About the UBE

Gavel on computer keyboard

The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) is coordinated by NCBE and is composed of the following components:

It is uniformly administered, graded, and scored and results in a portable score that can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions. 

The UBE is administered over two days, with the MBE given on the last Wednesday of February and July and the MEE and MPT given on the Tuesday prior to that. Jurisdictions that use the UBE may also require applicants to complete jurisdiction-specific law component.

Purpose 

The UBE is designed to test knowledge and skills that every lawyer should be able to demonstrate prior to becoming licensed to practice law. It results in a portable score that can be used to apply for admission in other UBE jurisdictions.

Jurisdictions That Have Adopted the UBE

Select a jurisdiction for a summary of bar admission information specific to that jurisdiction and contact information for its bar admission agency. Note that jurisdictions that adopt the UBE may be indicated as such with incomplete information until rule amendments are finalized.

Legend
  • UBE Adopted
  • UBE Not Adopted
Not Shown on Map
Jurisdiction UBE Adopted
Alabama
Yes
Alaska
Yes
Arizona
Yes
Arkansas
Yes
California
No
Colorado
Yes
Connecticut
Yes
Delaware
No
District of Columbia
Yes
Florida
No
Georgia
No
Hawaii
No
Idaho
Yes
Illinois
Yes
Indiana
Yes
Iowa
Yes
Kansas
Yes
Kentucky
Yes
Louisiana
No
Maine
Yes
Maryland
Yes
Massachusetts
Yes
Michigan
Yes
Minnesota
Yes
Mississippi
No
Missouri
Yes
Montana
Yes
Nebraska
Yes
Nevada
No
New Hampshire
Yes
New Jersey
Yes
New Mexico
Yes
New York
Yes
North Carolina
Yes
North Dakota
Yes
Ohio
Yes
Oklahoma
Yes
Oregon
Yes
Pennsylvania
Yes
Rhode Island
Yes
South Carolina
Yes
South Dakota
No
Tennessee
Yes
Texas
Yes
Utah
Yes
Vermont
Yes
Virginia
No
Washington
Yes
West Virginia
Yes
Wisconsin
No
Wyoming
Yes
Guam
No
Northern Mariana Islands
No
Palau
No
Puerto Rico
No
Virgin Islands
Yes
map with push pins and connecting strings

For a downloadable map of jurisdictions that have adopted the UBE, access the PDF map.

UBE Jurisdiction Map
calendar with red pencil making red circle around date

Click the link for a list of UBE Jurisdictions and their first administration dates.

UBE Jurisdiction Administration Dates

Articles About the UBE

a laptop with a newspaper, magazine and cup of coffee

Visit the Bar Examiner website for articles about the UBE. Learn about the evolution of the UBE, policies and statistics, portability, jurisdiction local law components—and hear from early advocates of UBE adoption.

Bar Examiner UBE Articles

Policies Set by Jurisdictions

While the UBE is uniformly administered, graded, and scored by user jurisdictions, the user jurisdictions continue to independently

  • decide who may sit for the bar exam and who will be admitted to practice;
  • determine underlying educational requirements;
  • make all character and fitness decisions;
  • set their own policies regarding the number of times applicants may retake the bar examination;
  • make ADA decisions;
  • grade the MEE and MPT;
  • set their own pre-release regrading policies;
  • assess candidate knowledge of jurisdiction-specific content through a separate test, course, or some combination of the two if the jurisdiction chooses;
  • accept MBE scores earned in a previous examination or concurrently in another jurisdiction for purposes of making local admission decisions if they wish. Note: candidates must sit for all portions of the UBE in the same UBE jurisdiction and in the same administration in order to earn a portable UBE score;
  • set their own passing scores; and
  • determine how long incoming UBE scores will be accepted.