To pass the MPRE for California, you need a scaled score of at least 86 out of 150. That ties Utah for the highest passing threshold of any U.S. jurisdiction, and it applies to everyone seeking admission in California, whether you are a law graduate taking the California Bar Exam or an out-of-state attorney taking the Attorneys’ Examination.1State Bar of California. Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination There are no alternative pathways around it.
How 86 Compares to Other States
MPRE passing scores nationwide run from 75 to 86. Roughly 20 states and territories set the bar at 80, and about another 20 set it at 85. Only California and Utah require 86.
That matters if you are applying in more than one jurisdiction. A score that cleared New York’s 85 or Florida’s 80 will not satisfy California. Pull up your official score report before assuming it transfers. The flip side: a score that meets California’s 86 will satisfy every other state’s threshold, since no jurisdiction requires more.
What a Scaled 86 Actually Means
The 86 is a scaled score, not a percentage. Your raw score (the number of the 50 scored questions you answered correctly) is converted onto a scale that runs from 50 to 150. The conversion adjusts for difficulty differences between exam versions so that an 86 on one administration reflects the same level of knowledge as an 86 on any other.2National Conference of Bar Examiners. MPRE Scores
Because that conversion shifts with each test version, no one can tell you in advance exactly how many questions you need to get right to land at 86. What stays constant is the knowledge standard the number represents. Scores are released roughly five weeks after the test date through your NCBE Account.3National Conference of Bar Examiners. When will MPRE scores be released
When You Can Sit for the Exam
California lets you take the MPRE any time after you complete your first year of law study.4State Bar of California. Title 4 Admissions and Educational Standards Division 1 Admission to Practice Law in California Many candidates sit for it during the summer after their 2L year so bar prep is not competing with it later. You can also take it before, during, or after bar prep. The MPRE and the California Bar Exam are scheduled independently.
California MPRE Scores Do Not Expire
Most states impose a validity window, often two to five years, after which a passing score goes stale and you have to retake. California does not. Once the State Bar receives official confirmation of a passing score, the MPRE requirement is permanently satisfied.1State Bar of California. Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination A score you earned as a 2L still works if you are not admitted until years later. There is no downside to taking it early.
If you are also applying in a state that does enforce an expiration window, that state’s clock still runs. California’s permanence does not travel.
Getting Your Score to the State Bar
A passing score only counts once the State Bar has official notice of it. Self-reported numbers do not satisfy the requirement.4State Bar of California. Title 4 Admissions and Educational Standards Division 1 Admission to Practice Law in California
If you named California as a score recipient when you registered, NCBE sends the score automatically once results are released. If you did not, you can order a score report through your NCBE Account after the fact. Each additional report costs $30 and goes out the next business day.5National Conference of Bar Examiners. The Bar Examiner – FAQs About Bar Admissions Allow two to three business days after the State Bar receives the score for it to show up in your admissions account. Confirm the requirement shows as satisfied before you assume it went through.
If You Score Below 86
There is no cap on retakes. The MPRE is offered three times a year, so the next administration is usually your next opportunity. With a five-week score release window, you will typically know your result in time to register for the following sitting, but registration deadlines can be tight, so check both dates before you plan around a retake. Each attempt carries the full $185 registration fee.
Failed scores are not reported to the State Bar, and unsuccessful attempts do not appear on your California admissions file. If you fell just short, conflicts of interest and litigation ethics tend to be the highest-value review areas, since those categories make up the largest share of scored questions.6The Bar Examiner. The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination