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UBE States

You probably noticed the trend already, but many of the US states are ditching the traditional state-specific bar exam for a Uniform Bar Examination known generally as the UBE.

Instead of each state creating their own questions, a single test is applied across all participant states to promote conformity and standardization. It is then graded consistently across the board so your scores won’t vary state to state. This doesn’t mean the states don’t still vary in many ways. Each state retains the right to choose their own passing score, implement additional requirements, and control the standards for accepting transferred scores from other states.  

The UBE builds on the similarities between state exams to include the standard MBE, MEE, and MPT formatted portions, administered over two (2) days and four (4) sessions.

Examinees are graded out of 400 possible points.

Score% Equivalent
26065%
26466%
26666.5%
27067.5%
27268%
27368.25%
27669%
27070%

Taking the exam in a UBE state can be beneficial in a lot of ways.

  1. Situation 1 ~ You take the UBE in State 1 and fail, but your score is passing in UBE State 2. You might be able to transfer your score, and (assuming you meet all their other requirements), you should be able to bar in there instead. 🙂 (For more specific details, check out the website here.)
  2. Situation 2 ~ You take the UBE in State 1 in 2015. State 2 moves over to the UBE in 2017. You can now transfer your old UBE score over to State 2 (assuming you took the bar recent enough to meet State 2’s time limitations rule). (For more specific details, check out the website here.)
  3. Situation 3 ~ You take the UBE in State 1, and later you want to transfer your MBE scores to a non-UBE State 2. So long as the state accepts transferred MBE scores, you might be able to do that (For more specific details, check out the website here.)

Below is a list of the present UBE states and their current (as of 2022) passing scores based on reports from the NCBE.

DISCLAIMER: State rules and policies change; do NOT to rely on this information for any decision-making processes. We just provide it here to promote general discourse and demonstrate variations in ease of bar admissions. You must consult the jurisdiction’s bar admission agency directly for current information.

Notes 

(Based on NCBE Instructions)



As of June 2022:

Alabama
(July 2011)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
260No Limit

Alaska
(July 2014)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
280No Limit

Arizona
(July 2012)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2736 Times

Arkansas
(February 2020)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
270No Limit

Colorado
(February 2012)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
276No Limit

Connecticut
(February 2017)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
266No Limit

District of Colombia (Washington, DC)
(July 2016)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2764 Times

Idaho
(February 2012)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2726 Times

Illinois
(July 2019)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
266No Limit

Indiana
(July 2021)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
264No Limit

Iowa
(February 2016)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2662 Times

Kansas
(February 2016)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2664 Times

Kentucky
(February 2021)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2665 Times

Maine
(July 2017)

Passing ScoreLimits on Attempts
270No Limit

Maryland
(July 2019)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
266No Limit

Massachusetts
(July 2018)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
270No Limit

Michigan
(February 2023)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
268No Limit

Minnesota
(February 2014)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
260No Limit

Missouri
(February 2011)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
260No Limit

Montana
(July 2013)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2663 Times

Nebraska
(February 2013)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2704 Times

New Hampshire
(February 2014)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2704 Times

New Jersey
(February 2017)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
266No Limit

New Mexico
(February 2016)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
260No Limit

New York
(July 2016)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
266

North Carolina
(February 2019)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
270No Limit
The Passing Score was lowered to 268 for the July 2020 and both 2021 Bar Exams. They also are accepting transferred scores of 268 from July / Sept. 2020 and 2021 Bar Exams for the UBE.

North Dakota
(February 2011)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2606 Times

Ohio
(February 2021)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
270No Limit

Oklahoma
(July 2021)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
264No Limit

Oregon
(July 2017)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
270No Limit
The Passing Score was temporarily lowered from 274 to 266 for the July 2020. It was then lowered permanently to 270 with the February 2021 exam.

Pennsylvania
(July 2022)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
272No Limit

Rhode Island
(February 2019)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2705 Times
The Passing Score was lowered permanently from 276 to 270 with the February 2021 exam. Any transferred scores attained prior to Feb. 2021 must still have show 276 or higher

South Carolina
(February 2019)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2663 Times

Tennessee
(February 2019)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
270No Limit

Texas
(February 2021)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2705 Times

Utah
(February 2013)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2706 Times

Vermont
(July 2016)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2704 Times

Washington
(July 2013)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
270No Limit
The Passing Score was temporarily lowered from 270 to 266 for all tests between July 2020 to February 2022 including September 2020 tests. This also applies to transferred scores achieved in those times.

West Virginia
(July 2017)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2704 Times

Wyoming
(July 2013)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
2704 Times

Virgin Islands
(July 2017)

Passing ScoreLimit on Attempts
266No Limit

**If you see any errors or updates, please contact us!

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