The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE®) typically administers the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE®) annually on the last Tuesday and Wednesday 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, 10 jurisdictions (Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington) will replace the legacy UBE with the NextGen Uniform Bar ExaminationTM. The NextGen UBE format eliminates the MEE, MPT, and 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 UBE equivalent. Read on for jurisdiction-specific bar exam dates and filing deadlines for 2026.
UBE® Schedule (Legacy and NextGen)
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. Check your jurisdiction’s NextGen adoption status before relying on legacy UBE dates or format. 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 | 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 10 states and jurisdictions) | 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 bar exam appointment. Requirements, costs, and fees vary among jurisdictions.
- 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 Legacy/NextGen UBE: Log in to your NCBE account, select the jurisdiction where you will sit for the bar exam and your desired exam date.
2026–27 UBE Administration Dates
| Bar Examination Administration Dates |
|---|
| July 28-29, 2026 |
| Feb. 23-24, 2027 |
Filing Deadlines for UBE Jurisdictions (Legacy and NextGen)
Filing deadlines vary by jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions have more than 1 late-filing deadline; others (marked —) have none or have yet to issue one. All deadlines below are in 2026 unless noted. Always confirm with the official jurisdiction board before applying.
| Jurisdiction | July 2026 | February 2027 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | |
Non-UBE Bar Exam Dates (Legacy and NextGen)
While many non-UBE jurisdictions follow the NCBE’s testing calendar, there are a few exceptions. Non-UBE jurisdictions set exam dates independently, and some have yet to announce them for 2027. Please check with the appropriate Board of Bar Examiners website for updated information.
| Jurisdiction | July 28–29, 2026 | Feb. 23–24, 2027 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | First filing deadline | Late filing deadline | |
| California | Elapsed | June 1, 2026 | Nov. 1, 2026 | Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Delaware | Elapsed | Elapsed | Nov. 5, 2026 | Dec. 3, 2026 |
| Florida | Elapsed | June 1 / June 15, 2026 | Nov. 15, 2026 | Dec. 15, 2026 / Jan. 15, 2027 |
| Georgia | Elapsed | June 15, 2026 | Jan. 1, 2027 | Jan. 15, 2026 |
| Hawaii | Elapsed | — | Nov. 1, 2026 | — |
| Louisiana | Elapsed | Elapsed | Nov. 1, 2026 | Dec. 15, 2026 |
| Mississippi | Elapsed | Elapsed | Sept. 1, 2026 | Nov. 1, 2026 |
| Nevada | Elapsed | Elapsed | — | — |
| South Dakota | Elapsed | — | Nov. 1, 2026 | — |
| Virginia | Elapsed | — | Dec. 15, 2026 | — |
| Guam | Elapsed | June 1, 2026 | Dec. 1, 2026 | Jan. 1, 2026 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | May 22, 2026 | June 5, 2026 | Dec. 22, 2026 | Jan. 5, 2026 |
| Palau | June 1, 2026 | — | — | — |
| Puerto Rico | TBA | — | TBA | — |
