As one of the first states in the nation to move away from a bar exam, Nevada is redefining the path to legal licensure with the introduction of the Nevada Comprehensive Licensing Examination, or Nevada Plan. This innovative competency-based system is designed to assess the practical skills and professional judgment attorneys need to succeed in legal practice.
The new licensure pathway took effect on January 19, 2026, and the final administration of Nevada's traditional state bar exam was held in July 2026.
So, what exactly is taking the place of the Nevada Bar Exam?
The short answer: not one exam, but a series of assessments and experiences that evaluate both legal knowledge and real-world lawyering skills.
Here’s what you need to know as an aspiring Nevada attorney.
Why Did Nevada Eliminate the Bar Exam?
The state spent several years studying whether the traditional bar exam was the most effective way to determine whether candidates were ready to practice law. The Nevada Commission to Study the Administration of the Bar Examination and Licensing of Attorneys ultimately recommended a new licensing structure that moves beyond an emphasis on memorization to better evaluate competencies that lawyers use every day.
The resulting Nevada Plan spreads licensure requirements across multiple stages of your legal education and early professional development.
What is the Nevada Plan?
Under the Nevada Plan, you no longer complete a single traditional bar examination. Instead, you must complete several separate licensing components:
1. Foundational Law Exam (FLE)
The Foundational Law Exam is a 100-question, closed-book, multiple-choice examination that tests core legal subjects, including:
- Civil Procedure
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Evidence
- Real Property
- Torts
Unlike a traditional bar exam, you are not required to wait until graduation to take the FLE. You become eligible after earning 42 law school credits, which typically occurs during the second year of law school. As a result, you can complete a significant licensing requirement long before graduation.
2. Lawyering Performance Exam (LPE)
The Lawyering Performance Exam shifts the focus from what you know to how you use that knowledge.
It starts with the receipt of a packet of materials containing legal authorities, client information, facts, and supporting documents. Using those materials, you are then expected to analyze legal issues and complete practical tasks that mirror the work of a newly licensed attorney.
The LPE consists of:
- Three practical scenarios
- One full day of testing
- Two testing sessions
Unlike the FLE, you only become eligible to sit for the LPE after graduating from law school.
3. Supervised Practice Program (SPP)
Nevada's new licensing system also includes a training component that requires you to complete a minimum of 40 hours of supervised practice, along with:
- Approved legal work
- A self-directed learning project
- Reflective journaling requirements
- Designated lawyering tasks
One of the key benefits of this requirement is that you may be able to satisfy some or all of it while still in law school through clinics, externships, or other approved experiential learning programs.
4. MPRE
Nevada continues to require passage of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). A scaled score of 85 is necessary to satisfy this ethics requirement.
5. Character + Fitness Review
Like most U.S. jurisdictions, Nevada also requires you to complete a Character and Fitness review before admission to the Bar.
Under the Nevada Plan, you may initiate this process once three of the four primary licensing components have been completed, and registration for the final component is underway.
What Makes the Nevada Plan So Different?
The most significant difference is timing.
Under the Nevada Plan, you can spread requirements across multiple years. A typical strategy may be to:
- Take the FLE during 2L or 3L year
- Take the MPRE during 2L or 3L year
- Complete portions of the Supervised Practice Program during law school
- Graduate
- Sit for the LPE
- Complete the Character and Fitness review
This structure allows you to make meaningful progress toward licensure before you receive your J.D.
What Does This Mean for Bar Prep?
The shift to the Nevada Plan doesn't eliminate the need for preparation. It simply changes what you need to prepare for and when. Instead of studying for a single bar exam, you now need different preparation strategies for different components. And BARBRI has you covered.
Prepare for the FLE with BARBRI
BARBRI Nevada FLE Prep is specifically designed for Nevada's Foundational Law Exam and helps you build mastery of the concepts tested. The course provides a structured, yet flexible, pathway to FLE prep while allowing you to balance your existing academic workload and other priorities.
Get started with BARBRI Nevada FLE Prep.
Prepare for the LPE with BARBRI
BARBRI Nevada LPE Prep helps you prepare for Nevada's practical skills assessment through guided practice, feedback, and instructional support. Here, the focus is on performance rather than memorization of Black Letter Law.
The course is designed for both recent graduates navigating the Nevada Plan and experienced attorneys relocating to Nevada who must complete the LPE as part of the state's admission requirements.
Get started with BARBRI Nevada LPE Prep.
Build Your Path to Practice
By planning ahead for milestones like the FLE, MPRE, supervised practice requirements, and the LPE, you can build a more efficient and practice-focused route to Nevada licensure. And with several components of the Nevada Plan able to be completed while you're still in law school, you can gain valuable experience and make meaningful progress toward your legal career before ever earning your J.D.
Check out the State Bar of Nevada website as an additional resource for the latest admission requirements, eligibility, deadlines, and more.
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