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The NextGen Uniform Bar Exam

About the NextGen UBE

The NextGen UBE tests a broad range of foundational lawyering skills, utilizing a focused set of clearly identified fundamental legal concepts and principles needed in today’s practice of law. Designed to balance the skills and knowledge needed in litigation and transactional legal practice, the exam reflects many of the key changes occurring in legal education, including those in clinical legal education programs, alternative dispute resolution programs, and legal writing and analysis programs. As with the current Uniform Bar Exam, examinees may transfer their NextGen UBE scores between jurisdictions that participate in the UBE portability program. The NextGen UBE will be administered by select jurisdictions starting in July 2026, with more to follow during each successive administration.

Exam Details:

  • Administration: Twice annually (February and July). First administration is July 2026 (select jurisdictions).
  • Format: 9 hours over 1.5 days.
  • Delivery: Computer-based, using NCBE's secure testing browser on examinee laptops at jurisdiction-managed sites.
  • Subjects Tested: Business associations, civil procedure, constitutional law, contract law, criminal law, evidence, real property, and torts.
  • Skills Assessed: Legal research, legal writing, issue spotting and analysis, investigation and evaluation, client counseling and advising, negotiation and dispute resolution, and client relationship and management.
  • Question Formats: Multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets (simulating real-world legal tasks), and performance tasks.
  • Scoring: NCBE scores multiple-choice; jurisdictions score written portions.
  • Portability: NextGen UBE scores earned in any jurisdiction may be transferred for admission to any other jurisdiction that accepts portable scores.

Transition to the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam 

Over the next several years, the bar exam will change for most US states, territories, and the District of Columbia. In most jurisdictions, the current bar exam is known as the Uniform Bar Examination (aka the “legacy UBE”). The new bar exam is called the NextGen UBE. In addition, almost every US jurisdiction requires its applicants to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). 

During the UBE transition period, examinees will have a choice: Whether to sit for the legacy UBE or the NextGen UBE. Both exams provide portable bar exam scores, meaning that a qualifying UBE score earned in one UBE jurisdiction may be used to apply for admission to other UBE jurisdictions. To find out if the jurisdiction in which you wish to be licensed administers and/or accepts scores earned through the UBE, visit https://www.ncbex.org/jurisdictions. 

Legacy UBE vs. NextGen UBE: Similarities and Differences

As jurisdictions across the country transition from the legacy UBE to the NextGen UBE, understanding the differences — and the similarities — between the two exams is crucial. 

Key Similarities:

  • Purpose: Assess examinees’ readiness for legal practice, focusing on the legal knowledge and skills most necessary within the first three years after licensure.
  • Subject Matter: Test the same general subject areas: business associations, civil procedure, constitutional law, contract law, criminal law, evidence, real property, and torts (see About the Legacy UBE below for info on additional MEE subject areas). Family law will be added to the NextGen UBE in July 2028.
  • Source: Developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) and administered by individual jurisdictions. You’ll apply to take the exam in your preferred jurisdiction, and the jurisdiction will determine your eligibility to take the exam.
  • Test Accommodations: Examinees seeking test accommodations apply through their jurisdiction, which makes all accommodations decisions.
  • Dates: Administered twice yearly, on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July.
  • Portability: Produce portable scores for transfer to participating jurisdictions. 

Key Differences:

  • Duration: Legacy UBE is 12 hours over two days; NextGen UBE is 9 hours over 1.5 days.
  • Delivery: Legacy UBE uses printed materials, Scantrons, and examinees’ laptops; NextGen UBE is administered entirely on examinees’ laptops.
  • Content Focus: Both cover core legal knowledge, but the NextGen UBE expands on the legal skills tested on the legacy UBE, emphasizing issue spotting, research, writing, client counseling, and negotiation.
  • Question Structure: Legacy UBE includes multiple-choice questions, essays, and performance tests; NextGen UBE includes multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets, and performance tasks.

First Administration of NextGen UBE 

July 2026:

Connecticut, Guam, Idaho, Maryland, Missouri, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Palau, Virgin Islands, Washington
 

July 2027:

Arizona, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming
 

February 2028:

Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois
 

July 2028:

Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia
 

Date TBD:

Mississippi

*Additional jurisdictions may announce they are adopting the NextGen UBE and be added to this list. Please refer to the NCBE and the jurisdictions website for the most up to date information.