The Michigan Bar Exam
Structure, Topics, Dates, Cost, Scores, and Eligibility
In February 2023, The Michigan Bar Exam adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE®), joining 40 participating jurisdictions. The uniform nature of the exam increases reciprocity and streamlines the licensure transfer process. The UBE is broken into three sections—the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE®), the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE®), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT®). This article will provide you everything you need to know about exam dates, deadlines, costs, pass rates, subjects, requirements, and more.
Michigan Bar Exam Structure
The UBE format of the Michigan Bar Exam consists of three exams proctored over two days. Each day represents 50% of your total exam score, which is reported on a 400-point scale. Michigan requires a UBE minimum passing score of 268.
| Exam Sessions | Exam Component | Format & Hours | % of Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday Morning | MPT | 2 Task Items, 3 Hours | 20% |
| Tuesday Afternoon | MEE | 6 Essays, 3 Hours | 30% |
| Wednesday Morning | MBE | 100 Questions, 3 Hours | 50% |
| Wednesday Afternoon | MBE | 100 Questions, 3 Hours |
Multistate Performance Test (MPT)
The MPT is weighted at 20%. It assesses an examiner's ability to apply legal knowledge to simulated but realistic situations. You are given 90 minutes and provided a folder containing various legal materials to complete each of your two assignments. These assignments often include topics that don't appear on other portions of the bar exam, like Professional Responsibility.
Multistate Essay Exam (MEE)
The MEE is weighted at 30%. In the afternoon of your first exam day, you have 3 hours to complete six 30-minute MEE essay questions. Essays are graded from 0 to 6 before they are converted into scaled scores. According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®), the [purpose of the MEE is,
- Identify legal issues raised by a hypothetical factual situation.
- Separate material that is relevant from that which is not
- Present a reasoned analysis of the relevant issues in a clear, concise, and well-organized composition
- Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental legal principles irrelevant to the probable solution of the issues raised by the factual situation
Multistate Bar Exam (MBE)
The MBE is weighted at 50%. The entire second day of the exam is devoted to answering 200 multiple-choice questions split between two three-hour sessions. Only 175 questions are actually graded. The remaining 25 are unscored pilot questions for future exams.
Michigan Bar Exam Requirements, Dates, and Scheduling
To sit for the Michigan Bar Exam, you must complete your application and your affidavit of personal history before the late submission deadline. The final filing deadline for the February 2024 exam is December 15, 2023, and May 15, 2024, for the July 2024 exam. If you miss these deadlines, you will not be admitted to take the bar exam. It's recommended that you file within the timely filing deadline to avoid late fees (see Exam Dates below).
Requirements for Admission
To qualify as an applicant for the Michigan Bar Exam you must meet the following qualifications stipulated by The Michigan Supreme Court:
- Graduate with a JD from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.
- Graduate with a JD from a state accredited law school.
Exam Dates
Failure to meet the Michigan Bar Exam's timely filing deadlines will result in additional fees. Deadlines for the 2023 February and July exams are as follows:
| Exam Date | Registration Opens | Timely Deadline | +$100 Late Filing Fee Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 27-28, 2024 | August 15, 2023 | November 1, 2023 | December 15, 2023 |
| July 30-31, 2024 | January 15, 2024 | March 1, 2024 | May 15, 2024 |
Testing Location
The Michigan Bar Exam is administered on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July at the following locations:
| February 2024 Michigan Bar Exam Location | |
|---|---|
| City | Venue |
| East Lansing | Kellogg Center at Michigan State University |
| July 2024 Michigan Bar Exam Location | |
| City | Venue |
| East Lansing | Jack Breslin Student Events Center at Michigan State University |
Scheduling
To schedule your Michigan Bar Exam you must create an account on the State Bar of Michigan website. Once you’ve registered you can login and begin your application. You will receive a receipt upon submitting your application and paying required fees. You must submit your Waiver and Release to the Character & Fitness office within two weeks following your submission at which point work can begin on your Character & Fitness application.
Costs and Fees
The Michigan Bar Exam timely filing fee is $400. A $100 late fee is levied for late filing the filing deadline. Fees are non-refundable.
Bar Exam Registration
- First Time Examinees: $400
- Repeat Examinees: $300
Investigation: $375
- Recertification: $375
Transfer Exam Date: $100
Bar Exam Registration
- February Exam App. filed after November 1: $100
- July Exam App. filed after March 1: $100
Investigation
- February App. filed after November 1: $175
- July App. filed after May 1: $175
- Re-activation Fee: $200
- File Copy Fee: $20
Payment Policies
Payments must be received before 12 midnight EST. All fees must be paid electronically via Visa or Mastercard credit, debit, or prepaid card. No refunds will be accepted and all fees must be paid together.
Cost-Saving Options
The pursuit of a legal license can become quite expensive. The good news is that scholarships and grants are available to help with the associated costs of pursuing a legal education and professional practice.
Many Michigan area organizations, including universities and foundations, offer law students in the region various scholarships and grants to help with legal education and bar exam costs. For example, the University of Michigan School of Law offers grants and scholarships annually, including academic and financial considerations.
Michigan State University College of Law also offers various scholarships for area students, which you can check out here: Scholarships & Costs: Michigan State University College of Law. If you are considering pursuing a legal license in Michigan, we strongly encourage you to apply to as many of these scholarships for which you are eligible to help you with your bar.
Michigan Bar Exam Subjects and Topics
The Michigan Bar Exam contains two written sections (MEE/MPT) that assess an examiner's ability to analyze legal scenarios using their legal knowledge and reasoning. On day two, the 200 multiple choice questions exam (MBE) tests fundamental legal principles within the context of Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts.
MEE
The MEE portion of the Uniform Bar Exam has always been the same six questions for all UBE jurisdictions to allow for score portability. Likewise, the MEE Subject Matter Outline applies to all UBE jurisdictions. The following represent Michigan Bar Exam subjects for the essay portion:
- Business Associations
- Civil Procedure
- Conflict of Laws
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Evidence
- Family Law
- Real Property
- Secured Transactions
- Torts
- Trusts and Estates
MEE subjects vary by exam version. For example, subjects may appear alongside others or be entirely omitted. In the past, some subjects (e.g., Civil Procedure) have appeared frequently, while others (e.g., Criminal Law) are rarely tested. Additional information on the list of subjects and subtopics can be found at MEE Subject Matter Outline.
MBE
The MBE tests the following subjects across 200 questions:
You may find a complete list of subjects and subtopics here: MBE Subject Matter Outline.
Michigan Bar Exam Scoring/Grading
The UBE is split into two sections. The writing section on day one contains the MEE and the MPT, and the MBE on day two. Performance on each section is graded on a scaled score out of 200. They are weighted as follows:
The Michigan Bar Exam’s minimum passing score is 268. Therefore, if you score 134 on each section, you pass. Keep in mind that you could do poorly on one section and make up for it on the other as long as your total scaled score is 268 or above.
Scaled scoring is used to ensure fairness across test versions using a statistical method known as equating. For example, February’s exam might be deemed more difficult than July’s exam, or vice versa. Therefore, bonuses or penalties are given based on a particular exam version’s relative difficulty. In other words, you might answer 150 questions correctly on the MBE, but your scaled score will be higher or lower.
Michigan MPRE Minimum Passing Score
The Michigan Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam’s (MPRE®) minimum score is 85 on a range of 50-150. Passing the MPRE is a prerequisite for practicing law in Michigan state. Like the UBE, the MPRE measures performance with scaled scoring, and while exact data on how raw scores are converted into scaled scores is not public, we recommend that students aim for a consistent raw score of at least 30 on their practice exam.
Michigan Bar Exam Pass Rates & Results
As is common with bar exams across the United States, the Michigan Bar Exam's pass rate for repeaters is considerably lower than for those taking it for the first time. This is likely because many repeat takers don't substantially modify their study habits.
| Michigan Bar Exam Pass Rates | Overall Pass Rate | First-Timer Pass Rate | Repeater Pass Rate | Results Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2023 | 55% | 68% | 16% | October 24 |
| February 2023 | 35% | 45% | 25% | April 28 |
Below are the annual pass rates for the Michigan Bar Exam since 2016 divided into first-time examinees and repeaters:
| Exam | First Timers | Repeaters | Overall | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | No Of Candidates | Pass Rate | No. Of Candidates | Pass Rate | No. Of Candidates | Pass Rate |
| 2022 | 565 | 74% | 315 | 39% | 880 | 62% |
| 2021 | 675 | 72% | 283 | 28% | 958 | 59% |
| 2020 | 703 | 78% | 374 | 46% | 1,077 | 66% |
| 2019 | 697 | 70% | 314 | 37% | 1,011 | 60% |
| 2018 | 755 | 74% | 315 | 38% | 1,070 | 63% |
| 2017 | 728 | 75% | 366 | 42% | 1,094 | 58% |
| 2016 | 789 | 75% | 401 | 47% | 1,190 | 65% |
Michigan Bar Exam for Foreigners
Foreigners who have not graduated from an ABA approved or state accredited law school may sit for the Michigan Bar Exam if the BLE deems their legal education (e.g., LL.M degree) as equivalent to the qualifications set for domestic applicants.
Yes, as long as they meet all the requirements set forth by Rule 2 of the Michigan Board of Law Examiners.
Admission by MBE Score Transfer
Michigan allows applicants to transfer an MBE score achieved in the preceding three years from a reciprocal jurisdiction as long as the applicant passed the entire bar exam in which they earned their MBE score. Still, all applicants must sit for the essay portion of the Michigan Bar Exam and must earn a passing score of 135 after the scores of both exam portions have been combined. In February 2023, Michigan began using the UBE. To transfer, you must have earned a UBE score of 268.
Admission by UBE Score Transfer
Effective February 2023, applicants who have earned the minimum passing score requirement for Michigan on a Uniform Bar Exam taken in another jurisdiction within the preceding three years may apply for admission based on that score.
Admission on Motion
You may be admitted on motion to the State Bar of Michigan if you are a member in good standing of another U.S. state or territory, provided you have been engaged in the active practice of law for three of the five years preceding application.
What Makes the Michigan Bar Exam Unique?
The Michigan’s Board of Law Examiners (BLE) adopted the UBE in February 2023. While the Michigan bar exam was unique in that it only consisted of two components—Michigan Subject Essays and the MBE—it will now consist of the MEE, MPT, and MBE.
Final Takeaways
The Themis + UWorld full bar review bundle offers 4000+ MBE practice questions, including recent National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®) licensed questions. Each question has been carefully crafted by our in-house team of legal professionals or is licensed by the NCBE.
Access 100+ MEE practice essays and dozens of MPT practice questions from past bar exams. In addition, our platform offers customizable flashcards, performance tracking, answer explanations filled with vivid illustrations and charts, readings paired with easily digestible 10-15 video lectures, and thorough explanations for every answer choice.
Contact Details of Michigan State Bar
See the table below for contact details for the Michigan State Bar:
| Department | Contact |
|---|---|
| Michigan State Board of Law Examiners | (517) 373-4453 |
| State Bar of Michigan | (517) 346-6300 |
| Character and Fitness Department | (517) 367-6510 |
| Bar Exam Application Completion Questions | (517) 367-6510 [email protected] |
Michigan Bar Exam FAQs
Can anyone take the Bar Exam in Michigan?
To sit for the Bar Exam in Michigan, applicants must have a JD from a “reputable and qualified law school” that requires three years of full-time study for graduation or an ABA-approved law school.
How often Is the Michigan Bar Exam Offered?
The Michigan Bar Exam is offered twice a year, in February and July.
How hard is the Michigan Bar Exam?
Judging by the Michigan Bar Exam pass rate from the most recent administration, the Michigan Bar Exam may be as challenging as those administered in other UBE jurisdictions.
What Are Michigan Bar Exam Application Deadlines and Fees?
How Long Does It Take to Study for the Michigan Bar Exam?
Schedule 400 hours to study for the DC Bar Exam. Students typically begin studying 8-10 weeks before the exam, but starting 4-6 months ahead will decrease burnout. Of course, the time you need is intimately related to your educational background and how you optimize your time.
How Long is the Michigan bar exam?
The Michigan Bar Exam lasts two days, with the Michigan Subject Essays lasting 6 hours across two 3-hour sessions and the MBE lasting 6 hours in two 3-hour sessions.
How many times can you take the Michigan Bar Exam?
Michigan does not have a set limit on the number of times you can take the Michigan Bar Exam, so if you fail the exam the first time, you can revise your strategy to perform better on your next attempt.
What is the Pass Rate for the Michigan Bar?
What states have Reciprocity with the Michigan Bar?
Michigan has reciprocity with all 49 other states.
How is the Michigan Bar Exam scored?
The Michigan Essay Subjects and MBE scores are each weighted at 50% (placed on a common scale), combined, and averaged to determine if an applicant achieved a passing score of 135.
When are the Michigan Bar Exam Results released?
How Do I Become a Licensed Attorney in Michigan?
You must pass the UBE and the MPRE in Michigan, have completed law school at an ABA-accredited law school, and have successfully undergone a character and fitness process.
Can You Practice Law without a Law Degree in Michigan?
You must have a law degree to practice law in Michigan.
How to Request Special Accommodations for the Michigan Bar Exam?
To request special accommodations for the Michigan Bar Exam, you must submit a Special Accommodations Questionnaire and Affidavit by December 15 or May 15 for the February or July exams, respectively. Here are detailed instructions.