New York Bar Exam
(UBE) Details
Bar Exam Details
Day 1
- Two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test questions (MPT in the AM)
- Six 30-minute Multistate Essay Exam questions (MEE in the PM)
Day 2
- Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200-question, multiple-choice exam (100 questions in the AM, 100 questions in the PM)
Effective with the July 2028 exam, New York will administer the NextGen UBE. Find out what the NextGen UBE means for you.
Subjects Tested
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Sales
- Criminal Law/Procedure
- Evidence
- Federal Civil Procedure
- Real Property
- Torts
- Business Associations (Agency and Partnership; Corporations; and Limited Liability Companies)
- Plus all MBE subjects
While not tested on the MEE, Family Law and Wills & Trusts can be tested during the MPT portion of the bar exam.
- “Closed universe” practical questions using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by examiners.
Scoring
The MEE and MPT scores are scaled to the MBE.
- MBE weighted 50%
- MEE weighted 30%
- MPT weighted 20%
A total scaled score of 266 or higher is required to pass the New York Bar Exam.
Reciprocity
- New York does not accept an MBE score from an exam taken in another jurisdiction.
- A member in good standing of a reciprocating state may be admitted on motion in New York if the applicant has engaged in the active practice of law for five of the seven years preceding application. Additional requirements apply.
- Applicants who have obtained a scaled score of at least 266 on a Uniform Bar Exam taken in another jurisdiction within the preceding three years may apply for admission based on that score. Additional requirements apply.
State-Specific Licensure & Additional Information
- A scaled score of 85 is required for admission to the bar. Applicant must pass the MPRE within three years before or after passing the New York bar exam as measured from the date the applicant sat for each examination.
- Applicants must complete the New York Law Course (NYLC) and the New York Law Exam (NYLE).
- The NYLC is an online, on-demand course consisting of approximately 15 hours of videotaped lectures with embedded questions.
- The NYLE is a 50 item, two-hour, open-book, multiple-choice online exam administered at select dates and times throughout the year. The passing score for the NYLE is 30.
- Applicants can take the NYLC and NYLE up to one year before or three years after sitting for the UBE. Applicants must complete the NYLC before they can register for the NYLE.
- All applicants, except those on motion, must complete 50 hours of qualifying Pro Bono work prior to filing an application for admission.
- All applicants must establish they have acquired skills and professional values necessary to practice law. See Sec. 520.18 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals.
International law graduates and lawyers
A foreign law graduate or lawyer may already be eligible to sit for a U.S. state bar exam with their current credentials.
New York operates a relatively open policy in permitting foreign law graduates or lawyers to sit the bar examination, and does not impose restrictions to admission on grounds of nationality or residence.
Learn more about U.S. bar exam eligibility and requirements for foreign law graduates, lawyers and U.S. LL.M. students.
BARBRI Bar Exam Digest
We compile all of the information that you need to know about the dates, format, subjects tested, deadlines, fees and more - for each U.S. state - in the free BARBRI Bar Exam Digest.
An Unmatched Arsenal of New York Bar Exam Prep Resources
BARBRI is the #1 bar prep course in the nation for a reason. We've gotten to the top by providing the most trusted, most innovative, and most personalized experience that includes:
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- Most Accurate Pass Predictor: See your rankings by subject compared to other students prepping for the bar exam. Our Pass Predictor is the most accurate because BARBRI has more students studying for the bar each year than all other bar prep programs.
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And that’s just a start. Learn more about BARBRI Bar Review. Connect with a BARBRI bar exam expert to discuss your specific situation. We're here to help you create the right bar prep plan.
Sample Schedule: Uniform Bar Exam Course Information
BARBRI Bar Review uses best-in-class learning design to help you master complex material quickly and improve retention for test day. Your course is tailored to your unique needs, and broken into three phases: Foundations, Deep Dive, and Final Review.
This overview does not list all assignments that will be available in your Personal Study Plan (PSP). Your PSP adjusts to your strengths, weaknesses, and schedule, offering a customizable calendar with recommended assignments to boost your chances of passing.
PSP access for Premium and Elite courses begins in mid-March for July exams and mid-October for February exams. Though your calendar is customizable, BARBRI’s default schedule begins at the same time Essentials courses open: Mid-May and Mid-December, respectively.
Covers multistate subjects
- “About” videos
- These short videos explain efficient and effective ways to navigate the exam and the course
- Short story-driven episodes on core concepts across each mbe subject.
- Skills workshops
- Knowledge checks and warm-up essays
Covers multistate and essay subjects
- Short-format lecture modules
- Taught by expert professors.
- Reading, practice, assessment and reinforcement through review
- Knowledge checks and practice essays additional essay and performance
- Test writing skills instruction
- Simulated Multistate Bar Exam
- Simulated Written Exam
- Crunch time with Mini Review lectures, the Conviser Mini Review book and multiple choice and essay practice
- Civil Procedure
- Torts
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Procedure
- Performance Test
- Evidence
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Real Property
- Family Law
- Trusts & Estates
- Agency
- Partnership
- Corporations
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. You can be admitted into the New York State Bar without sitting an examination as a candidate “in motion,” assuming you have practiced and/or studied in another jurisdiction. If this is not the case, you can choose to complete one year of law school in combination with three years of law office study, but you will not be able to omit law school entirely.
After you take and pass the UBE, NYLE, NYLC, and MPRE or satisfy the educational requirements for Admission on Motion/Reciprocity, the State Board of Law Examiners will issue you a Notice of Certification.
Yes, beginning with the July 2028 UBE. Learn more on the NCBE website.
Most successful takers treat bar prep as a full-time job, studying 40-50 hours per week for 8-10 weeks. If your schedule requires more flexibility, BARBRI offers options to help you achieve your goals.