Illinois 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) and the MBE (Multistate Bar Exam), which are developed by the NCBE. The MBE is administered on day two of the Uniform Bar Exam.

Most students create an NCBE account when registering for the MPRE. Register with the NCBE at: auth.ncbex.org/ account/create

You will then need to create a personal Illinois Bar Admission Registration account. Go to: ilbaradmissions.org/displayregister.action

We recommend taking the MPRE any time during 2L year or as early in your 3L year as possible. A scaled score of 80 on the MPRE is required for admission to the Illinois bar. The Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar (IBAB) must receive satisfactory proof that you’ve achieved a passing MPRE score before you can be recommended for admission to the bar.

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 

Illinois administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). The application process is managed by the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar. For more information regarding Illinois’s administration of the UBE, please visit www.ilbaradmissions.org/faq.action#400.

To take the Illinois Bar Exam, you must submit the correct forms, specific to each bar exam. Completing the relevant application forms, which include the Character and Fitness Questionnaire, is a time-consuming process. Check to make sure you are working with the right form before entering any data. To see detailed information and browse all current application forms, go to: ilbaradmissions.org/ information-and-applications.

February (Winter) Bar Exam Deadlines and Fees*:
Through September 15: $950
September 16-November 1: $1,150
November 2-November 30: $1,450

July (Summer) Bar Exam Deadlines and Fees*:
Through February 15: $950
February 16-April 1: $1,150
April 2-April 30: $1,450

*For students who HAVE NOT previously registered for the IL Bar Exam. All information subject to change, if mandated by the Illinois Supreme Court. 

It’s important to be aware of the bar exam fees and IBAB fee schedules – both how you plan to pay and if you can meet the earlier deadlines, which will help you save money. In Illinois, the bar exam application filing fee goes up sharply depending on when you apply.

There are also fees to consider for an on-motion application, UBE transfer fee and laptop registration.  

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

The application for the Illinois Bar Exam includes a Character and Fitness Questionnaire. You will be asked to disclose details about your personal, academic, work and financial histories. Candor is key. You will also need to include information such as references, final law school transcripts, driving record, criminal record and civil proceedings.

View the questionnaire and all related forms at: ilbaradmissions.org/browseapplication.action?id=1.

With your signed A&R, character and fitness analysts have the authority to perform a full background check on you. You can complete the A&R as part of your application at: ilbaradmissions.org/browseapplication.action?id=1.

The laptop registration period typically begins 6+ weeks before the exam date and, for reference, cost $135 in 2025. There are no extensions. If you miss the deadline, you will have to handwrite your essays.

Students will need to install the software and upload a Trial Exam by a specific deadline or their Exam 360® account will be deleted, and they will have to handwrite the exam. Reference ilbaradmissions.org/ for up to date deadlines.

Full details pertaining to the IBAB Laptop Program: ilbaradmissions.org/notice.action.

Illinois administers 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

Helpful tip: Remember to bring an extension cord in case your laptop charger does not reach the provided outlet.

Note: Illinois has announced plans to administer the Next Gen bar exam beginning in 2028.