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Ohio - Admission, Eligibility, Deadlines, Fees and Scores

Jurisdiction information summary for the Ohio bar admission process.

NextGen Exam Notice: Ohio has announced that it intends to administer the NextGen bar exam in July 2028. Visit https://www.ncbex.org/exams/nextgen to learn more about the new exam.
Exam Information: Ohio requires the following NCBE exams: MBE, MEE, MPT, and MPRE. Visit the NCBE Study Aids Store to purchase the Bar Exam Everything Value Pack which includes MBE, MEE, and MPT study aids; and MPRE study aids to help prepare for Ohio exams.

Bar Admission Agency

Office of Bar Admissions
Supreme Court of Ohio

65 S. Front St., 5th Fl.
Columbus, OH 43215-3431

Phone:(614) 387-9340
Fax:(614) 387-9349

Visit Website

Bar Exam Eligibility, Deadlines, and Fees

ABA-Approved Law School J.D. Required Yes
Foreign Law Graduate Eligibility Yes  (Details)

Bar Exam Application Filing Deadlines

See full deadline chart: Details

  • July 2025: First filing deadline – April 1
  • July 2025: Late filing deadline – May 10
  • February 2026: First filing deadline – Nov. 1
  • February 2026: Late filing deadline – Dec. 10

Bar Exam Application Filing Fees

See Ohio bar exam application fee details on the jurisdiction charts: Details.

Score Portability

Accepts Legacy UBE Score Yes
Minimum Legacy UBE Score 270
Accepts NextGen UBE Score Yes
Minimum NextGen UBE Score TBA
Date First Acceptance NextGen UBE Score TBA
Maximum Score Age 5 years  (Details)
Jurisdiction-Specific Requirement (Score Transfer) Yes
Accepts Transferred MBE Scores No

Character & Fitness Investigations

NCBE conducts investigations for some application types in Ohio. Before proceeding, review jurisdiction-specific requirements to determine which application types use NCBE investigations.

Learn more and access services here: Character & Fitness Services for OH .

MPRE Requirements

MPRE Required Yes
MPRE Minimum Passing Score 85
MPRE Score Time Parameters Details

Admission on Motion

Rules Provide for Admission on Motion Yes  (Details)
Legal Education and Reciprocity Requirements Details
Number of Years of Practice Required 5 of past 7

Bar Exam

Legacy UBE Yes
Date Final Administration (Legacy UBE) February 2028
Minimum Passing Score (Legacy UBE) 270
Legacy UBE Jurisdiction-Specific Requirement Yes  (Details)
NextGen UBE Yes
Date First Administration (NextGen UBE) July 2028
Minimum Passing Score (NextGen UBE) TBA
NextGen UBE Jurisdiction-Specific Requirement TBA
Jurisdiction-Drafted Exam No

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.

Ohio Fee Schedule

Character & Fitness fee categories and conditions for Ohio.

This information is for reference only. Your assigned fee and payment options are specified after submission of your online application.

Fee Categories

Category I 
$275

Your first law degree (JD or LLB) is anticipated to be awarded in more than one year.

Jurisdiction requirement

Your NCBE Authorization and Release form must be properly submitted to NCBE on or before November 15 of your second year of law school.

Category II 
$395

Your first law degree (JD or LLB) is anticipated to be awarded within one year or less and you have not been authorized to practice law.

Category III 
$550

Your first law degree (JD or LLB) was obtained in the United States and awarded more than one year ago or you have been authorized to practice law only in the United States.

Category IV 
$925

Your first law degree (JD or LLB) was not obtained in the United States (regardless of whether a subsequent US law degree was conferred) or you have ever been authorized to practice law in a foreign country.

Supplemental Conditions

You may be eligible for a reduced fee if NCBE has completed a character report for you in the last four years. Completion of a new application is required.

Category V 
$250

A complete Category I, II, or III report was prepared by NCBE for a different jurisdiction.

Category VI 
$120

A complete Category I, II, or III report was prepared by NCBE for the same jurisdiction.

Category VII 
$450

A complete Category IV report was prepared by NCBE for any jurisdiction.

In addition to the processing fee, NCBE reserves the right to pass along the cost of obtaining records in a conjunction with this application.

Refunds

Refunds: If you request a refund for any reason after submitting your payment, an administrative fee will be retained. Refund of payment may be granted only in limited circumstances. Once NCBE has generated correspondence on your application, the entire fee payment is non-refundable.

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