The Rhode Island Bar Exam
Structure, Topics, Dates, Cost, Scores, and Eligibility
Since February 2019, the Rhode Island Bar Exam has been using the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE®) format, which divides the exam into three components: the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE®), the Multistate Performance Test (MPT®), and the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE®).
Candidates who intend to practice law in different states will benefit from the increased score portability among the 41 participating UBE jurisdictions. This resource provides all the details on the RI Bar Exam results, dates, deadlines, fees, applications, and more.
Rhode Island Bar Exam Structure
The UBE is divided into two days, each with 6 testing hours. The MPT and MEE are administered on day one, and the MBE on day two.
Rhode Island Bar Exam Dates, Requirements, and Scheduling
You can't pass an exam that you don't take. Mark the dates and deadlines shown below on your calendar and review the eligibility requirements below. Save yourself some stress by collecting the proper documentation and submitting your application early.
Exam dates
| Filing Periods | February 27-28, 2024 | July 30-31, 2024 |
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| Attorney Deadline | September 1, 2023 | February 1, 2024 |
| First-Time Taker Deadline | December 1, 2023 | May 1, 2024 |
Requirements
- Have Juris Doctorate (JD) or Bachelor of Laws (LLB)* from an American Bar Association (ABA) approved law school
- Undergo a one-on-one character and fitness interview, which will determine whether or not further hearings are needed
- Have earned a Multistate Professional Responsibiliy Examination (MPRE®) score of at least 80 within 5 years of your application deadline
- Have not failed the UBE more than 5 times or more
*If you are an out-of-state lawyer who has been practicing law full-time in another jurisdiction for at least 5 of the past 10 years, you do not need to have graduated from an ABA-approved law school.
Scheduling
You must schedule your RI Bar Exam online. Any physical documents must be submitted to the address below:
- Submit NCBE® Character Report Application
- Request UBE Score Transcript be forwarded to the Clerk of the Supreme Court (if applicable)
- Request MPRE Score Report be forwarded to the Clerk of the Supreme Court
- Submit the Petition for Admission to the Rhode Island Bar form on RISCAP
- Submit test accommodations request (if applicable)
| Address: |
Licht Judicial Complex 250 Benefit Street Providence, RI 02903 |
Rhode Island Bar Exam Cost and Fees
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Application Fees |
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First-time taker |
$975 |
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Deferral |
+$300 |
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Repeat taker |
$975 |
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Attorney |
$1,475 |
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Character and Fitness |
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UBE Transfer |
$745 |
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UBE Transfer w/ NCBE character investigation |
$1,475 |
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Payment policies
All fees are non-refundable. Payments must be made online through RISCAP when you electronically file your application.
Cost saving options
- Check the Rhode Island Bar Foundation Scholarship Programs page for updates on scholarships and grants
- Browse the AccessLex Institute Law School Scholarship Databank
- Check out the American Bar Association's (ABA) website, which offers 100+ opportunities and programs for young lawyers and law students
- Join a study group and split the cost of bar exam preparation materials among group members.
- Research free or low-cost study online study materials like past bar exam questions and answers to supplement commercial study aids
- Some bar exam prep companies offer discounts or promotions to students who register early or refer friends to their program
Rhode Island Bar Exam Subjects and Topics
The RI Bar Exam tests a candidate's legal knowledge, analytical skills, and competence to practice law. It covers a range of subjects, from Constitutional Law and Contracts to Criminal Law and Evidence. Candidates will be assessed by their ability to apply legal principles, draft legal documents, and effectively solve problems to ensure they can competently represent clients and complete entry-level legal tasks.
MEE Subjects
Some MEE subjects may be tested together. Others may not be tested at all. For example, Civil Procedure has been tested on almost every MEE for the past ten years, while Criminal Law has only appeared a few times.
Learn More
MBE Subjects
The MBE contains 200 multiple-choice questions divided evenly over 7 subjects. You'll notice that 7 x 25 does not equal 200. That's because 25 MBE questions are unscored questions that act as field tests for future exams.
Learn More
MPT Tasks
The MPT is designed to test an examinee's "lawyering skills" using only the materials provided. These tasks are conducted in a closed-universe, fictional jurisdiction called "Franklin." The laws of the real world do not apply, so your critical thinking skills and understanding of fundamental legal principles are key.
Learn More
Rhode Island MPRE Requirements
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) is a 2-hour, 60-multiple-choice question exam that assesses an examinee's knowledge of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Candidates must pass the MPRE before they can take the Rhode Island Bar Exam. You can register through the NCBE.
Learn More
Rhode Island MPRE minimum passing score
To apply for the RI Bar Exam, you need to have earned a score of at least 80 on an MPRE exam taken within the last five years*. Send your score to the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island before you file your Bar application.
*If you take the MPRE in November, you can send the score later but must pass to be eligible for the February bar exam.
Rhode Island Bar Exam Scoring, Results, and Pass Rates
The UBE employs scaled scoring to ensure fairness across exam versions. Scaled scoring accounts for the fact that one exam administration may be more or less difficult than another administration. For example, February's exam may be more difficult than July's. It wouldn't be fair if you failed because you just happened to receive a harder exam version.
To solve this, your raw scores are transformed into scaled scores through a statistical method called equating. Unfortunately, the NCBE does not release data on the calculations it uses to determine scaled scores.
Rhode Island bar exam scoring/grading
Rhode Island's minimum passing score is 270*. Since the UBE is divided into two equally weighted sections—writing (MPT/MEE) and the MBE—you want to aim for a 135 on each section.
However, you do not need to score 270 on each section to pass the RI bar exam. For example, an exceptional MBE score can balance out a subpar score on the writing section. What's important is that the sum of your two scores is 270 or higher.
Rhode Island Bar Exam Results and Pass Rates
You'll notice that The Rhode Island Bar Exam's repeater pass rates are substantially lower than the first-timer pass rates, especially for the February 2023 exam. This discrepancy between first-timer and repeater pass rates is common across all jurisdictions and is likely because many who fail their first bar exam don't change how they study.
Results are typically released 10 weeks after an exam administration. Below are the pass rates for the past 6 years.
| Exam | First Timers | Repeaters | Overall | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | No Of Candidates | Pass Rate | No. Of Candidates | Pass Rate | No. Of Candidates | Pass Rate |
| 2022 | 103 | 58% | 20 | 35% | 123 | 54% |
| 2021 | 85 | 74% | 15 | 53% | 100 | 71% |
| 2020 | 80 | 60% | 31 | 45% | 111 | 56% |
| 2019 | 81 | 62% | 36 | 42% | 117 | 56% |
| 2018 | 82 | 63% | 33 | 30% | 115 | 54% |
| 2017 | 117 | 65% | 48 | 40% | 165 | 58% |
Rhode Island Bar Exam Reciprocity
Rhode Island does not offer formal reciprocity. However, lawyers from other states can apply to the RI Bar without examination if they:
- Have either been practicing law full-time or teaching law full-time for at least 5 of the last 10 years
- Pass the character and fitness assessment
- Take the essay part of the RI Bar Exam
What Makes the Rhode Island Bar Exam Unique?
The Rhode Island bar exam holds a few unique characteristics that set it apart from other states. Notably, unlike many other jurisdictions, Rhode Island does not allow for late filing for the bar exam. Furthermore, those who haven’t graduated from an ABA-accredited law school can take the RI Bar Exam if they meet certain specific requirements.
Rhode Island bar exam for foreigners
If you have a law degree from a foreign country and want to apply for the Rhode Island Bar Exam, you must:
- Have earned a degree at a law school based on Legal English common law
- Have either been practicing law full-time or teaching law full-time in a US jurisdiction for at least 5 of the last 10 years
- Prove that your foreign law education is similar in quality to a law degree from a school accredited by the American Bar Association
- Pass the character and fitness assessment
- Take the essay part of the RI Bar Exam
Final Takeaways
The difference between those who fail the Rhode Island Bar Examination and those who pass is the right study plan. A quality full bar review course will help improve your score, whether it's your first, second, or even third time taking the Rhode Island Bar Exam.
Themis + UWorld gets you exam-ready with exam-like practice with content and questions curated by an in-house team of subject matter experts. Our in-depth answer explanations for each answer choice and industry-leading images make the hard stuff easy to understand. Here's an overview of what you'll get:
Contact details of the Rhode Island State Bar
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Bar Administrator |