New York Bar Exam (UBE): Complete Step-by-Step Admissions Guide
Everything from your NCBE number to your swearing-in ceremony the complete New York bar admissions process explained in one place. Based on the process as of 2025–26, including the upcoming transition to NextGen in July 2028.
Overview: What You Need to Get Admitted
New York currently administers the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE). Admission requires passing the UBE plus several New York-specific components. Here are all the pieces:
Complete NY admissions checklist:
- NCBE Identification Number
- UBE passing score of 266/400
- MPRE minimum score of 85
- New York Law Course (NYLC) completed
- New York Law Exam (NYLE) minimum score of 30/50
- 50 hours of qualifying pro bono service
- Character and Fitness review by the Appellate Division
- Swearing-in ceremony
Step 1: Get Your NCBE Identification Number
Before applying for the bar exam or the MPRE, you need an NCBE Identification Number. Register at accounts.ncbex.org/php/ncbe_number/. This is a free, quick registration. Keep your NCBE number you will use it for every NCBE exam you sit.
Step 2: Apply for the UBE Through BOLE
Apply through the New York State Board of Law Examiners (BOLE) Applicant Services Portal at nybarexam.org. Application windows:
- February exam: Apply in October
- July exam: Apply in March–April
Your application must include a Certificate of Attendance from your law school, a handwriting specimen, and payment of the application fee. Applications are filed electronically through the BOLE portal. There is no late filing option the window closes at the end of the application month.
Step 3: Take the MPRE
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination is a 2-hour, 60-question multiple-choice exam on the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. New York requires a minimum score of 85. The MPRE is offered three times per year (March, August, November) and must be taken separately from the bar exam. Scores are valid for 4 years.
I did the MPRE first before beginning bar prep for the UBE to get it off my list and start feeling like things were in motion. See my full article on How I Passed the MPRE.
Step 4: Complete NYLC and Pass the NYLE
The New York Law Course is a free, online, on-demand course (~17 hours of lectures) on New York-specific law available through the BOLE portal. After completing the NYLC, you may register for the New York Law Exam a 50-question, open-book, online multiple-choice test on the NYLC content. Minimum passing score: 30/50. Offered four times per year.
Don't underestimate the NYLE. It is open-book but the questions are specific, and the materials are the only resource you may use. Give yourself real preparation time. See my full article on NYLE and NYLC Don't Sleep on the NY Law Exam.
Step 5: Prepare for and Pass the UBE
The UBE is a two-day exam administered on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July:
| Day | Component | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 (Tuesday) | MPT 2 performance tasks | 3 hours (90 min each) |
| Day 1 (Tuesday) | MEE 6 essay questions | 3 hours (30 min each) |
| Day 2 (Wednesday) | MBE 200 multiple choice questions | 6 hours (two 3-hr sessions) |
New York's passing score is 266 out of 400. The MBE (50%) and writing components (50%) are equally weighted. Your UBE score is portable it can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions within 3 years.
For detailed strategy on each component: MBE Strategy · MEE Strategy · MPT Strategy · Overall Study Strategy
Step 6: Complete 50 Hours of Pro Bono Service
New York requires 50 hours of qualifying law-related pro bono service before admission. Services must help improve access to justice for low-income or disadvantaged individuals, or provide relevant government services. Hours can be completed before or after the bar exam. Submit an Affidavit of Compliance with your Appellate Division application.
Step 7: Character and Fitness Appellate Division
After BOLE certifies that you have passed the UBE, NYLE, and MPRE, BOLE certifies you to the Appellate Division for admission. New York's Supreme Court Appellate Division is divided into four departments you apply to the department for your county of practice (or county of residence if not yet practicing).
Each department conducts its own Character and Fitness review, including an in-person interview. You will be asked about any disciplinary matters, criminal history, financial history, and academic integrity issues. Full disclosure is required and expected.
Step 8: Swearing-In Ceremony
Once approved by the Appellate Division, you will be required to appear at a swearing-in ceremony to take the oath of office. After that you are admitted to the New York Bar.
Post-Admission: CLE Requirements
Newly admitted attorneys in New York must complete 32 hours of transitional CLE within their first two years of admission, covering ethics, skills, law practice management, and professional practice (including cybersecurity). After the transitional period, 24 CLE credits are required every two years, including ethics credits.
Important: The NextGen Transition (July 2028)
New York has announced that effective July 2028, the UBE will be replaced by the NextGen Bar Exam. The NextGen exam is being developed by the NCBE and will have a different structure and content framework. New York will not accept NextGen transfer scores from administrations prior to July 2028. If you are planning your bar timeline, note this transition and check the NCBE and BOLE websites for the latest information on NextGen content and format.