State-by-State Bar Exam Information: California
Bar Information
Key Dates
The last Tue, Wed and Thu of February and July
Timely filing deadline is April 1. The fee is $1,114. Latest filing deadline, with highest late fee, is June 15. In addition, applicants must register with the California Bar within 10 days after submission of the application.
Exam Details
Written: Two three-hour performance tests and six one-hour state-law essay questions
Multiple-choice: The Multistate Bar Examination
Yes, for a fee of $139 and a $15 late fee. All applicants who request to take the exam on a laptop will be able to do so.
Yes. Questions and sample answers can be downloaded from the CA Bar website here.
The MBE is weighted at 35% of the overall score, and the written portions (essays, 39%, and performance tests, 26%, combined) are weighted at 65%.
Statistics
2011: 69.4%
2011: 54.8%
Reciprocity
No
No
The information for California comes from the California Bar website as well as from the National Conference of Bar Examiners' Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements and annual statistical report.
