The bar exam, explained
There’s no single national bar exam: each state sets its own rules. Most give NCBE’s Uniform Bar Exam, which is being replaced by the NextGen UBE between July 2026 and July 2028, while a few write their own exams. In 2025, 63% of takers passed nationally, according to NCBE. Start with your state’s requirements, then plan your prep.
Sources: NCBE and state bar admission offices, checked October 11, 2026.
Start here
Fees, deadlines and rules for all 50 states and DC.
→What every state asks for.
→What's replacing the MBE, MEE and MPT.
→Legacy UBE and NextGen formats.
→No single fee; what to budget.
→National and by group.
→February and July 2027; MPRE.
→When states release results.
→Step by step.
→Both exam formats.
→Transition dates and state changes.
→NCBE's free materials.
→Common questions
Which bar exam will I take?
It depends on your state and test date: some give the NextGen UBE now, most switch between 2027 and 2028, and a few use their own exams. See your state’s page.