Texas 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 – 25, July 27 – 29
The Texas Bar Exam is a 2 ½-day exam.
Day 1: One 90-minute Multistate Performance Test question and one 90-minute Procedure and Evidence exam consisting of 20 each Criminal and Civil Procedure and Evidence questions (MPT and P&E in the AM).
Day 2: Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200-question, multiple-choice exam (100 questions in the AM, 100 questions in the PM).
Day 3: Twelve Texas Essay Exam questions (six TEE questions taken in three hours in the AM and six TEE questions taken in three hours in the PM).
Texas Board of Law Examiners
205 W 14th St #500,
Austin, TX 78701
Phone: (512) 463-1621
Fax: (512) 463-5300
Email: information@ble.texas.gov
Austin – February & July Exams
Palmer Events Center
900 Barton Springs Road
Austin, TX78704
Arlington – July Exam Only
Arlington Convention Center
1200 Ballpark Way
Arlington, TX 76011
Houston – July Exam Only
NRG Center, Hall E
One NRG Park
Houston, TX 77054
Lubbock – July Exam Only
Texas Tech Law School
1802 Hartford Ave
Lubbock, TX 79409
San Antonio – July Exam Only
San Antonio Shrine Auditorium
901 North Loop 1604 W.
San Antonio, TX 78232
Waco – July Exam Only
Baylor Law School
1114 S. University Parks Dr.
Waco, TX 76706
Subjects Tested
Multistate Performance Test “Closed universe” practical questions using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by examiners.
- Federal and TX Criminal Procedure and Evidence
- TX Civil Procedure and Evidence including Jurisdiction
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Sales
- Criminal Law/Procedure
- Evidence
- Federal Civil Procedure
- Real Property
- Torts
- Bankruptcy*
- Business Associations (including Agency, Corporations, Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships, Professional Associations)
- Consumer Rights (including DTPA and Insurance)
- Family Law
- Real Property (including Oil and Gas)
- Taxation (Income, Estate, Gift)*
- Trusts and Guardianships
- Uniform Commercial Code
- Wills and Estate Administration
- *Cross-over topics to be included where appropriate as an element of questions in other subjects.
A scaled score of 85 is required for admission to the bar. The MPRE may be taken any time prior to, or within two years after, passing the bar exam.
Filing Deadlines and Fees
Law student registration is required. For complete details contact the Texas Board of Law Examiners.
Applications must be filed by September 1 for the February exam and by February 1 for the July exam. Late application deadlines, with associated fees, are November 1 and December 1 for the February exam and until April 1 and May 1 for the July exam.
Bar Exam Application Fee: $300 for Texas law students; $490 for out-of-state law students
On-Motion Application Fee: $890-$1,290 depending on classification
Late Fee: $150 / Final Late Fee: $300
Scoring
The MBE is weighted 40%, the essay exam 40%, the MPT 10% and the Procedure and Evidence exam 10%. The components are combined and a passing score is 675 of 1,000. Applicants must pass the exam in its entirety.
Additional Information
Applicants may take exam prior to graduation provided applicant is within four semester hours of completing all requirements for graduation.
Reciprocity
Acceptance of MBE Score
Texas does not accept another jurisdiction’s MBE score.
Admission on Motion
May be admitted on motion if applicant has engaged in active practice of law for 5 of 7 years preceding application, is an ABA accredited law school graduate and never failed the Texas bar exam. For complete details contact the Texas Board of Law Examiners.
Admission by UBE
Texas has adopted the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) effective with the February 2021 exam administration and will begin accepting applications to transfer UBE scores (minimum passing score is 270) from other jurisdictions on December 1, 2019.
For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Texas Board of Law Examiners’ UBE FAQs page.
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