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FAQs

What examinations do I have to take to practice law in New Hampshire?

Unless you are eligible for admission by transferred UBE score in accordance with Rule 42(X), or by motion for admission without examination in accordance with Rule 42(XI), you must take the New Hampshire Bar Examination, which is offered twice a year in New Hampshire. New Hampshire administers the Uniform Bar Examination, which consists of three parts: the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE). All three components of the UBE must be taken in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners will not accept certification of MBE scores from prior test administrations in New Hampshire or in another jurisdiction, for use in computing overall grades.

In addition, you must successfully complete the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).  The New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners has established a scaled score of 79 as the passing level of performance for the MPRE. If you wish to have your MPRE score certified to New Hampshire, designate New Hampshire as one of the jurisdictions to which your score should be certified.

The MPRE is developed and administered by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE).  It is offered several times a year at many locations throughout the United States  See the NCBE website for further information about the MPRE exam. https://www.ncbex.org/exams/mpre/

When is the New Hampshire Bar Exam offered?

The New Hampshire Bar Examination is offered twice a year, in February and July, and is administered over the course of two days. The February bar examination is administered on the last Wednesday of February and the preceding Tuesday. The July bar examination is administered on the last Wednesday of July and the preceding Tuesday.

What happens on each day of the Bar Exam?

Registration usually begins at 8:00 a.m. on both days. Applicants should arrive no later than 8:15 a.m. to complete registration formalities and get settled in their assigned exam room in time to receive instructions prior to the beginning of the examination. The following schedules are approximations of what you may experience on the actual test days. Although the elapsed time for each test session is precise, the start and end times may vary.

First Day (MPT and MEE)
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration and seating
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Instructions
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 PM MPT
One-hour minimum lunch break
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Instructions
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. MEE

Second Day (MBE)
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Registration and seating
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Instructions
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 PM MBE morning session
One-hour minimum lunch break
1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Instructions
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. MBE afternoon session

At registration on the first day, each applicant will be assigned an applicant number and will be assigned a seat. During the bar examination, applicants must use their applicant number on all examination papers. Applicants will not be asked or permitted to identify their examination papers in any other way.

How are examinations graded?

The scoring process is conducted under conditions of absolute anonymity of applicants. Until the scoring process is complete, the graders do not know the identity of the applicants.

The MBE component is graded by American College Testing and the results are returned to the Bar Examiners.

The MPT and MEE are graded by members of the New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners. Each MPT answer will be given a raw score on a scale of 1 to 6. Each of the six MEE questions will be weighted equally and will be given a raw score on a scale of 1 to 6.

What is a passing grade?

A passing grade on the New Hampshire Bar Examination is 270 on a scale of 400. Successful applicants will be notified that they passed the bar examination but will not be given their scores.

Unsuccessful applicants will be provided with a breakdown of scores by mail, approximately a month after the results are announced. MPT and MEE answers will be retained by the Office of Bar Admissions for one year after the bar examination. Unsuccessful applicants may examine review their essay papers at the Office of Bar Admissions under procedures established by the Office of Bar Admissions.

Can I transfer my score on Multistate Bar Examination to another state?

Yes. If you wish to have your score on the MBE portion of the bar examination sent to another jurisdiction, you must arrange for the Office of Bar Admissions to report your score to that jurisdiction. Send to the Office of Bar Admissions, 4 Chenell Dr., Suite 102, Concord, N.H., 03301, the score transfer form and a $25.00 fee made payable to the New Hampshire Board of Bar Examiners. You must submit your request prior to the bar examination.

The MBE score transfer is available here.

Before the results of the examinations are released, applicants must NOT include any reference to their applicant numbers in making requests for score reports, as premature revelation of an applicant number may breach an applicant's anonymity and result in disqualification.

Does New Hampshire accept concurrent applications from applicants who sit for the UBE examination in a different jurisdiction?

Yes.  An applicant who sits in another UBE jurisdiction may apply concurrently in New Hampshire by filing a motion for admission by transferred UBE score. The application will be processed and finalized when the UBE score is received from the NCBE. Applicants should be aware that the fee to apply by transferred UBE score is not refundable so that, if the score is not passing, the fee will not be returned.