The California Bar Exam is given twice a year on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. In 2026, that means February 24–25 and July 28–29.1The State Bar of California. July 2026 California Bar Exam If you want to sit for the July exam, your application must be in by April 1, 2026 to avoid late fees, and no application is accepted after June 1.2The State Bar of California. Dates and Deadlines
2026 Exam Dates
Both administrations run two consecutive days, Tuesday and Wednesday.3State Bar of California. Proposed Amendments to Title 4 of the Rules of the State Bar – Section: Rule 4.60
- February 2026: Tuesday, February 24 and Wednesday, February 25
- July 2026: Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 291The State Bar of California. July 2026 California Bar Exam
Filing Deadlines and Late Fees
Each administration has two application deadlines: a timely deadline and a final deadline. For July 2026, the timely deadline is April 1, 2026 and the final deadline is June 1, 2026.2The State Bar of California. Dates and Deadlines
Filing after the timely deadline costs extra. Applications submitted between April 2 and April 30 carry a $50 late fee. Applications submitted between May 1 and June 1 carry a $250 late fee. Nothing is accepted after June 1, so missing that date pushes you to the next administration.1The State Bar of California. July 2026 California Bar Exam
The base fee is $878 for a general applicant and $1,650 for an attorney already licensed in another state taking the Attorneys’ Examination.4The State Bar of California. Appendix A: Schedule of Charges and Deadlines Late fees stack on top of those amounts. Registration runs through the State Bar’s online Applicant Portal.
Two other requirements run on their own timelines and can delay your admission even if your exam filing is on time. The moral character application takes at least six to eight months to review, and the State Bar recommends submitting it no later than the start of your final year of law school.5The State Bar of California. Moral Character The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination is a separate test administered by the NCBE several times a year; California requires a scaled score of at least 86.6The State Bar of California. Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination Neither is part of the bar exam filing, but both must be complete before you can be admitted.
Testing Accommodations Deadlines
If you plan to request accommodations under the ADA, the deadlines are firm and earlier than the general filing deadlines: January 1 for the February exam and June 1 for the July exam. Requests go through the Applicant Portal with supporting documentation from a qualified professional. An incomplete request that is not resolved by the deadline will not be processed for that cycle.7The State Bar of California. Instructions for Requesting Testing Accommodations for the California Bar Exam
What Each Day Looks Like
Each exam day runs about nine hours once check-in and instructions are counted. Laptop users must be seated by 8:20 a.m., and the afternoon session begins at 1:30 p.m. with instructions at 1:45 p.m. Plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early.8The State Bar of California. July 2023 Bar Examination Schedule
Tuesday is the written day. The morning covers three one-hour essays. The afternoon covers two more essays and a 90-minute Performance Test, which asks you to produce a practical work product like a memo or brief from a provided case file.9The State Bar of California. Scope of the California Bar Examination The day typically ends around 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday is the Multistate Bar Examination: 200 multiple-choice questions developed and scored by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, split into 100 questions in a three-hour morning session and 100 in the afternoon.9The State Bar of California. Scope of the California Bar Examination Wednesday generally wraps around 5:00 p.m.8The State Bar of California. July 2023 Bar Examination Schedule
When Results Come Out
February results post in early May and July results post in early November. For 2026, the State Bar has scheduled February results for May 1, 2026 and July results for November 6, 2026. Results appear in the Applicant Portal by 6:00 p.m. on the release date.10The State Bar of California. California Bar Exam Results
A Change May Be Coming in 2028
In April 2026, the Committee of Bar Examiners recommended that the California Supreme Court adopt the NCBE’s NextGen Uniform Bar Exam starting with the July 2028 administration.11The State Bar of California. CBE Recommends the NextGen Uniform Bar Exam and Consideration of Future California Component If the Supreme Court approves the change, the current format described here would apply through February 2028, with a redesigned exam beginning that July. Anyone planning to sit in 2028 or later should watch for updates from the State Bar before locking in a study plan.