Louisiana bar exam requirements
Louisiana gives its own bar exam, a three-day, nine-part, mostly essay exam that reflects its civil-law system, and has no plan to adopt the UBE or NextGen UBE, per NCBE. It accepts no score transfers and doesn’t admit lawyers on motion, so everyone sits the full exam. The fee is $850 for registered Louisiana law students or $975 otherwise.
Sources: Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions and NCBE’s Comprehensive Guide, checked October 11, 2026. Late fee as reported. Confirm with the Committee before applying.
Deadlines and fees
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| February exam | First deadline: November 1; late: December 15 |
| July exam | First deadline: February 1; late: May 15 |
| Exam fee | $850 (second-year law student registration program) / $975 |
| Late fee | About $850 extra (reported) |
| Laptop | $136 |
Source: NCBE; Louisiana Committee on Bar Admissions. Late fee as reported.
Requirements
- Exam: nine parts, mostly essays, including Louisiana civil code and civil procedure plus federal jurisdiction; there’s no MBE.
- No transfers or motion: Louisiana doesn’t accept UBE, NextGen or MBE scores, and doesn’t admit on motion.
- Education: an ABA-approved JD; foreign law graduates may be eligible, per NCBE.
- MPRE: 80 or higher; the Committee calls it Part II of the bar exam.
- Register early: second-year Louisiana law students who register pay the lower fee.
Official source & community discussion
NCBE: Louisiana jurisdiction information (official) →
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