Virginia 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 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 and 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
Norfolk Waterside Marriott
235 E. Main St.
Norfolk, VA 23510
Subjects Tested
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts/Sales
- Criminal Law/Procedure
- Evidence
- Federal Civil Procedure
- Real Property
- Torts
- Agency
- Civil 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.
Filing Deadlines and Fees
The filing deadline for the February bar exam is December 15. The filing deadline for the July bar exam is May 10. There are no extensions or late filings.
Exam Application Fee: $475
Character and Fitness Fee: $475
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 will take the Virginia Essay exam and transfer an MBE scaled score of 133 or greater, taken within 3 years prior to the date of the exam applied for.
Admission on Motion
Licensed attorneys will take only the Virginia Essay Exam. The applicant must be actively licensed to practice law and be in good standing in a jurisdiction other than Virginia.
Application for Admission without Examination with Character and Fitness Questionnaire: $2,500
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 of the District of Columbia and who meets all other requirements of Rule 1A:8, may apply to the Board for Military Spouse Provisional Admission. The Military Spouse Provisional Admission filing fee is $400. 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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