Admission by Examination

About the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) Components

Massachusetts has administered the UBE since July 2018.  The UBE is a two-day exam consisting of Written portions - the Multistate Performance Test (MPT) and the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE) on Tuesday, day 1, and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE) on Wednesday, day 2. 

For more information about the UBE, please see the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).

Scoring

The UBE is a uniformly administered, graded, and scored bar exam that results in a portable score that may be transferred by examinees to seek bar admission in other UBE jurisdictions.  In order to ensure consistency in grading across UBE jurisdictions, Massachusetts graders follow grading procedures and standards set by the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

MEE and MPT scores reflect the examinee's ability to apply the law to the relevant facts in an organized and coherent manner, demonstrating the examinee's understanding of the legal principles raised by the facts and issues identified, and effectively communicating his or her analysis in writing.

All bar exam scoring is completed anonymously, with only randomly assigned seat numbers as the sole identifier.

The MBE Score

Scores for this portion of the bar examination are based on the number of multiple-choice questions answered correctly by an examinee.  The resulting “raw” scores are adjusted statistically by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) to account for variations in the difficulty levels of the exam over time. The adjusted score is referred to as the Scaled MBE Score and is reported to one decimal point.

The MPT and MEE Scores

Scores for these portions of the bar examination are determined on the basis of a possible score of zero to seven (0-7) on each question.  The sum of the points received for each question comprises an examinee’s Raw Score.  To account for differences in question difficulty and grader leniency across examinations over time, the Raw Essay Score is converted, or “scaled,” to a distribution that has the same mean and standard deviation as the Scaled MBE Scores for all Massachusetts examinees. The resulting score, referred to as the Scaled Written Score, is rounded and reported to two decimal places.

Initial Grading

If, after the initial grading, an examinee achieves a Total Scaled Score of 270 or greater, the examinee passes the exam.

If, after the initial grading, the examinee receives a Total Scaled Score of 264 or lower, the examinee fails the exam.

If, after initial grading, an examinee’s Total Scaled Score is greater than 264 but less than 270, each of that examinee’s MEE and MPT answers are graded again by a different grader (“Re-Read”).

Re-Read

For those examinees whose essay answers were Re-Read, the final score for each essay question will be the average number of points assigned by the two gradings, rounded to the nearest whole number.  MPT and MEE exams are not subject to any further readings.  Similar to the initial scoring, the sum of the averaged points received for each MPT and MEE question is the examinee’s Raw Essay Score.

The Raw Essay Score is then converted to a Final Scaled Score using the same procedures as used before re-reading.  It is rounded and reported to two decimal places.

The Final Total Scaled Score:  To calculate an examinee’s Total Scaled Score, the scaled MBE at 50% weight, scaled MPT score at 20% weight, and the scaled MEE score at 30% weight are summed together and then rounded to the nearest whole number (i.e., any score with a decimal portion < .50 is rounded downwards while any score with a decimal portion .50 or above is rounded upward).  For example, a score of 269.49 is rounded to 269 while a score of 269.50 rounds up to 270.  

A Final Total Scaled Score of 270 or greater is required to pass the Massachusetts Bar Examination.

Portability

As of 2022, 41 jurisdictions administer the UBE. Examinees sitting for the bar exam in Massachusetts who earn a qualifying score may be able to transfer that score to another jurisdiction without having to repeat the bar exam.

Likewise, someone who earned a UBE score of 270 or greater in one of these 41 jurisdictions within the last 36 months may be eligible to transfer that score to Massachusetts and gain admission without having to repeat the bar exam. 

Score transfer typically does involve other eligibility requirements, including a qualifying MPRE score and meeting Character and Fitness standards. Please refer to the policies of the jurisdiction where you intend to transfer for more information.

For more information about transferring a score, please see the NCBE: UBE Score Portability.

Prior Bar Exam Questions

July 2023 MPT Item 1

July 2023 MPT Item 2

July 2023 MEE Questions

The bar exam is administered twice each year on the last Wednesday and immediately preceding Tuesday of each February and July.

The bar exam is currently scheduled in Boston.  Exact locations and times are subject to change, so it is important for petitioners to be aware of the information pertinent to the current exam.

Details will be available on the BBE Home Page prior to the Petition for Admission by Examination filing period.  The Petition must be filed at least 75 days prior to the exam you wish to take.

Typing the Bar Exam

Examinees may either type or handwrite their MEE and MPT responses. Examinees who wish to type must submit the Laptop Registration and Compliance Form with their Petition. See Using your laptop at the bar exam for more information.

Applicant Portal

The Applicant Portal is used by the Board of Bar Examiners to communicate with Petitioners, securely share documents, and administer the MLC. Petitioners will receive an email from the Applicant Portal after their case is referred to the BBE containing their username and a temporary password. 

Bar Exam Lodging

When possible, the Board of Bar Examiners partners with area hotels to offer rooms at a reduced group rate. This is subject to availability and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Room block information will be updated here when available: Bar Exam Lodging.

More Information

FAQs Regarding the Bar Exam in Massachusetts

Filing Instructions:

    Guide to Filing a Petition for Admission by Examination (First-Time)

    Guide to Filing a Petition for Admission by Re-Examination

Note: You are considered a first-time examinee if you have never filed a Petition for Admission to the Massachusetts bar. If you have sat for the bar in another jurisdiction, but have never petitioned in Massachusetts, you should refer to the first-time information.

Massachusetts Law Component (MLC)

The MLC is a 50-question multiple-choice exam on key distinctions and essential highlights of Massachusetts law and procedure covering ten areas of law. Examinees receive access to the MLC exam and outlines via the Applicant Portal leading up to the bar exam, however it is strongly recommended that examinees complete the MLC after the bar exam.

Failure to complete the MLC by the dates above may result in a delay in bar admission. 

Results

Examinees are notified of their bar exam results via email. Unsuccessful examinees are subsequently sent a detailed score report via postal mail.

Results from a February exam are typically released in late April. Results from a July exam are typically released in late October. Please note these timelines are approximate and are subject to change. 

Statistics from the most recent bar exam results can be found on our website titled Massachusetts Bar Exam Results.

Copies of Essays

If a passing score on the bar exam is not achieved, you may request copies of your essay answers by mailing a written request, including your examination seat # as indicated in the results email,  to:

Board of Bar Examiners
John Adams Courthouse
One Pemberton Square, Suite 5-140
Boston, MA 02108

Your request must be postmarked by 3 weeks after the date of results being released, and must include a bank check or money order made payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (not to the Board of Bar Examiners) in the amount of $25.  Personal checks are NOT accepted.  All Essays will be delivered electronically to the email address of record with your bar petition.

Copies of the MBE are unavailable.

Late requests will not be fulfilled NO EXCEPTIONS.

Pass List

As per SJC Rule 3:01 Section 4, 

Before the Board of Bar Examiners reports to the Court on the character, acquirements, and qualifications of a petitioner for admission, the Board of Bar Examiners shall publish the names of those petitioners who passed the written law examination in Massachusetts or a concurrent written exam in another Uniform Bar Examination jurisdiction, or transferred a qualifying Uniform Bar Examination score earned previously in another jurisdiction (under Rule 3:01, § 3) and who, if no objection is made, may be recommended to the Supreme Judicial Court for admission. 

Following the release of results, the names of those who have passed the bar exam will be posted to the Massachusetts Bar Exam Pass List page.

Please review the Guides to Filing for instructions on how to file your petition.

Forms applicable to the bar exam can be found below.