COVID-19 July Bar Exam Updates

*This page was last updated on May 25th, 2020. Please verify all information here.

We want to help keep you updated on everything surrounding the administration of the July 2020 bar exam. We have listed below the current status of the July bar exam for each jurisdiction. This information is continuously developing so be sure to keep up with what your jurisdiction is doing. If you have an update for us that is not included, please feel free to comment below or reach out.

The NCBE made an announcement on May 5th, 2020 regarding testing materials for the July 2020 bar exam. The NCBE determined there is likely to be a number of jurisdictions offering the July bar exam so they will be providing testing materials for the July bar exam as well as for two bar exam dates in the fall. The two fall dates will be September 9-10 and September 30-October 1. 

Find more details about each jurisdiction here. We are here to help you navigate these challenging times. Enrollment in the AdaptiBar MBE Simulator and Prep program for the July 2020 bar exam session means you will have uninterrupted access to our program until the next offering of the bar exam in your jurisdiction. Please reach out if you have any questions about how to fit AdaptiBar into your study schedule.

Alabama

The Supreme Court of Alabama announced on May 08, 2020 that the bar exam is currently still expected to proceed with the July 28-29 administration.

Alaska

The Alaska Bar Association made its decision regarding the July 2020 bar exam on April 07, 2020. They announced that the Alaska bar exam will be held on September 9-10.

Arizona

The Supreme Court of Arizona announced that the Arizona July 2020 bar exam is still scheduled for July 28-29.

Arkansas

The Arkansas Supreme Court made an announcement on April 30, 2020 regarding their decision for the July 2020 bar exam. They plan to administer the exam in July depending on state and federal restrictions. If the July bar exam cannot be administered, they will reschedule to September.

California

On April 27, 2020 the Supreme Court of California released its decision about the July 2020 bar exam. They decided the exam will be pushed back to September 9-10.

Colorado

Currently, Colorado has not rescheduled the July exam. However, on May 14, 2020, the Colorado Supreme Court announced that if the bar exam cannot be administered in July, it will be rescheduled to September 30-October 1.

Connecticut

The state of Connecticut was one of the first states to announce that the July 2020 bar exam would not take place during the normal date of July 28-29. The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee announced on April 24, 2020 that the exam will take place on September 30-October 1.

Delaware

On May 11, 2020 the Delaware Supreme Court announced that the exam would be rescheduled to September 9-11.

District of Columbia (Washington D.C.)

The District of Columbia Court of Appeals made their decision to postpone the bar exam to September 9-10 on May 4, 2020.

Florida

Florida is currently still planning to proceed with the administration of the July 28-29 bar exam.

Georgia

Georgia joined the list of states to announce the exam would be rescheduled to September 9-10 when they announced their decision on April 17, 2020.

Guam

The Supreme Court of Guam released an announcement on April 9, 2020 that they have decided to reschedule the exam for September 9-10.

Hawaii

The July 2020 bar exam for the state of Hawaii has been postponed to September 9-10. The Hawaii Supreme Court made its decision about a new date for the exam on April 20, 2020.

Idaho

The Idaho State Bar is currently still planning to administer the bar exam on July 28-29.

Illinois

On May 1, 2020 the Illinois Supreme Court issued a press release stating the July 2020 exam would be rescheduled to September 9-10.

Indiana

The Indiana Supreme Court decided to change the administration of the July 2020 bar exam to a remote one-day exam on July 28, 2020. This one-day exam will have the Indiana Essay Examination and a series of short answer questions for the topics that are normally tested on the Multistate Bar Examination.

Iowa

The bar exam for the state of Iowa is currently still planned for July 28-29, but if the exam is not able to take place as scheduled, it will take place on September 9-10.

Kansas

The Kansas Supreme Court announced on April 17, 2020 it will provide an extra bar exam on September 9-10 in addition to the July exam if it is needed.

Kentucky

The Kentucky Supreme Court announced a decision to administer the exam in July, but will also make plans to hold an exam on September 30-October 1, if the July exam can not take place.

Louisiana

The Louisiana Supreme Court and the Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Bar Admissions announced they will be holding a one-day exam on July 27 and October 10.

Maine

Maine’s bar exam will take place on September 30-October 1. This was announced by an order from the Maine Supreme Court on April 15, 2020.

Maryland

A decision will be made regarding the July 2020 bar exam in Maryland no later than May 22, 2020. If the July 2020 bar exam is not able to take place as scheduled, Maryland will administer the exam on September 9-10.

Massachusetts

On March 30, 2020 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Board of Bar Examiners announced that the exam would be postponed until fall 2020. On May 4, 2020 the Board released a notice with a plan for prioritizing seating arrangements for the September 30-October 1 exam in anticipation of a limited number of available seats for the exam.

Michigan

On May 18, the Michigan Supreme Court announced that the July bar exam will only consist of the essay portion of the exam administered in a one-day, online format on July 28.

Minnesota

In Minnesota, the State Board of Law Examiners updated their plan on May 20, to confirm that the July bar exam will be administered on September 9-10 in addition to July 28-29.

Mississippi

The Mississippi Board of Bar Admissions plans to administer the July exam if possible. If not, the Board wants to have the exam at the earliest safe opportunity.

Missouri

In an announcement from April 8, 2020 the Missouri Board of Law Examiners decided the exam is still proceeding as scheduled in July. If it cannot be held, the exam will instead be administered on September 9-10.

Montana

The Montana Bar Exam is currently planned to move forward with the normal July 28-30 bar exam date.

Nebraska

Nebraska’s Supreme Court released an order on May 7 declaring the exam will take place in July and there will be another administration on September 9-10. If the Court decides the July exam must be postponed, another exam administration on September 30-October 1 will take place instead of the July exam.

Nevada

On May 20, the Nevada Supreme Court announced that the July 2020 bar exam will be administered on July 28-29 remotely. The Nevada Board of Bar Examiners have composed the exam which entails 8 one-hour essays along with a performance examination which may all be taken with an “open book”.

New Hampshire

The July 2020 bar exam for New Hampshire was postponed to September 9-10.

New Jersey

The New Jersey Supreme Court made a decision to postpone the exam to September 9-10.

New Mexico

On April 28, 2020 the New Mexico Supreme Court released an order postponing the July 2020 exam until September 2020, with an exact date to be scheduled in the future.

New York

The New York State Board of Law Examiners updated their website last on April 30, 2020. They currently plan to administer the exam on September 9-10. However, due to seats being limited there is a rolling application process for the September exam.

North Carolina

The North Carolina Board of Law Examiners  announced that it intends to administer the exam in July. The exam will instead be offered on September 9-10 if the July exam cannot proceed. 

North Dakota

On April 10, 2020 the North Dakota Board of Law Examiners issued a policy statement stating they intend to administer the exam in July. If they are not able to do so, the exam will be held on September 9-10.

Ohio

The Supreme Court of Ohio has postponed the July 2020 bar exam until September 9-10.

Oklahoma

On May 8, 2020 the Oklahoma Board of Bar Examiners announced that they plan to proceed with the administration of the exam as scheduled on July 28-29.

Oregon

The Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners released an order detailing the emergency modifications to the July bar exam. currently intends to administer the exam in July. As of May 15, the Board has reached maximum capacity of 500 applicants for the July 28-29 bar exam. Concerns about limited seating were addressed by the Oregon State Bar in a statement on their website.

Pennsylvania

On April 28, 2020 the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners announced the July 2020 bar exam would be administered on September 9-10.

Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Supreme Court announced on April 13, 2020 that the exam is postponed indefinitely. A news advisory indicated they will be making a decision on the matter soon.

South Carolina

South Carolina is currently planning to proceed with the July 2020 bar exam as scheduled.

South Dakota

South Dakota plans to move forward with the July 28-29 exam, but if NCBE materials are not available for the normal administration, the South Dakota Board of Bar Examiners will develop and administer a 10-question essay exam on July 28. Bar exam applicants can also decide to take the exam in February 2021.

Tennessee

The Tennessee Supreme Court announced in a press release on April 17, 2020 that they will offer an exam on September 30-October 1 in addition to a July exam. They confirmed this again on May 11, 2020.

Texas

The Supreme Court of Texas issued an order determining that the Texas Board of Law Examiners should offer an additional exam on September 9-11 in addition to offering the July exam. This was announced by the Texas Board of Law Examiners on April 28, 2020.

Utah

The Utah Supreme Court intends to offer the bar exam at the earliest date possible as soon as it can be done safely.

Vermont

The Vermont bar exam for July 2020 was rescheduled to September 9-10 as announced on April 6, 2020.

Virginia

The Virginia Board of Bar Examiners has announced they are planning to move forward with the exam in July.

Virgin Islands

On April 16, 2020 the Virgin Islands Supreme Court announced that the exam will be postponed until the fall.

Washington

The Washington Supreme Court currently intends to administer the exam in July as well as September 9-10.

Wyoming

The exam is still currently scheduled to be administered in July.