not possible.
Security is tight. Phones, smartwatches, bags, and study materials stay outside the testing room or in designated storage. ADA accommodations must be requested well in advance, often by the same deadline as late applications, with supporting documentation from a medical or psychological professional.
When 2026 Results Arrive
Release timing varies widely. Smaller jurisdictions sometimes publish results about four weeks after the exam. Larger states can take more than ten weeks. Most candidates receive results within six to ten weeks. Scores arrive through secure online portals, and many jurisdictions also publish public pass lists. Once you pass, the bar admissions board certifies your name to the jurisdiction’s highest court for formal admission, which is the last step before you are sworn in.
If you do not pass, you can typically register for the next administration without a mandatory waiting period, though some states cap total attempts. A few jurisdictions let you carry over a passing score on one portion and retake only the part you failed, which is worth confirming with your board before you re-register.