MPRE exam registration runs across two platforms in a fixed order: you first request an Authorization to Test through your National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) account, then schedule your appointment and pay the $185 fee through Pearson VUE. The whole process has to be finished by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on the registration deadline, which falls roughly two months before each test date. There is no late registration.
2026 Test Dates and Registration Deadlines
The MPRE is offered three times a year, typically in March, August, and November. For 2026:
- March 24 or 25, 2026 — registration deadline January 22, 2026
- August 11 or 12, 2026 — registration deadline June 11, 2026
- November 12 or 13, 2026 — registration deadline September 17, 2026
Miss the deadline and you wait for the next window. Every step, including payment and scheduling, has to be complete by 11:59 p.m. Central on the date listed.1National Conference of Bar Examiners. Important 2026 MPRE Dates
How to Register
You cannot jump straight to Pearson VUE. The NCBE side comes first, and the handoff between the two systems is where candidates most often get caught short.
- Set up an NCBE Account if you don’t already have one. The NCBE Number you receive follows you through your entire bar admission process.
- If you need testing accommodations, apply and receive a determination before you register. Accommodations cannot be added to an existing appointment.
- Log in to your NCBE Account, select MPRE Registration, and request your Authorization to Test.
- Wait for the Authorization to Test email from Pearson VUE. It usually arrives within 24 hours. Do not try to schedule before it lands.
- Within 48 hours of receiving the authorization, and no later than the registration deadline, schedule your appointment at a Pearson VUE testing center and pay the $185 fee.
- Keep the Confirmation of Exam Appointment and Confirmation of Payment emails Pearson VUE sends.
That 48-hour window between authorization and the deadline is the trap. Request your authorization the day before the deadline and you may not get the email in time to finish scheduling. Give yourself at least a few days of buffer.2National Conference of Bar Examiners. MPRE Exam Registration
The Fee and When You Pay It
The MPRE fee is $185, paid by debit or credit card directly to Pearson VUE at the scheduling step. Nothing is collected during the NCBE portion. Popular testing centers fill up weeks before the deadline, so putting off payment often means a worse location or a less convenient time slot.3Pearson VUE. National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Accommodations Have to Come First
If a disability recognized under the ADA requires any deviation from the standard administration, such as extended time or a separate room, you need to request accommodations and receive a determination from NCBE before you register. The sequencing isn’t flexible: accommodations cannot be bolted onto an existing appointment.
NCBE’s recommended submission dates for 2026 are November 20, 2025 for the March administration, April 23, 2026 for August, and July 30, 2026 for November. Your request must include documentation from a qualified professional, typed in English on letterhead, dated and signed, confirming the impairment and describing your current functional limitations. Once you have a determination, check that your Authorization to Test email reflects the approved accommodations before you schedule.1National Conference of Bar Examiners. Important 2026 MPRE Dates4National Conference of Bar Examiners. Guidelines for Medical Documentation When an Accommodation Request is Based upon Physical and Chronic Health-Related Impairments
Rescheduling and Cancellation
You can reschedule to a different time or center, but only within the same test administration. You cannot push an August registration to November. Rescheduling has to happen at least 48 hours before the first day of the administration and carries a non-refundable $25 fee. Do it through your Pearson VUE account or by calling 888-205-1855.
Cancellation follows the same 48-hour rule. Cancel at least 48 hours before the first day of the administration and you receive a partial refund. Cancel later and you forfeit the full fee.5National Conference of Bar Examiners. Scheduling Your MPRE Appointment to Test
Retakes
There is no cap on how many times you can take the MPRE. If you fall short of your jurisdiction’s minimum, you can register again for the next window and pay the full $185 again. Many students sit the exam in their second year of law school, after a professional responsibility course, which leaves room for a retake before bar prep intensifies.6National Conference of Bar Examiners. Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination
Jurisdictions That Don’t Require the MPRE
Nearly every U.S. jurisdiction requires a passing MPRE score before bar admission. Wisconsin and Puerto Rico are the exceptions. If you’re applying anywhere else, registration isn’t optional, and the passing score your jurisdiction sets ranges from 75 to 86, with most clustered around 80 or 85. Confirm the number with your jurisdiction’s bar admission authority before you register, because aiming at the wrong score can cost you a full testing cycle.7National Conference of Bar Examiners. Jurisdictions