MBE
Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-choice examination developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners and administered by user jurisdictions as part of the bar examination on the last Wednesday in February and the last Wednesday in July of each year. Its stated purpose is to assess the extent to which an examinee can apply fundamental legal principles and legal reasoning to analyze given fact patterns. It is aimed at applicants seeking admission to the bar in a participating jurisdiction; applicants register for the MBE by applying to a jurisdiction for the bar exam, and each jurisdiction sets its own test-day policies and its own policy on the relative weight given to the MBE versus other scores. The MBE is a component of the legacy Uniform Bar Examination, and UBE jurisdictions weight the MBE component 50%. The exam draws on seven subject areas: civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, real property, and torts. Because most jurisdictions will move to the NextGen UBE between July 2026 and July 2028, candidates should confirm which exam their jurisdiction will administer. Preparation means practicing applied legal reasoning under the real format: 100 questions in three hours, twice in one day, with no scheduled breaks. NCBE publishes official study aids with authentic practice questions. This page is an independent summary of publicly available information and is not affiliated with NCBE.
What you'll study
About MBE preparation
How many questions are on the MBE, and are all of them scored?
The exam has 200 multiple-choice questions: 175 scored questions and 25 unscored pretest questions. The pretest questions are indistinguishable from scored ones, so answer every question rather than trying to spot them.
How is the test day structured?
It is divided into morning and afternoon testing sessions of three hours each, with 100 questions per session. There are no scheduled breaks during either the morning or afternoon session, so plan your stamina and hydration around that.
How much does the MBE count toward my bar score?
Each jurisdiction determines its own policy on the relative weight given to the MBE and other scores. Jurisdictions that administer the Uniform Bar Examination weight the MBE component 50%. Check your jurisdiction's rules rather than assuming a uniform weight.
When is the MBE administered?
It is administered on the last Wednesday in February and the last Wednesday in July of each year. NCBE lists scheduled administrations on February 24, 2027; July 28, 2027; and February 23, 2028.
How do I register?
Applicants register for the MBE by applying to a jurisdiction for the bar exam. NCBE develops the exam; the user jurisdiction handles the application, fees, deadlines, and the identification and materials policies for its test centers.
What subjects does the MBE cover?
The exam tests civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, real property, and torts. Expect fact patterns that require applying doctrine and reasoning rather than reciting definitions, consistent with the exam's stated purpose.
Will the MBE still exist when I sit?
Between July 2026 and July 2028, most jurisdictions will transition from the MBE, MEE, and MPT to the NextGen UBE. The MBE remains the multiple-choice component of the legacy UBE, which is administered through February 2028. Confirm your jurisdiction's first NextGen UBE administration before you build a study plan.
Who receives my score?
NCBE scores the MBE and reports examinees' scores to the jurisdiction in which the examinee tested. NCBE does not report scores to examinees unless authorized by the jurisdiction, and then only after the jurisdiction has announced its bar examination results.
What passing score applies, and can I retake the exam?
Those details are not set by NCBE in its public MBE materials; each jurisdiction determines how the MBE is used and weighted. Consult your jurisdiction's bar admission agency for its passing standard, retake rules, and any score validity limits.
How should I prepare, and what trips candidates up?
Practice applied reasoning in timed blocks of 100 questions in three hours, twice in a day, mirroring the real sessions. Never leave a question blank, since pretest items cannot be identified. Use NCBE's official study aids for authentic practice, and drill your weakest of the seven subjects first.