Maryland Bar Exam: Eligibility, Deadlines, and Results

To be admitted through the Maryland bar exam, you need a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school, a passing score on the bar exam itself, a qualifying score on the MPRE, completion of the Maryland Law Component, and a favorable character and fitness determination.¹ The State Board of Law Examiners (SBLE) runs the process, and starting with the July 2026 administration, the test itself changes: Maryland is one of the first states to replace the legacy Uniform Bar Examination with the NextGen UBE.²

Who Can Sit for the Exam

Maryland Rule 19-201 requires a J.D. or equivalent from an ABA-accredited school. If your law school isn’t ABA-accredited, the SBLE can grant a waiver, but only if you already hold an active bar membership in another state or have completed additional legal education at an ABA-approved school that satisfies the Board.³

The Exam Itself

For the July 2026 exam and every administration after it, Maryland gives the NextGen UBE. The test runs a day and a half: a Tuesday morning session, then Wednesday morning and afternoon sessions. Each session is three hours.⁴

Every session contains the same three question types:

Standalone multiple-choice questions: 40 per session, 120 total. Some ask you to pick one answer from four; others ask you to pick two from six. Together these count for 49% of your score.
Integrated question sets: two per session, six total. Each set is built around a shared fact pattern and uses either drafting tasks (medium-length written answers) or counseling tasks (a mix of multiple-choice and short-answer). These count for 21%.
Performance tasks: one per session, three total. You analyze a file and complete a lawyering assignment such as a memo or client advice. These count for 30%.

The integrated sets and performance tasks can reach beyond the core subjects, but when they do, the relevant statute excerpts or case summaries come inside the question. The test is designed around using legal materials to solve a problem rather than recalling a specific body of law.⁴

The NextGen UBE is scored on a 500–750 scale, with NCBE handling all scoring and equating across jurisdictions.⁵ Maryland’s passing score is 616.⁶

If you sat for the February 2026 exam or earlier, you took the legacy Uniform Bar Examination, a two-day test made up of the MBE (200 multiple-choice questions over six hours), the MEE (six 30-minute essays), and the MPT (two 90-minute performance tasks).⁷ The passing score on the legacy UBE is 266 out of 400, and those scores remain valid for transfer within the usual three-year window.

The MPRE and the Maryland Law Component

You also need a scaled MPRE score of at least 85. If you are not already admitted in another state, the qualifying score must come from an administration within the three years before you file your Notice of Intent to take the Maryland bar exam. If you already hold an active license elsewhere, an 85 or higher from any date qualifies.⁸

The SBLE will not recommend anyone for admission until it has your qualifying MPRE score on file. After you pass the bar exam, you have two years from the date of your pass notification to get the score reported, and no extensions are available.⁸ The MPRE is offered three times a year, typically in March, August, and October or November.

Every applicant also has to complete the Maryland Law Component, which covers state-specific topics the UBE doesn’t address, including attorney trust account rules and disciplinary fund obligations.⁹ The MLC is online and open-book. You study a set of subject matter outlines at your own pace, then complete a timed 50-question multiple-choice exercise drawn entirely from the outline materials.¹⁰ It applies to everyone seeking Maryland admission, whether you take the exam in Maryland, transfer a score, or petition for admission without examination.

Applying, Fees, and Deadlines

Applications go through the SBLE’s eBar online portal. You file two main documents: the Character Questionnaire and the Notice of Intent to Take the UBE in Maryland. The Notice of Intent can be filed at the same time as the Character Questionnaire or later, but never before it.¹¹ Even though you file online, Maryland still requires original ink signatures: you print the completed forms, sign them, and mail hard copies with your fees to the SBLE.¹²

The total fee for a first-time applicant who is not already a licensed attorney is $750. Repeat takers pay $400.¹³ If your Character Questionnaire hasn’t been updated in more than three years, you’ll also owe a $100 update fee.¹⁴

Deadlines are strict. For the July 2026 exam, the filing deadline is May 1. For the February 2027 exam, it’s December 1.¹⁵ These are “received by” dates, not postmark dates, so leave mailing time. Late applications aren’t accepted automatically; you have to file a “good cause” request, and the SBLE can deny it.¹²

Testing accommodations run on the same deadlines: May 1 for July, December 1 for February. Late accommodation requests are rejected outright. You’ll need to submit the Accommodations Request Form with an evaluation report from a treating health professional, standardized test score reports (SAT, ACT, LSAT, MPRE), and documentation of any prior accommodations. If your law school approved the same accommodations within the past five years, that documentation can replace a new clinical evaluation. Your request also has to be specific; asking for “extra time” without stating an amount or percentage will be rejected without review.¹⁶

Character and Fitness

Once your application is accepted, the Character Questionnaire goes to one of seven regional Character Committees for investigation. The committee reviews your financial history, criminal record, and professional conduct, and the process can take several months.¹⁷ Filing early lowers the chance that the investigation delays your admission after you pass the exam.

Before you start the application, pull together certified undergraduate and law school transcripts, contact information for personal and professional references, a complete address history since age eighteen, your full employment history, and records of any legal infractions or financial judgments. The committees weigh honesty and accountability heavily. Failing to disclose a traffic ticket or an old debt tends to do more damage than the underlying issue would have.

Results and Retakes

Results for the February exam are usually released in mid-to-late April, and July results in mid-October. For example, February 2025 results came out April 18, and July 2025 results came out October 17.¹⁸ The SBLE notifies applicants by mail and publishes a list of successful candidates on the Maryland Judiciary website. Unsuccessful applicants receive a performance breakdown by section.

There is no cap on how many times you can retake the exam. To sit again, log into eBar, generate a Retake Notice, print and sign it, and mail it to the SBLE with a $400 check or money order. If more than three years have passed since your last Character Questionnaire update, file a new one with the $100 update fee at the same time.¹⁴

Transferring a Score Instead

If you already have a qualifying UBE score from another jurisdiction, you can seek admission by score transfer rather than retake the exam in Maryland. The score must be at least 266 on the legacy UBE or 616 on the NextGen UBE, and it must come from an exam taken within the three years before you file your Notice of Intent to Transfer. The three-year clock starts on August 1 after a July exam and March 1 after a February exam.¹¹

Transferring a score doesn’t shortcut the rest of the process. You still file a Character Questionnaire, pass the character investigation, complete the Maryland Law Component, earn a qualifying MPRE score, and arrange for NCBE’s Score Services to send your official UBE score to the SBLE.¹¹

Getting Sworn In

Passing the exam and clearing the character investigation don’t make you a lawyer on their own. The SBLE first has to recommend you for admission, and then the Clerk’s Office assigns you to a Bar Admission Ceremony at the Robert C. Murphy Courts of Appeal Building. Plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before your session with a photo ID and $20 in cash or check.¹⁹

At the ceremony you take the Attorney’s Oath prescribed by Maryland statute, swearing to conduct yourself fairly and honorably and to uphold the constitutions and laws of Maryland and the United States. A day or two later you’ll receive instructions to register with the Attorney Information System. You cannot practice law in Maryland until you’ve received your bar admission certificate and completed that registration.¹⁹

1
New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Code Rule 19-201 – Eligibility for Admission to the Maryland Bar by Uniform Bar Examination
2
Maryland Courts. About the NextGen UBE in Maryland
3
Maryland Courts. Guidelines for Seeking Waiver of the ABA-Approved Law School Degree Requirement Pursuant to Maryland Rule 19-201(b)
4
NCBE. NextGen UBE Blueprint, July 2026-February 2027
5
NCBE. NextGen Bar Exam
6
NCBE. Guidance Brief on the Recommended NextGen UBE Passing Score
7
NCBE. Understanding the Uniform Bar Examination
8
Maryland Courts. MPRE
9
New York Codes, Rules and Regulations. Maryland Rules Title 19 – Attorneys – Rule 19-212
10
Maryland Courts. Maryland Law Component
11
Maryland Courts. Admission by Uniform Bar Exam – Transfer of Qualifying UBE Score
12
Maryland Courts. Maryland State Board of Law Examiners Instructions for Online Electronic Bar Application System (eBar)
13
NCBE. Uniform Bar Examination Jurisdictions – Bar Examination Fees, Maryland
14
Maryland Courts. Uniform Bar Examination in Maryland Notice to Unsuccessful Candidates
15
NCBE. Uniform Bar Examination Jurisdictions – Bar Examination Filing Deadlines, Maryland
16
Maryland Courts. Test Accommodations for Applicants with Disabilities
17
Maryland Courts. Character and Fitness Process for General Bar Admission
18
NCBE. Bar Exam Results by Jurisdiction
19
Maryland Courts. Bar Admissions