Ultimate Guide to Montana State Bar Exam
Your complete guide to Montana bar exam prep.
Pass Rates · Bar Review Courses · Format · Essay Topics · Schedule · Dates · Location · Application Fees & Deadlines · What to Bring · Scores & Grading · Results · Reciprocity · Law Schools · Groups · Other Resources
Updated November 2026
Montana State Bar Exam | Basic Information
The State Bar of Montana was formed in 1974, although the voluntary Montana Bar Association has existed since 1885.
Montana is one of 40+ jurisdictions that have adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE). Montana first administered the UBE in July 2013.
NextGen Bar Exam in Montana
Montana will keep giving the UBE through July 2027. Starting with the February 2028 exam, the NextGen bar exam replaces it. The NextGen exam runs 9 hours over 1½ days.
The minimum passing NextGen score will be 616. It accepts transferred NextGen scores from other jurisdictions starting July 2026. Montana will also require a Montana-specific requirement.
July 2026 (94 takers)
February 2026 (25 takers)
July 2025 (102 takers)
February 2025 (27 takers)
| Crushendo | Barbri | Themis | Kaplan | AmeriBar | BarMax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Cost | $690 | $1,999-4,199 | $2,695 | $2,199-3,999 | $1,299-2,599 | $1,895 |
| Facebook Rating | 5.0 | Disabled | 4.8 | Disabled | Disabled | 4.3 |
| Google Rating | 5.0 | N/A | 2.8 | 3.2 | N/A | N/A |
| MBE |  | | | | | |
| MEE | | | | | | |
| MPT | | | | | | |
| NCBE Questions | 1,750+ | 100+ | 1,350+ | 1,200+ | 1,400+ | 1,700+ |
| Audio Flashcards | | |||||
| 250+ Mnemonics | | |||||
| Access Period | Lifetime | 8-10 weeks | 4 months | 4 months | Up to 3 years | Lifetime |
| Financing | | | 3 payments | $250 registration | | |
| Founded | 2017 | 1974 | 2008 | 1938 | 1999 | 2010 |
| Phone | (385) 482-1776 | (888) 322-7274 | (888) 843-6476 | (626) 390-7170 | (877) 942-2763 | (800) 529-2651 |
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Last updated: 1/7/23
*Cost ignores promotions and live tutoring.
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Crushendo’s written and audio outlines utilize 250+ proprietary mnemonics to help you memorize everything you need to know to pass the bar exam on your first try.
Crushendo’s complete bar prep course, the UBE Suite, costs $690 and includes 1,750+ official practice questions from the NCBE.
Crushendo offers lifetime access for all of its bar exam prep products.
Adam Balinski founded Crushendo Bar Review in 2017 (read the founding story here).
The Harcourt publishing company founded Barbri in 1974 when it acquired two bar review programs. Since its founding, Barbri has been owned by large firms including Thomson Reuters and Leeds Equity Partners.
Barbri products have been used by more than a million law school students. In the last 20 years Barbri has settled multiple antitrust lawsuits.
Barbri’s traditional bar prep programs cost $1,999-4,199 and some include 100+ official NCBE questions from past bar exams.
Barbri offers access to its traditional, full-time bar prep course for 8-10 weeks, but early access can be purchased.
Themis Bar Review is based in Chicago and was founded in 2008.
Themis’s bar prep program costs $2,695 and includes 1,350+ NCBE questions.
Themis offers access to its online products for four months.
Stanley Kaplan founded Kaplan, Inc. in 1938.
Kaplan jumped into the bar review space in 2006 when it acquired PMBR, a company that provides test prep for the MBE. In 2008 Kaplan expanded its bar review offerings.
Kaplan’s bar prep programs cost $2,199-3,999 and include 1,200+ NCBE questions.
Kaplan offers access to its online products for four months.
Alexander Nakis founded AmeriBar in 1999. It’s headquartered in Tallahassee, Florida.
AmeriBar’s bar exam prep programs cost $1,299-2,599 and include 1,400+ NCBE questions.
AmeriBar offers access to its online products for up to three years.
Michael Ghaffary and Mehran Ebadolahi founded BarMax in 2010.
BarMax’s bar prep course costs $1,895 and includes 1,700+ NCBE questions.
BarMax offers lifetime access to its online products.
What’s the format of the UBE?
The Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) is administered twice each year in Montana (in February and July). The examination is administered over two days in four, three-hour sessions. The UBE has three parts: the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), the Multistate Essay Exam (MEE), and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT).
MBE
The MBE is a six-hour test and consists of 200 multiple-choice questions that test your understanding across seven subjects. Your MBE score comprises 50% of your overall UBE score.
Crushendo offers affordable, comprehensive written and audio outlines for MBE subjects (in addition to MEE and MPRE subjects).
Watch Crushendo’s free MBE tips video.
MEE
The MEE consists of six 30-minute legal essays. The MEE makes up 30% of your score.
Essay topics may include the following: Business Associations, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, and Torts. Starting with the July 2026 exam, Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Trusts and Estates, and Secured Transactions are no longer tested on the MEE. Family Law and Trusts and Estates may still appear on the MPT.
Crushendo offers the most recent MEE questions and includes the point sheets that the graders used. Watch Crushendo’s free MEE tips video.
MPT
The MPT consists of two 90-minute tasks where you analyze and apply laws to specific scenarios. The MPT makes up 20% of your score. Crushendo offers the most recent MPT questions and includes the point sheets that the graders used. Watch Crushendo’s free MPT tips video.
What’s the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination?
The Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) tests your understanding of established standards of conduct for lawyers. The MPRE is administered three times each year (in March, August, and November). The test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and is two hours long. Check out this MPRE Tips video!
Upcoming Bar Exam Schedule, Dates, Location
| Morning | Afternoon | |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | MEE (3 hours) | MPT (3 hours) |
| Day 2 | MBE (3 hours) | MBE (3 hours) |
- February 23-24, 2027
- July 27-28, 2027
The Montana Law seminar takes place the day after the bar exam. This seminar is required for admission to the bar in Montana. Plan to be at the testing site Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. See more information on the schedule.
Are you interested in taking the Montana State bar exam? Here’s some basic information on applying to take the Montana bar exam.
- First-time applicants: $620 (plus character and fitness fee)
- Attorney applicants: $875
- Repeat takers: $310
- Laptop fee: $125
These are timely filing fees; late filing fees may apply. The NCBE charges $30 to send your UBE score to another jurisdiction.
*Fees from the NCBE Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, November 2026.
*Visit the State Bar of Montana’s website for more information.
For the July exam, the 2026 deadline was March 15. Check the Board’s site for July 2027 deadlines.
*Deadlines from the NCBE Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, November 2026.
In addition to passing the Montana bar exam with a score of at least 266, there are several requirements that must be met in order to be admitted as an attorney in Montana, including:
- Score 80 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) within the accepted time frame.
- Character and Fitness Review
- Graduate from an ABA-approved law school
- Attend the Montana Law Seminar, which happens the day after the bar exam
Montana State Bar Admissions Office
Physical address:
State Bar of Montana
33 S Last Chance Gulch St #1b,
Helena, MT 59601
Phone number: (406) 442-7660
What to bring
- Your current driver’s license.
- Your Bar Examination Identification & Certification Card that has your photo, NCBE number, and examinee number.
Important notes
- You need to have these items with you for each of the four testing sessions.
- Laptop testers should not bring their laptop in a case or bag.
Prohibited items
- Any item that can connect to the internet
- Any item that can record audio or video
- Backpacks
- Books
- Briefcases
- Calculators
- Cameras
- Notes
- Phones
- Food or drink
- Purses
- Radios
- Rulers
- Scratch papers
- Study materials
View lists of those who passed the Montana State bar exam, posted on the Montana State Bar Association’s website:
Frequently Asked Questions
When are my Montana bar exam results released?
February bar exam results are usually posted in April. July bar exam results are usually posted in September.
Can I see my Montana bar exam score?
If you passed the Montana bar exam, you won’t be able to see your score.
Can I appeal to have my Montana bar exam re-graded?
No.
How many times can I take the bar exam in Montana?
You can retake the UBE in Montana three times.
Attorneys in all states, territories, and districts can apply to the Montana State Bar if they meet the reciprocity requirements.
In order to be eligible for admittance to the Montana State Bar, without taking the bar examination, you must:
- Show proof of being admitted to the bar in a reciprocal state
- Hold a JD or LLB from an ABA-approved law school
- Have proof of good standing in the bar in another state
- Have proof of active legal standing in at least five of the last seven years
Here’s a list of law schools in Montana.
Alexander Blewett III School of Law (University of Montana)
- Founded: 1911
- Located: Missoula, MT
- Enrollment: 234 students
- Tuition Cost: $34,647 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 80%
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: umt.edu/law
Here are some Facebook groups you may find helpful before, and after, passing the bar exam:
Alexander Blewett III School of Law (University of Montana)
More helpful resources and study materials to help you pass the Montana State Bar Exam: