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California - Admission, Eligibility, Deadlines, Fees and Scores

Jurisdiction information summary for the California bar admission process.

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Bar Admission Agency

State Bar of California
Office of Admissions

180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone: (415) 538-2300

Fax: (415) 538-2304

Visit Website

Bar Exam Eligibility, Deadlines, and Fees

ABA-Approved Law School J.D. Required No  (Details)
Foreign Law Graduate Eligibility Yes  (Details)
Bar Exam Application Filing Deadlines Details
  • July 2025: First filing deadline – April 1
  • July 2025: Late filing deadline – June 2
  • February 2026: First filing deadline – Nov. 1
  • February 2026: Late filing deadline – Jan. 1
Bar Exam Application Filing Fees Details

Score Portability

Accepts Legacy UBE Score No
Accepts NextGen UBE Score No
Jurisdiction-Specific Requirement No
Accepts Transferred MBE Scores No

Character & Fitness Investigations

This jurisdiction does not use NCBE's character and fitness services; please contact California for filing instructions.

MPRE Requirements

MPRE Required Yes
MPRE Minimum Passing Score 86
MPRE Score Time Parameters Details

Admission on Motion

Rules Provide for Admission on Motion No

Bar Exam

Legacy UBE No
NextGen UBE No
Jurisdiction-Drafted Exam Yes  (Details)
Minimum Passing Score (Jurisdiction-Drafted Exam) 1390  (Details)

Visit the NCBE Study Aids Store for official test prep materials.

Disclaimer: Since jurisdiction rules and policies change, NCBE strongly advises consulting the jurisdiction's bar admission agency directly for the most current information.
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