District of Columbia Bar Exam Information

Dates, Cost & Location

Whether you’re a native Washingtonian or someone who dreams of making it to DC so you can pursue a legal career in the U.S. capital, we’re here to help you pass the bar exam in the city where America’s laws are made. Because of the autumn 2025 government shutdown, DC experienced complications with the February 2026 bar exam. Initially, DC wasn’t able to accept applications for the exam because the shutdown closed the DC court system, which administers the bar exam in the city. DC opened its February application on November 24, but it closed on November 27 due to the high volume of applicants. Those who still want to apply may sign up for a waitlist. The February 2026 exam will be administered from February 24–25, 2026, and the July exam will take place on July 28–29, 2026.

The exam application fee is $405. You also need to pay a separate background investigation fee of $750. Although it isn’t a state, DC uses the Uniform Bar Exam, also known as the UBE. The UBE is split into three sections: the MEE, the MPT, and the MBE.

On the first day of the exam, you will answer six thirty-minute Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) essay questions during a three-hour morning session. After a break for lunch, you’ll answer two ninety-minute Multistate Performance Test (MPT) essay questions during a three-hour afternoon session. On the second day, you will spend six hours answering 200 multiple-choice questions for the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). These questions are spread across two three-hour sessions, with a break for lunch in between.

In February 2028, DC will introduce a new version of the bar exam called NextGen. This version of the exam won’t test Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, and Trusts & Estates. Instead, NextGen will introduce new questions that assess your practical lawyering skills, such as client relationships and your legal writing abilities.

What subjects will you be tested on?

During the MEE, you should expect to be tested on Business Associations (including Agency, Partnerships, and Corporations), Civil Procedure, Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law, Contracts and Sales, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Real Property, Secured Transactions (including Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code), Torts, and Wills & Estates. The bar exam doesn’t always test every possible MEE subject, but you should make sure to study all of them so that you’re good to go on exam day.

The MPT works differently from the MEE in that it tests your legal writing and analysis skills rather than your knowledge of a particular legal subject. The MPT will give you a prompt, including the laws that apply to the question, and you’ll have to write a memorandum or brief applying the law to the facts. Graders will look mostly at your ability to create a persuasive argument, your writing style, and the structure of your response.

The MBE will test you on Constitutional Law, Contracts and Sales, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Federal Civil Procedure, Real Property, and Torts.

What’s the minimum score for the MPRE?

To pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) in Washington, DC, you must receive a scaled score of at least 75.

How is the exam scored?

The MEE, MPT, and MBE are combined into a single scaled score out of 400. To pass, you must achieve a combined scaled score of 266 out of 400. The MBE makes up 50% of the UBE’s total points. The MEE is worth 30% and the MPT is worth 20%.

When are the results released?

February test takers should expect to receive their results in April, and July test takers should expect them in October, but there are no exact dates.

Can I transfer my MBE scores from another jurisdiction?

No.

What about reciprocity across states?

Lawyers from other jurisdictions may apply for admission on motion to practice law in Washington, DC, so long as they graduated from an ABA-accredited law school, have practiced law for the past five years, are in good standing in their other jurisdiction(s), and meet DC’s character and fitness requirements.