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

Web: https://ble.texas.gov

Bar Exam Locations

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.

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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