District of Columbia
Bar Exam (UBE) details

All law students are required to create an NCBE Account that comes with a unique NCBE Number for identification purposes. You will need this number to be able to take the MPRE (see below), which is developed by the NCBE (National Conference of Bar Examiners).

Register with the NCBE at: auth.ncbex.org/account/create

We recommend taking the MPRE any time during your 2L year or as early in your 3L year as possible. DC requires an MPRE scaled score of 75. Scores range from 50 to 150.

The MPRE is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice exam developed by the NCBE and administered in the spring, summer, and fall. When registering for the MPRE, students can select one of two dates offered at a time (see chart below) on a first come, first served basis. 

MPRE Dates (Registration Deadline / *Accommodation Registration Deadline):

• March 24 or 25, 2026 (January 22, 2025 / *November 20, 2025)
• August 11 or 12, 2026 (June 11, 2026 / *April 23, 2026)
• November 12 or 13, 2026 (September 17, 2026 / *July 30, 2026)

Registration for 2026 exams will open on December 16, 2025. The 2026 exam fee is $185.

The online, on-demand BARBRI MPRE Review course allows you to watch specific lecture segments that correspond with a particular topic module. The course is accompanied by an outline book (hard copy and/or digital), lecture handout, multiple practice exams, and BARBRI’s exclusive multiple-choice questions. You can register for the free BARBRI MPRE Review Course here: barbri.com/mpre

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Enroll early and gain immediate access to 2L/3L Exam Success and early access to Early Start Bar Review. Enroll at: barbri.com/pricing.

If you are billing a firm, congratulations! BARBRI has trusted direct billing relationships with over 600 law firms. Learn more about billing a law firm at: barbri.com/firm-pay.

If you’re going into Public Interest, you may qualify for a BARBRI Bar Review Public Interest Scholarship. Apply in less than  5 minutes at: barbri.com/public-interest 

The February application typically opens in early November and closes in mid-to-late November. The July application typically opens in early April and closes in early May.

There is no late filing for DC.

Bar exam fee for first-time takers (non-attorney: $405 (plus C&F fee)  
Bar exam fee for attorneys: $405 (plus C&F fee)
Bar exam fee for repeaters: $405 (plus C&F fee)

Find Petition for Admission instructions, forms and details at: admissions.dcappeals.gov/information-and-applications

For more information and exam details, download the free BARBRI Bar Exam Digest at: www.barbri.com/bar-exam-digest or by scanning the code.

In the District of Columbia Committee on Admissions, your Petition for Admission by Examination will incorporate character and fitness questions – this is a separate background investigation conducted through the NCBE, but no questions will need to be answered at the time of application. The District of Columbia Committee on Admissions will then conduct an internal investigation based on your responses.

You will be asked to disclose details about your academic, residential and employment history, provide six letters of recommendation, and disclose any applicable criminal record and civil proceedings. Candor is key. You will also need to include your law school certificate.

Within 7-10 business days after filing your application with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, you will receive an email from the NCBE with instructions on how to submit payment for the background investigation. Payment for the background investigation is required for your application to be complete.

Laptop exam software fee $150 for DC. Software for the exam is provided by a third party and applicants must register and pay during the registration period which is approximately 3 to 6 weeks before the exam.    

For details, please visit: admissions.dcappeals.gov/faq

DC uses the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and requires a passing score of 266 out of a total of 400 points.

UBE scores are based on:

• 20% – Two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions on day one (morning session)
• 30% – Six Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) questions on day one (afternoon session)  
• 50% – 200-question, multiple-choice Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) on day two (morning and afternoon sessions)

MPT format: “Closed universe” practical questions using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes, and other reference material supplied by examiners

MEE essay subjects: Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations and Limited Liability Companies), Conflict of Laws*, Family Law*, Trusts and Estates (Decedents’ Estates; Trusts and Future Interests)*, Article 9 (Secured Transactions) of the Uniform Commercial Code* plus all MBE subjects

*Effective with the July 2026 bar exam, the following subjects will no longer be tested on the MEE: Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts and Estates, and Secured Transactions.

MBE subjects tested: Constitutional Law, Contracts/Sales, Criminal Law/Procedure, Evidence, Federal Civil Procedure, Real Property, Torts

The Mandatory Course on the DC Rules of Professional Conduct and Practice is a requirement of the DC Court of Appeals and DC Bar Bylaws for all attorneys newly admitted to the DC Bar or for certain members who are reinstating their membership or changing status.

The Mandatory Course is offered online, on-demand for $229 and must be completed in full within 12 months from being sworn in.

More information can be found at: dcbar.org/for-lawyers/mandatory-course/process-for-new-admittees.