NY Bar
New York State Bar Examination
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Cheat sheet
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ExploreAbout this exam
The New York State Bar Examination is the licensing examination administered by the New York State Board of Law Examiners, a body created by the Legislature in 1894 and overseen by a five-member Board of attorneys appointed by the New York Court of Appeals, with a business office in Albany. It is for candidates seeking admission to practice law in New York. New York administers the Uniform Bar Examination, delivered twice per year on the last consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday each February and July; the announced February 2027 dates are February 23–24. The UBE combines the Multistate Bar Examination, Multistate Essay Examination and Multistate Performance Test, and New York separately requires the New York Law Course and New York Law Exam plus the MPRE. Preparation should be sequenced around the filing calendar, not the other way around: the application filing period runs March 1–31 for a July sitting and October 1–31 for a February sitting, and non-standard test accommodation deadlines fall on the same dates. Build a study plan that drills MBE-style multiple choice under timed conditions, practices essay issue-spotting across subjects, and rehearses closed-universe performance-test drafting. Confirm all eligibility and deadline details directly with the Board, since rules change and this page is independent study material, not an official source.
What you'll study
About NY Bar preparation
When is the New York bar exam offered, and what are the next dates?
Twice a year, on the last consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday each February and July. The Board has announced the February 2027 examination for February 23–24, 2027, with the application period open through October 31, 2026. Verify dates on the Board's site before booking travel or time off.
What is the application filing window?
For a July exam the filing period is March 1–31; for a February exam it is October 1–31. The same dates are the application and re-application deadlines for non-standard test accommodations. An applicant who failed the immediately preceding administration gets the later of that deadline or the seventh day after results are released.
I failed the July exam. When must I re-apply?
For the July 2026 administration, results posted October 23, 2026, and the re-application deadline for February 2027 was 11:59 PM ET on Saturday, October 31, 2026, which the Board stated would not be extended. Treat post-result windows as short and have your re-application materials ready before results are released.
How many times can I retake the New York bar exam?
Under Board Rule 6000.4(c), effective December 1, 2024, applicants with four or more unsuccessful attempts on the New York bar examination may apply for re-examination only for the February administration. They may still sit in another UBE jurisdiction in July and transfer a passing score to New York.
What happens if I withdraw or skip an exam I registered for?
Under Board Rule 6000.9(b)(3), an applicant who fails to appear for or withdraws from multiple prior examinations, or who in the Board's view does not make a bona fide effort to pass, may at the Board's discretion be required to petition for permission to re-apply. The Board notifies the applicant if a petition is required.
Is New York still a UBE jurisdiction?
Yes, through the February 2028 administration. The Court of Appeals announced that effective for the July 2028 administration the UBE will be replaced by the NextGen Bar Exam. New York will not accept NextGen transfer scores from any NextGen examination administered before July 2028, but will continue accepting UBE transfer scores under current policies.
What else does New York require besides the bar exam?
New York requires the New York Law Course and the New York Law Exam, and the Board's site also lists the MPRE, a mandatory 50-hour pro bono rule and a skills competency requirement among admission materials. Check each requirement's timing against your bar exam plan, because the NYLE runs on its own separate schedule and registration deadlines.
How do I register for the NYLE, and what are the deadlines?
Registration is electronic through the Board's website. Effective September 1, 2026, applicants must register at least 45 days before the scheduled administration, and previously approved non-standard accommodation re-applications must be received at least 60 days before the NYLE. Those amendments apply to 2027 exams and beyond; December 2026 deadlines are unchanged.
What is the next NYLE administration and its registration deadline?
The next administration is Thursday, December 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET. The deadline to complete the New York Law Course and register is Tuesday, November 17, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Timely registrants must also purchase, download and register the ExamSoft software by the deadlines ExamSoft emails to them.
What is the most common way candidates lose a year?
Missing a filing window rather than failing the content. The application periods are one month long, repeater re-application windows can be days, and the Board has stated some deadlines will not be extended. Calendar every deadline, including accommodation and NYLE dates, and confirm them on the Board's official site rather than relying on secondary summaries.