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Exam Date: August 17, 2025
California Bar Exam – 2025 (Gateway to Legal Practice in California)
The California Bar Exam is one of the most challenging and prestigious state bar examinations in the U.S., required to Practice law in California. Unlike the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), the California Bar has its own structure, testing state-specific law and federal principles. It features essays, a performance test, and a 200-question Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) component. In February 2025, the exam faced major disruptions—including technical issues, AI-generated questions, and revised scoring—which led to significant changes for the July session and provisional licensure options.
Eligibility & Selection Criteria:
To sit for the California Bar:
Must hold a JD from an ABA-accredited school or meet alternative paths (e.g., law office study, non-ABA school) as per State Bar regulations
No citizenship or visa requirement; a U.S. Social Security Number is typically needed, though waivers exist
Must pass the MPRE prior to admission, and receive a positive moral character determination
Exam Pattern & Syllabus
Essays
5 essays, 1 hour each (Day 1 morning).
13 tested areas: e.g., Contracts, Torts, Evidence, Property, Professional Responsibility.
Performance Test
90 min (Day 1 afternoon)
Practical legal task: brief, memo, client letter, etc.; file + library provided
MBE
200 multiple-choice questions (Day 2)
2×3 hr sessions, federal/Common Law topics: Torts, Contracts, Constitutional, Criminal, Evidence, Civil Procedure, Real Property
Total Duration: Approx. 10–12 hours over 2 days.
Registration & Fees:
Application Window: Opened March 27, 2025; filing deadline around June 1, 2025 for July exam
Fees:
Standard: US $850
Late filing: +US $50 to $250 depending on timing.
Laptop certification (for essay/PT on computer): +US $153.
Accommodations: Requests must be submitted before June 1 and may take 60+ days to process.
Why It Matters:
State-Specific Law: Unlike the UBE, California tests detailed California law (e.g., Community Property, Wills). Passing grants access to the largest legal market in the U.S.
Professional Mobility: Admission enables practice within California and eligibility for bar reciprocity in some other states.
Advanced Screening: With pass rates between 35%–55%, the exam maintains high legal competency standards
How to Prepare (Global Strategy)
A. Understand Exam Structure & Grading
Review prior essay questions and performance test examples.
Study MBE content using NCBE and U-World questions.
B. Draft & Outline Essays
Practice five hourly essay questions weekly
Outline structuring with IRAC and factual synthesis
C. Performance Test Rehearsal
Use past PT tasks (memo, letter, brief) under timed conditions
D. Intensive MBE Prep
Target 2000+ questions via UWorld, Adaptibar, or BarMax.
Simulate exam sessions with mental breaks
E. Take Full-Length Simulations
Complete timed 2-day mock exams with essay, PT, and MBE
Strictly follow scheduled breaks
F. Review & Refine
Log errors, clarify legal reasoning, memorise black-letter California law
G. Mental & Physical Wellness
Schedule exercise, restful breaks, and maintain exam-day nutrition
Upcoming Test Dates – July 2025:
Exam Dates: Tuesday, July 29 & Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Two-day structure:
Day 1 Morning: 3 essays
Day 1 Afternoon: 1 Performance Test (90 minutes)
Day 2: Two 100-question MBE sessions
Result Release: November 7, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. via applicant portal
Yes. Foreign-trained lawyers with at least four years in good standing in another jurisdiction may qualify to sit the California Bar. They may be eligible to waive the MBE portion, but must still pass the moral character evaluation and meet other State Bar conditions.
The California Bar Exam is offered twice a year—once in February and once in July. July typically sees higher participation, while the February exam is generally smaller in scale, with around 8,000 test-takers reported in 2025.
The February 2025 exam faced severe issues including technical failures and AI-generated questions. Remote proctoring glitches added to the chaos. As a result, the California Supreme Court restored the traditional MBE for July and offered provisional licensure to those affected.
The exam is evenly split: Essays + Performance Test = 50% and the MBE = 50%. A scaled score of 1390–1440 is generally required to pass. After February’s disruptions, slight adjustments were made to scoring for affected candidates.
Yes. If you withdrew from or failed the February 2025 exam, you may retake the July 2025 exam without paying again. However, standard refund and re-registration rules apply to all others—60% refund if canceled before the May 1 deadline.
