Georgia Bar Examination
Bar Exam Information
NOTE: Bar exam information is subject to change without notice.
Please verify with bar examiner’s office.
BAR EXAM DATES AND FORMAT
2021: February 23 – 24, July 27 – 28
The Georgia Bar Exam is a 2-day exam.
Day 1: Two 90-minute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) questions (AM) and four 45-minute essay questions (PM).
Day 2: Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200-question, multiple-choice exam (100 questions in the AM, 100 questions in the PM).
Georgia Office of Bar Admissions
244 Washington Street, SW
Suite 440
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone: (404) 656-3490
Georgia International Convention Center
2000 Convention Center Concourse
College Park, GA 30337
Subjects Tested
Multistate Bar Exam (MBE)
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Sales
- Criminal Law/Procedure
- Evidence
- Federal Civil Procedure
- Real Property
- Torts
Georgia Essay Subjects
- Business Organizations
- Family Law
- Federal Practice and Procedure
- GA Practice and Procedure
- Non-Monetary Remedies
- Professional Ethics
- Trusts
- Wills and Estates
- Uniform Commercial Code (Articles 2, 3, & 9)
- Plus, all MBE Subjects
Multistate Performance Test (MPT)
Multistate Performance Test “Closed universe” practical questions using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by examiners.
Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam
A scaled score of 75 or higher on the MPRE is required for admission.
Filing Deadlines and Fees
An Application for Certification of Fitness to Practice Law must be received in the Office of Bar Admissions by the deadlines published in current Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law. Late applications with late fees are accepted by deadlines published in the Rules. The deadline is July 3, 2019 (late deadline is October 2, 2019) for the February 2020 exam and December 4, 2019 (late deadline is March 4, 2019) for the July 2020 exam. Regular filing period is through July 3, 2019 at 4:00pm for the February exam and through December 4, 2019 at 4:00pm for the July exam.
Application for Certification of Fitness to Practice Law: $400 for filings made prior to the award of first professional law degree, $600 for filings made between award of first professional law degree and within one year thereof, $700 for filings made more than one year after award of first professional law degree, $900 for applications for Attorney’s Exam, $900 for Admission on Motion plus a $600 eligibility determination fee.
Application to Board of Bar Examiners: $442
One-Day Attorney’s Examination Application Fee: $378
Applications not received in the Office of Bar Admissions by the deadline may be filed in accordance with Part B, Section 2(e) of the rules-governing admission to the practice of law, which states: An applicant who fails to file in a timely manner an application to take the bar exam or fails to submit charges to the NCBE as provided above shall nevertheless be permitted to take the examination if, within 30 days of the deadline as provided above, he or she files an application to do so and pays a late fee of $200 (in addition to the regular fee prescribed by these Rules) and submits all applicable charges to the NCBE.
Scoring
Scaled MBE and scaled essay/performance test scores are combined to determine if applicant has achieved a passing score of 270. Applicant must receive MBE scaled score of 115 to have MPT questions and essays graded. Combined score of 265-269 will result in re-grading of essays and MPTs.
Reciprocity
Acceptance of MBE Score
Georgia does not accept an MBE score from an exam taken in another jurisdiction.
Admission on Motion
May be admitted without exam from states admitting attorneys from Georgia without exam. Must have practiced (including teaching law at a law school approved by the ABA) for at least five of seven years immediately preceding application. Must meet educational requirements. See “Rules Governing Admission to the Practice of Law” for other eligibility requirements. In addition, Attorneys’ Exam may be offered to applicants meeting certain specified criteria.
