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Virginia Bar Examination
Bar Exam Information
NOTE: Bar exam information is subject to change without notice. Please verify with Virginia bar examiner’s office.
BAR EXAM DATES AND FORMAT
2024: February 27-28, July 30-31
The Virginia Bar Exam is a 2-day exam.
Day 1: Nine essay questions plus 10 multiple-choice questions with emphasis on Virginia law.
- The morning (AM) session consists of 5 essay questions
- The afternoon (PM) session consists of 4 essay questions plus the 10 multiple-choice questions.
Day 2: Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a 200-question, multiple-choice exam (100 questions in the AM, 100 questions in the PM).
Virginia Board of Bar Examiners
2201 West Broad Street, Suite 101
Richmond, VA 23220-2022
Phone: (804) 367-0412
Fax: (804) 367-0416
Subjects Tested
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Sales
- Criminal Law/Procedure
- Evidence
- Federal Civil Procedure
- Real Property
- Torts
- Agency
- VA Civil and Criminal Procedure
- Commercial Paper
- Conflict of Laws
- Corporations
- Creditor’s Rights
- Domestic Relations
- Equity
- Federal Jurisdiction
- Local Government Law
- Partnerships
- Personal Property
- Professional Responsibility
- Secured Transactions
- Taxation
- Trusts
- Wills
- Plus, all MBE Subjects
Multistate Performance Test “Closed universe” practical questions using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by examiners.
Virginia requires a scaled score of 85 or higher on the MPRE achieved within two calendar years of the time the candidate passes the Virginia bar exam.
Scoring
The MBE score (weighted 40%) and the essay score (weighted 60%) are combined to determine if applicant has achieved a passing score of at least 140.
Reciprocity
Acceptance of MBE Score
Applicants may transfer an MBE scaled score of 133 or greater, taken within the preceding 3 years, to be able to sit for only the essay portion of the exam.
For attorney applicants who hold an active license to practice law, are in good standing, and passed the bar exam in a jurisdiction other than Virginia; no MBE score is required. These applicants can take only the essay portion of the exam and will need to achieve a minimum passing score of 64 raw points out of a possible 100.
Admission on Motion
A member in good standing of a reciprocating jurisdiction may be admitted on motion in Virginia if the applicant has engaged in the full-time active practice of law for three of the five years preceding application. Additional requirements apply.
Military Spouse Provisional Admission
The dependent spouse of an active duty service member stationed in the Commonwealth of Virginia who has been admitted to practice law before the court of last resort of any state or territory of the United States or District of Columbia, and who meets all other requirements of Rule 1A:8, may apply to the Board for Military Spouse Provisional Admission. A Military Spouse Provisional Admission filing fee applies. This fee covers the cost of processing the Application, investigating matters contained in the applicant’s completed Character & Fitness Questionnaire, and preparing of the Character Report.
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