New Hampshire Bar Exam Information

Dates, Cost & Location

One proud New Hampshirite who transformed American history by practicing law was an attorney named Daniel Webster. Webster’s defense of a strong central government in McCullough v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden helped create the federalist system of government as we know it today. Webster was from a small New Hampshire town called Salisbury, showing that even people from the smallest places can accomplish great things as attorneys. If that’s your goal too, we’re here to help you pass the bar exam!

The exam is offered in February and July. The February 2026 exam will take place from February 24–25, 2026. The July 2026 exam will take place from July 28–29, 2026. You must apply by December 1, 2025 to take the February exam, while the application for the July exam is due on May 1, 2026. The application fee for both versions of the exam is $725.

Like 40 other jurisdictions in the U.S., New Hampshire uses the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). The UBE has three sections: the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE). The MPT and MEE are administered on the first day of the exam. On day one, you’ll start with the MPT in a morning testing session that lasts for three hours. After a break for lunch, you’ll continue with the MEE in an afternoon testing session that likewise lasts for three hours. The MPT has two ninety-minute essay questions, while the MEE has six half-hour essay questions. The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is administered on day two of the exam, and it’s split into two sessions: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Test takers will spend six hours total answering 200 multiple-choice questions.

Effective July 2028, New Hampshire will start using the NextGen version of the bar exam. NextGen is designed to prioritize real-world lawyering skills more than past versions of the bar exam. NextGen won’t test the following subjects: Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, and Trusts & Estates. The NextGen exam will include more questions about practical legal work, such as legal writing, negotiations, and client relationships.

What subjects will you be tested on?

For the MEE, you may 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. Not all of these subjects will necessarily be tested on exam day, but because there’s no guarantee of which subjects will be tested and which ones won’t, we recommend studying all of the above subjects so you’re fully prepared to pass the bar.

For the MPT, instead of being tested on your knowledge of a particular area of law, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your ability to write a clear and convincing argument in a memorandum or legal brief. The laws that apply to the question will be supplied in the prompt.

For the MBE, you may be tested 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 New Hampshire, you must receive a scaled score of at least 79.

How is the exam scored?

The MPT, MEE, and MBE are combined into a single scaled score. The MBE is worth 50% of the total score, while the MPT is worth 20% and the MEE is worth 30%. To pass the bar exam in New Hampshire, you must achieve a combined scaled score of 270 out of 400.

When are the results released?

Test takers should expect to receive their results in April, although there is no guaranteed date for when the scores will be released.

Can I transfer my MBE scores from another jurisdiction?

Yes.

What about reciprocity across states?

Lawyers from other jurisdictions may apply for reciprocity in New Hampshire if they’ve practiced law for at least five of the past seven years and have graduated from an ABA-accredited law school. Lawyers from all fifty states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands may apply for reciprocity in New Hampshire.