North Dakota Bar Exam Information

Dates, Cost & Location

An intersection of diverse cultures that’s known as much for its natural beauty as its fiercely independent citizens, North Dakota will be thrilled to welcome you as a new attorney if you pass the bar exam. The exam is offered in February and July of each year. Both versions of the exam take place over two days. The February 2026 exam will be administered from February 24–25, 2026, and the July 2026 exam will be administered from July 28–29, 2026.

Like 40 other jurisdictions in the United States, North Dakota 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, while the MBE is administered on the second day. On the day one of the exam, you’ll start with the MPT in the morning session. After a break for lunch, you’ll take the MEE in the afternoon. 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. For the MBE, test takers will spend six hours answering 200 multiple-choice questions.

North Dakota will use the NextGen version of the UBE in July 2027. NextGen is broadly similar to the current version of the UBE, but it will introduce new questions about practical legal work such as legal writing, negotiations, and client relationships. NextGen exam will not test the following subjects: Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, and Trusts & Estates.

What subjects will you be tested on?

The MEE may test you 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. Because there is no way to predict the subjects on which you will be tested, we recommend studying all of the above subjects so you’re fully prepared to pass the bar.

Unlike the MEE, the MPT does not test your knowledge of a particular area of law. Instead, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your ability to write a clear and convincing argument in a memorandum or legal brief. The applicable laws will be given to you 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 North Dakota, you must receive a scaled score of at least 85.

How is the exam scored?

All three sections of the exam are combined into a single scaled score. The MBE is worth 50% of the score, while the MPT is worth 20% and the MEE is worth 30%. To pass the North Dakota Bar Exam, you must achieve a combined scaled score of 260 out of 400.

When are the results released?

Typically, results have been released five to seven weeks after the exam administration, but there is no guaranteed date for when you’ll receive your score.

Can I transfer my MBE scores from another jurisdiction?

If you’ve taken the UBE, you must transfer your entire UBE score to practice law in North Dakota, not just the UBE. If you took an exam that doesn’t use the UBE, then you may transfer your MBE score to North Dakota if you received an MBE score of at least 150 and you took the written portions of this non-UBE exam during the same exam administration.

What about reciprocity across states?

Out-of-state attorneys may apply to practice law in North Dakota based on a UBE score of at least 260, passage of a non-UBE bar exam with an MBE score of at least 150, or the regular practice of law in another state for at least four of the past five years. To qualify, applicants must have graduated from an ABA-accredited law school and be in good standing.