US Bar Exam Results
One of the glaring questions that comes up when you talk about any exam, in general, is the results. Even before you sit for an exam, it is hard not to think about how you will perform. The Bar Exam and the stress related to its results are not unknown, and this stress is compounded when states do not give clear and detailed instructions on when the results will be announced. Anticipating the results of a massive test like the bar exam isn't ideal when you have deadlines and goals to achieve. Here's a detailed breakdown of bar exam results and release dates for 2023, as well as estimated release dates for 2024.
Bar Exam Results and Release Dates - February and July 2023
The average wait time for bar exam results is 1-3 months. The smaller the jurisdiction, the more likely the results will be released earlier. However, some larger states take nearly the same length of time. In some cases, exam administration also impacts the timing of the release of the results.
Since more candidates take the test in July, the results usually take longer. For example, the bar exam results in Ohio take approximately nine weeks for the February exam and approximately 12 weeks for the July exam.
| February 2023 Pass Rates and Release Dates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | All | First | Repeat | UBE | Release |
| Alabama | 31% | 49% | 21% | Yes | April 21 |
| Alaska | 75% | 77% | 71% | Yes | May 4 |
| Arizona | 41% | 60% | 12% | Yes | May 12 |
| Arkansas | 48% | 59% | 40% | Yes | April 6 |
| California | 33% | 45% | 28% | No | May 5 |
| Colorado | 47% | 54% | 42% | Yes | April 27 |
| Connecticut | 35% | 57% | 24% | Yes | April 21 |
| Delaware | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | n/a |
| District of Columbia | 45% | 55% | 35% | Yes | April 21 |
| Florida | 39% | 55% | 26% | No | April 11 |
| Georgia | 49% | 66% | 37% | No | May 12 |
| Hawaii | 54% | 58% | 48% | No | April 19 |
| Idaho | 36% | 60% | 20% | Yes | April 18 |
| Illinois | 43% | 62% | 35% | Yes | April 3 |
| Indiana | 50% | 62% | 42% | Yes | April 5 |
| Iowa | 51% | 70% | 35% | Yes | April 7 |
| Kansas | 51% | 63% | 38% | Yes | April 3 |
| Kentucky | 52% | 52% | 52% | Yes | |
| Louisiana | 42% | 49% | 38% | No | April 21 |
| Maine | 36% | 51% | 17% | Yes | April 13 |
| Maryland | 32% | 49% | 24% | Yes | April 21 |
| Massachusetts | 40% | 60% | 28% | Yes | April 19 |
| Michigan | 35% | 45% | 25% | Yes | April 28 |
| Minnesota | 45% | 62% | 29% | Yes | April 17 |
| Mississippi | 38% | 48% | 24% | No | |
| Missouri | 47% | 59% | 38% | Yes | April 12 |
| Montana | 59% | 72% | 48% | Yes | April 3 |
| Nebraska | 41% | 42% | 40% | Yes | March 29 |
| Nevada | 53% | 65% | 36% | No | May 5 |
| New Hampshire | 50% | 53% | 47% | Yes | April 21 |
| New Jersey | 33% | 43% | 29% | Yes | |
| New Mexico | 44% | 72% | 24% | Yes | March 31 |
| New York | 40% | 56% | 31% | Yes | April 21 |
| North Carolina | 47% | 63% | 29% | Yes | March 29 |
| North Dakota | 54% | 69% | 43% | Yes | April 4 |
| Ohio | 42% | 60% | 31% | Yes | April 28 |
| Oklahoma | 37% | 55% | 26% | Yes | April 14 |
| Oregon | 40% | 58% | 26% | Yes | |
| Pennsylvania | 44% | 55% | 37% | Yes | April 6 |
| Rhode Island | 44% | 67% | 31% | Yes | April 21 |
| South Carolina | 47% | 66% | 29% | Yes | April 28 |
| South Dakota | 55% | 90% | 37% | No | April 5 |
| Tennessee | 36% | 54% | 26% | Yes | April 13 |
| Texas | 45% | 59% | 34% | Yes | April 20 |
| Utah | 65% | 74% | 41% | Yes | April 11 |
| Vermont | 66% | 72% | 50% | Yes | April 13 |
| Virginia | 63% | 75% | 47% | No | April 14 |
| Washington | 47% | 56% | 37% | Yes | April 7 |
| West Virginia | 55% | 50% | 56% | Yes | March 27 |
| Wisconsin | 42% | 67% | 17% | No | |
| Wyoming | 52% | 58% | 47% | Yes | April 13 |
| Guam | 33% | 67% | 0% | No | |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 50% | 50% | n/a | No | n/a |
| Palau (no February exam) | n/a | n/a | n/a | No | n/a |
| Puerto Rico | 36% | n/a | n/a | No | n/a |
| Virgin Islands | n/a | n/a | n/a | Yes | n/a |
| July 2023 Pass Rates and Release Dates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | All | First | Repeat | UBE | Release |
| Alabama | 54% | 78% | 11% | Yes | September 29 |
| Alaska | 58% | 64% | 25% | Yes | October 26 |
| Arizona | 68% | 78% | 31% | Yes | October 13 |
| Arkansas | 70% | 81% | 29% | Yes | September 7 |
| California | 52% | 65% | 24% | No | November 9 |
| Colorado | 74% | 80% | 35% | Yes | September 28 |
| Connecticut | 56% | 67% | 16% | Yes | September 29 |
| Delaware | 64% | 68% | 53% | No | October 5 |
| District of Columbia | 78% | 84% | 34% | Yes | October 24 |
| Florida | 61% | 72% | 30% | No | September 18 |
| Georgia | 70% | 79% | 30% | No | October 13 |
| Hawaii | 63% | 75% | 18% | No | October 16 |
| Idaho | 66% | 76% | 40% | Yes | September 13 |
| Illinois | 70% | 79% | 27% | Yes | September 29 |
| Indiana | 70% | 77% | 33% | Yes | September 11 |
| Iowa | 86% | 88% | 45% | Yes | September 1 |
| Kansas | 77% | 80% | 56% | Yes | September 5 |
| Kentucky | 76% | 80% | 52% | Yes | September 29 |
| Louisiana | 70% | 75% | 40% | No | October 6 |
| Maine | 68% | 78% | 20% | Yes | September 21 |
| Maryland | 59% | 71% | 24% | Yes | October 13 |
| Massachusetts | 73% | 82% | 25% | Yes | October 10 |
| Michigan | 55% | 68% | 16% | Yes | October 24 |
| Minnesota | 79% | 86% | 37% | Yes | October 2 |
| Mississippi | 73% | 79% | 45% | No | September 27 |
| Missouri | 81% | 88% | 37% | Yes | September 13 |
| Montana | 82% | 88% | 43% | Yes | September 22 |
| Nebraska | 70% | 74% | 36% | Yes | September 1 |
| Nevada | 63% | 71% | 36% | No | October 6 |
| New Hampshire | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | September 29 |
| New Jersey | 61% | 70% | 31% | Yes | October 11 |
| New Mexico | 71% | 84% | 39% | Yes | September 1 |
| New York | 66% | 76% | 29% | Yes | October 19 |
| North Carolina | 69% | 78% | 29% | Yes | August 29 |
| North Dakota | 60% | 67% | 29% | Yes | September 7 |
| Ohio | 73% | 80% | 33% | Yes | October 27 |
| Oklahoma | 68% | 72% | 48% | Yes | September 8 |
| Oregon | 69% | 75% | 30% | Yes | September 22 |
| Pennsylvania | 71% | 79% | 33% | Yes | October 6 |
| Rhode Island | 73% | 76% | 58% | Yes | October 27 |
| South Carolina | 73% | 81% | 39% | Yes | October 20 |
| South Dakota | 74% | 75% | 67% | No | August 31 |
| Tennessee | 67% | 76% | 29% | Yes | October 6 |
| Texas | 71% | 81% | 31% | Yes | October 13 |
| Utah | 92% | 94% | 73% | Yes | September 14 |
| Vermont | 58% | 64% | 30% | Yes | September 15 |
| Virginia | 75% | 77% | 53% | No | October 12 |
| Washington | 70% | 78% | 33% | Yes | September 8 |
| West Virginia | 72% | 76% | 43% | Yes | August 28 |
| Wisconsin | 58% | 69% | No | August 28 | |
| Wyoming | 80% | 85% | 56% | Yes | September 21 |
| Guam | 57% | 80% | 0% | No | N/A |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 0% | 0% | N/A | No | N/A |
| Palau | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | N/A |
| Puerto Rico | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | N/A |
| Virgin Islands | N/A | N/A | N/A | Yes | N/A |
Estimated Bar Exam Results Release Dates - February and July 2024
Every jurisdiction releases their bar exam results independently. While release dates vary by jurisdiction and from year to year, reporting and grading periods typically fall between 6-12 weeks. We’ve estimated bar exam result release dates for February and July 2024 based on these periods. Read the table below as follows:
- One number OR x-x = both
- x/x = July/February
| Estimated Bar Exam Results Release Dates 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State/Territory | July/Feb. (weeks) | February | July |
| Alabama | 9 | Late April, Early May | Early October |
| Alaska | 10-12 | Mid to Late May | Mid to Late October |
| Arizona | 9 | Late April, Early May | Early October |
| Arkansas | 5 | Late March | Late August |
| California | May/Nov | May | November |
| Colorado | 9 | Late April, Early May | Early October |
| Connecticut | 10/9 | Early to Mid May | Mid to Late October |
| Delaware | 9/11 | Late April, Early May | Late October, Early November |
| District of Columbia | 9-10 | Late April, Early May | Mid to Late October |
| Florida | 6-8 | Early to Mid April | Late August, Early September |
| Georgia | 11 | Late May | Late October |
| Hawaii | 10-12 | Early to Mid May | Mid to Late October |
| Idaho | 6 | Early April | Early September |
| Illinois | 6 | Early April | Early September |
| Indiana | 8-9 | Late April, Early May | Early to Mid October |
| Iowa | 7 | Mid April | Mid September |
| Kansas | 6 | Early April | Early September |
| Kentucky | 9 | Late April, Early May | Early October |
| Louisiana | 5-6/8-9 | Late March, Early April | Late August, Early September |
| Maine | 7-9 | Mid April to Early May | Mid to Late September |
| Maryland | 8/12 | Late April | Late October |
| Massachusetts | 8/12 | Late April | Late October |
| Michigan | May 15/Nov 15 | May 15 | Nov 15 |
| Minnesota | 6/10 | Early April | Early November |
| Mississippi | 7-8 | Mid April | Late September |
| Missouri | 7 | Mid April | Mid September |
| Montana | 7-8 | Mid April | Mid-Late September |
| Nebraska | 6-7 | Early to Mid April | Early to Mid September |
| Nevada | 8 | Late April | Late September |
| New Hampshire | 10 | Early May | Early November |
| New Jersey | May/Nov | May | November |
| New Mexico | 6-8 | Early to Mid April | Late August, Early September |
| New York | 9/12 | Late April, Early May | Late October |
| North Carolina | 4 | Late March | Late August |
| North Dakota | 7 | Mid April | Mid September |
| Ohio | 9/12 | Late April, Early May | Late October |
| Oklahoma | 7 | Mid April | Mid September |
| Oregon | 7 | Mid April | Mid September |
| Pennsylvania | 5/9 | Late March | Early October |
| Rhode Island | 10 | Early May | Early November |
| South Carolina | 8/12 | Late April | Late October |
| South Dakota | 6-8 | Early to Mid April | Late August, Early September |
| Tennessee | 6/9 | Early April | Early October |
| Texas | 6/9 | Early April | Early October |
| Utah | 8 | Late April | Late September |
| Vermont | 10-12 | Early to Mid May | Mid to Late October |
| Virginia | 8/12 | Late April | Late October |
| Washington | 6 | Early April | Early September |
| West Virginia | 7 | Mid April | Mid September |
| Wisconsin | 6 | Early April | Early September |
| Wyoming | 6-8 | Early to Mid April | Late August, Early September |
| Guam | 6-8 | Early to Mid April | Late August, Early September |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 8-9 | Late April, Early May | Early to Mid October |
| Palau | 10-12 | Early to Mid May | Mid to Late October |
| Puerto Rico | 8-12 | Late April to Late May | Late September to Late October |
| Virgin Islands | 12-14 | Late May to Early June | Late October to Mid November |
Jurisdictions that post a public list
Some jurisdictions are known to publicly post the names of those who pass the bar exam. Notable jurisdictions that do this include California, New York, and Texas. Other jurisdictions, like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Massachusetts, prefer to keep the names of passers private. However, you may be able to obtain a list that hasn’t been publicly posted through a public records request. These policies change, so it’s important to check with the appropriate board of bar examiners or state supreme court website for details.
Comprehending your UBE results
If you’ve sat for a Uniform Bar Examination (UBE®) and your results have been released, finding your score is pretty straightforward. You must log in to your National Conference of Bar Examiners NCBE® account and go to the score services section to submit a Transcript Services Request for your UBE score. As part of the process, the candidate is asked to provide the jurisdiction where they took the bar exam, the exam date, and the year.
Once you have your results, you must understand your score. Aside from providing your exact bar exam score, your UBE score report should also state whether or not you passed the bar test.
Note: A "passing" score on the UBE differs by jurisdiction. Just because you have a passing score in one jurisdiction doesn't mean you have a passing score in another.
When reviewing your UBE results, you should also be able to see your Multistate Bar Examination (MBE®) score; this score does not indicate the precise number of questions you answered correctly. Instead, this information is transformed into a scaled score using an algorithm. Technically speaking, there is no minimum MBE passing score. Therefore, if you performed poorly on the MBE but made up for it in the essays, you would pass the bar exam. If you fail the bar exam, you need to understand how your MBE score relates to your UBE score. To determine a passing MBE score in your jurisdiction, divide the total passing score by two. This will help you understand and decide whether you are above or below the passing number.
For further information on how scoring is calculated and for historical candidate performance data, the NCBE publishes bar statistics across all jurisdictions. The bar statistics include:
- Raw score distributions.
- Examinee counts.
- Scaled scores for the MBE and the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE®).
- Scores earned and transferred by each jurisdiction for the UBE.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get bar exam results?
The average wait time for bar exam results is 1-3 months, depending on the state. The smaller the jurisdiction, the more likely the results will be released sooner.
How to pass the bar exam a second time?
With thorough preparation and a particular focus on the MBE, one can pass the bar exam, their second time. For those who used Themis Bar Review to prepare for the exam and didn’t pass (or were unable to sit for the exam at all), there is a free repeat made available to them.
Is there any limit to taking the bar exam?
While most jurisdictions allow unlimited attempts to pass the bar exam, 21 states limit the time you can retake their bar exams ranging from 2 to 6 attempts. Some states allow you to take their bar exam over their normal limit with specific approval.
Why do students fail the bar exam?
Failing is a very integral part of any examination. For each candidate, the reason for failing can differ, ranging from passive learning, misallocating their study time, stress, or, more commonly, a loss of motivation.
Read More about Bar Exam
When have statistics not been useful? Here’s a comprehensive collection of MBE, MPRE, and UBE score data, all current, to help you comprehend the scoring.