Latest Updates on Bar Exam Postponements
We are carefully monitoring the situation as bar exams announce changes to the July 2020 exam in response to COVID-19. Updates are below. If you have any new information that’s not included, please feel free to reach out and let us know.
National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
- NCBE will make bar exam materials available for two fall administrations in 2020: September 9-10 and September 30-October 1
- Each jurisdiction will determine whether to offer the exam in July, in early September, or in late September
- Announcement and Updates
Alabama
- The exam is still scheduled for July
- The order makes temporary exceptions to the Alabama Rule for Legal Internship by Law Students, which allows third-year law students to perform many functions of a licensed attorney under the supervision of an attorney licensed in Alabama
Alaska
- The exam will take place on September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
Arizona
- Law students and recent graduates will have the limited ability to practice under supervision
- The UBE in-person exam is currently still scheduled for July
- There will be a remote exam on October 5-6 for local admission
- Applicants who are registered for the July exam and those who requested a refund or who transferred their July application to the February 2021 exam may choose to take the October remote exam.
- Announcement
Arkansas
- The exam is still scheduled for July
- If it cannot be administered in July, it will be moved to September
California
- The exam will be postponed to September 9-10, 2020
- There will be every effort made to administer the exam online
- Announcement
Colorado
- The exam is still scheduled for July
- If it cannot be administered in July, it will be moved to September 30-October 1, 2020
- Announcement
Connecticut
- The July 2020 exam will be re-scheduled for Fall 2020
- Announcement
Delaware
- The exam has been re-scheduled for September 9-11, 2020
- Announcement
District of Columbia
- The July exam has been cancelled
- A decision about a fall administration of the exam will be made by May 4, 2020
- Announcement
Florida
- The in-person July exam is cancelled
- There will be a shorter exam administered in August with no MBE requirement
- Announcement
Georgia
- The exam will be postponed to September 9-10, 2020
- Recent law graduates can be provisionally admitted to practice before taking the bar exam
- Announcement
Guam
- The exam will take place on September 9-10, 2020
Hawaii
- The July 2020 exam with be re-scheduled for Fall 2020
- The application for the exam has been extended from April 1, 2020 to May 1, 2020
- Announcement
Illinois
- The exam has been re-scheduled for September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
Indiana
- Anyone who graduated from law school after November 2019 to potentially serve as a graduate legal intern until the February 2021 bar exam, provided they have not failed any exam prior to that date
- The exam is currently still scheduled for July
- Announcement
Iowa
- If the exam cannot be administered in July, it will be postponed to September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
Kansas
- There will be an additional administration of the exam on September 9-10 if needed, in addition to the July administration
- Announcement
Kentucky
- If the exam cannot be administered in July it will be moved to September 2020
Louisiana
- There will be a one day exam or July 27, 2020 and October 10, 2020
- Announcement
Maine
- The exam has been re-scheduled for Sept 30 – Oct 1
- Announcement
Maryland
- It will determine whether the exam can be administered in July by May 22, 2020
- If it cannot be administered in July, it will be re-scheduled for September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
Massachusetts
- A remote exam will be administered on October 5-6
- Announcement
Michigan
- A one day online exam will be administered on July 28
- Announcement
Minnesota
- The exam is still scheduled for July
- There will be an administration on September 9-10, 2020, as well, or instead of July
- Announcement
Mississippi
- The exam will be administered as scheduled in July
- Announcement
Missouri
- In the event the exam cannot be administered in July, it will be rescheduled for September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
Montana
- The exam will be administered as planned in July
- Announcement
Nebraska
- The exam has been re-scheduled for September 9-10, 2020
Nevada
- A decision about administered the exam in July will be made no later than May 22, 2020
- Announcement
New Hampshire
- The exam has been re-scheduled for September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
New Jersey
- The July 2020 exam will be re-scheduled for Fall 2020
- Allows for 2020 law school graduates to temporarily practice law under the supervision of experienced attorneys
- Announcement
New Mexico
- The exam is scheduled for September 9-10
New York
- The July 2020 exam will be moved to September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
North Carolina
- If the exam cannot be administered in July, it will be moved to September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
North Dakota
- If the exam cannot be administered in July, it will be moved to September 9-10, 2020
- It will limit the number of examinees to 85
- Announcement
Ohio
- The exam has been re-scheduled to September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
Oklahoma
- The exam will be administered in July
- Announcement
Oregon
- If the exam cannot be administered in July, it will be moved to the Fall 2020
- Announcement
Pennsylvania
- The exam will be re-scheduled for September 9-10, 2020
- Announcement
Rhode Island
- The exam has been postponed indefinitely
- Announcement
South Carolina
- The exam will proceed as scheduled in July
- Announcement
South Dakota
- If NCBE materials are not available for the July exam administration, the South Dakota Board of Bar Examiners is authorized to develop and administer a 10-question essay exam on July 28
- If public health dictates that the July exam cannot be administered, the exam will be administered on the next date that NCBE materials are available
- Applicants can opt to take the February 2021 exam instead
- Announcement
Tennessee
- There will be an extension of the time applicants can practice under supervision or pending admission to November 15, 2021, and permitting transfer of applications from the July exam to a potential fall exam or to the February 2021 exam.
- The exam will be postponed to September 30-October 1
- Announcement
Texas
- There will be an additional administration of the exam on September 9-11, 2020
- Announcement
Utah
- An order modifies the bar examination passage requirement on an emergency basis for certain eligible law school graduates
- Announcement
Vermont
- The July 2020 exam will be postponed to a later date
- Announcement
Virginia
- The exam will be administered in July
- Announcement
Virgin Islands
- The exam will be postponed to September 30 – October 1
Washington
- The exam is still scheduled for July 2020
- Law graduates can practice in a limited capacity under supervision for up to 18 months before taking the bar exam
- Announcement
West Virginia
- The exam will be administered as scheduled in July
- Announcement
Wisconsin
- The exam will be administered as scheduled in July
Wyoming
- July 2020 bar applicants will be temporarily admitted to the practice of law with supervision, if certain conditions are met, in the event that the July exam is postponed. The rule is issued conditionally on the bar exam not being administered in July and will be of no effect if Wyoming is able to hold the July exam.
- Announcement
Podcasts
- Podcast Episode 81: Initial Thoughts on COVID-19 and the Bar Exam
- Podcast Episode 85: Dealing with Bar Exam Postponements Due to COVID-19
- Podcast Episode 90: COVID-19 Bar Exam Updates and Strategies
- Podcast Episode 94: Impact of COVID-19 on the Bar Exam – June 15 Update
Posts
- How to Create a Bar Study Schedule with an Unknown Timeline
- Coming Up with a COVID-19 Contingency Plan for Bar Study
- If Your State Postpones the Bar Exam, Should You Sit in Another State?
- Bar Exam Postponement Due to COVID-19
- How to Deal with COVID-19 Uncertainty
Feel free to reach out with any questions! Best of luck in this challenging time.