Every year, the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®) administers the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE®) on the last Tuesday and Thursday of February and July. It consists of 3 components: the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE®), the Multistate Performance Test (MPT®), and the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE®).
Beginning July 2026, many jurisdictions will replace the legacy UBE with the NextGen UBE. The NextGen format eliminates the MEE, MPT, and standalone MBE and replaces them with integrated, skills-based questions that combine multiple-choice, practical tasks, and legal analysis. Exam dates remain the same.
While some jurisdictions continue to administer their own bar exams, most have adopted at least 1 UBE component, and nearly all use the MBE or will transition to its NextGen equivalent. Read on for jurisdiction-specific bar exam dates and filing deadlines for 2026.
UBE Schedule (Legacy and NextGen)
Most jurisdictions will follow the legacy UBE format through February 2026. Beginning July 2026, some states will transition to the NextGen UBE. The exam dates and 2-day structure stay the same, but the components change. Non-UBE jurisdictions typically follow a similar schedule to UBE states. However, some have 3-day bar exams or administer different components.
| UBE Schedule | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam | Tuesday | Wednesday | Total Duration |
| Legacy UBE (February 2026) | Morning: 2 MPTs | Morning: 100 MBE multiple-choice questions (MCQs) | 12 hours (6 hours each day) |
| Afternoon: 6 essay questions (MEE) | Afternoon: 100 MBE MCQs | ||
| NextGen UBE (Launches July 2026 for some states) | Morning: 40 MCQs + 2 integrated Q sets + 1 performance task | Morning: 40 MCQs + 2 integrated Q sets + 1 performance task | 9 hours (6 hours on day 1 and 3 hours on day 2) |
| Afternoon: 40 MCQs + 2 integrated Q sets + 1 performance task | - | ||
How to Schedule Your Bar Exam
Follow the steps below to schedule your UBE appointment. Requirements, costs, and fees vary among UBE jurisdictions. See the appropriate jurisdiction on the chart below for detailed, jurisdiction-specific information.
- Create an NCBE account: Go to the NCBE website and create an account to get your NCBE number.
- Check for an existing NCBE number: Use the NCBE Account Lookup to see if you already have one.
- Register for the UBE: Log in to your NCBE account and select the jurisdiction where you will take the UBE and your desired exam date.
2026- 2027 UBE Administration Dates
| 2026 UBE Administration Dates |
|---|
| July 28-29, 2026 |
| February 23–24, 2027 |
Filing Deadlines for UBE Jurisdictions
Below is a list of filing deadlines for the July 2026 UBE. The NCBE has yet to release this information for the July 2026 exam. Some jurisdictions have more than 1 late filing deadline, while others (indicated by N/A) do not have one. All filing deadlines below are in 2025 unless noted.
| Jurisdiction | July 2026 | February 2027 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | |
2026- 27 Bar Exam Administration Dates for Non-UBE Jurisdictions
While many non-UBE jurisdictions follow the testing calendar established by the NCBE, there are a few exceptions. Non-UBE jurisdictions set exam dates independently, and some have yet to announce them for 2026. Please check with the appropriate Board of Bar Examiners website for updated information.
| State | July 28–29, 2026 | February 23–24, 2027 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | |
| California | Apr. 1 | Jun. 1 | Nov. 1 | Jan. 1 |
| Delaware | Apr. 2 | May 7 | Nov.5. | Dec.3 |
| Florida | May. 1 | June 1 / June 15 | Nov. 15 | Dec. 15 / Jan. 15. |
| Georgia | Jun. 1 | Jun. 15 | Jan. 1 | Jan. 15 |
| Hawaii | Apr. 1 | TBA | Nov. 1 | TBA |
| Louisiana | Feb. 1 | May. 15 | Nov.1 | Dec.15 |
| Mississippi | Feb. 1 | Apr. 1 | Sept. 1 | Nov. 1 |
| Nevada | March 2 | May 1 | TBA | TBA |
| South Dakota | May 1 | TBA | Nov. 1 | TBA |
| Virginia | May 10 | TBA | Dec.15 | TBA |
| Wisconsin | May 1 | Jan. 1 | Dec 1. | Jan. 1 |
| Guam | May. 1 | June 1 | Dec.1 | Jan.1 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | May 22 | June 5 | Dec.22 | Jan.5 |
| Palau | June. 1 | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Puerto Rico | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
