The legal profession is dynamic. So, too, is your career path. You might not always stay within the borders of the state where you went to law school. Maybe you received an incredible job offer across the country, or perhaps family obligations are pulling you to a new jurisdiction. Whatever the reason, you are now faced with taking the bar exam in another state.
As the leader in bar exam prep, BARBRI has guided thousands of students through the complex web of multi-state admissions. We know that navigating the procedural hurdles of a second bar exam can feel just as daunting as the exam itself. But with the right strategy—and the right preparation—you can conquer the bar in any jurisdiction.
Let’s break down how to approach taking the bar exam in a different state, how to transfer your results, and what strategies will ensure you pass again this time around.
Understanding Your Options: Testing vs. Transferring
Before you commit to months of studying, you need to determine if you actually have to sit for another full exam. When looking to practice in a new jurisdiction, you generally have three paths:
- Taking the Bar Exam: Sitting for the full exam in the new jurisdiction.
- Score Transfer: Using a portable score (like the Uniform Bar Exam) to gain admission.
- Reciprocity (Admission on Motion): Being admitted based on your experience in another state without taking a new exam.
Can You Transfer Bar Exam Results to Another State?
This is a common question transferring attorneys ask. If you have taken the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), the answer is often a resounding “yes.”
The UBE is designed specifically for this scenario. It allows examinees to earn a portable score that can be transferred to seek admission in other UBE jurisdictions. This means if you passed the UBE in New York, you might be able to transfer that score to Colorado, Washington D.C., or Texas without sitting for another two-day test.
There are caveats, however.
- Minimum Passing Scores: Each state sets its own cut score. If you scored a 266 in a state that requires a 266, you passed there. But if you want to transfer that score to a state requiring a 270, your score won’t transfer. You will likely have to take the exam again.
- Score Age Limits: Your score doesn’t last forever. Most states have an expiry date for score transferability, often between 2 and 5 years.
- Character and Fitness: Even if your score transfers, you must undergo a new character and fitness investigation in the new jurisdiction.
If you are not in a UBE jurisdiction, or your score has expired, you will likely need to explore other options. Learn more about score portability and maximum score age.
What Is Bar Reciprocity?
Bar reciprocity, often called “Admission on Motion,” allows experienced attorneys to bypass the exam entirely. This usually requires that you have actively practiced law for a period of 5 to 7 years in your original state.
This is a fantastic option for seasoned attorneys, but it rarely helps recent graduates. If you have been practicing for less than five years, or if your original state does not have a reciprocity agreement with your new state, you are back to taking the exam.
Taking the Bar Exam in Another State
If transfer or reciprocity isn't an option, you can register for and take the bar exam in any jurisdiction, regardless of where you went to law school (provided your law school was ABA-accredited).
Taking the bar exam a second time—or in a new state—presents some unique challenges. You aren't the same student you were the first time around. You might be working full-time. You might have been out of law school for years. You need a strategy that respects your time and maximizes your effort.
Here are a few tips for tackling the exam in a new jurisdiction.
Identify the Format
Is the new state a UBE jurisdiction? If so, the format will be familiar: the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT).
Note: The next generation of the UBE (NextGen UBE) will bring some changes you will want to be up to speed on in case you plan to sit for the exam in a jurisdiction that will soon adopt NextGen.
If the state is not a UBE jurisdiction (like California or Florida, although Florida will adopt the NextGen UBE in July 2028), you are facing state-specific essays and potentially different multiple-choice sections. BARBRI offers state-specific courses designed to target exactly what is tested in every jurisdiction. We are also ready to help you prepare effectively for the NextGen UBE with tested course tools aligned to the new bar exam.
Manage Your Time Differently
When you took the bar the first time, studying was likely your full-time job. Now, you might be working as an associate and/or balancing family life. You will need a different study strategy.
- Start Early: Give yourself a longer runway. If you studied for 8 weeks the first time, aim for 12 or more this time to accommodate a lighter daily load.
- Focus on Weaknesses: You have passed a bar exam before. You know the basics. Use BARBRI’s Personal Study Plan specifically to target the areas where you are rusty or the state-specific subjects you never learned in law school.
- Prioritize the MBE: Right now, the MBE is the anchor of your score in almost every jurisdiction. Mastering the MBE gives you a cushion for the state-specific essays.
Play to Your Strengths Without Underestimating “Easy” Subjects
A common trap for attorneys taking a second bar exam is overconfidence. You might think, “I practice contracts law, so I don't need to study Contracts.”
But here’s the thing: the bar exam tests academic principles, not just practical application. The rule against perpetuities might not come up in your daily practice, but it will come up on the exam. Trust the process. Follow the lectures. Do the practice questions.
Make Your Move
Your career has no boundaries. Neither should your license. Whether you are transferring a UBE score or sitting for a new exam, you need a partner who understands the landscape. Always know that BARBRI is with you every step of your legal learning journey.
Ready to study for another bar exam? Check out BARBRI Bar Review alumni courses.
Download the free BARBRI Bar Exam Digest for jurisdiction-specific information about bar admissions.
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