Ultimate Guide to Nevada State Bar Exam
Your complete guide to Nevada 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 February 2024
Nevada State Bar Exam | Basic Information
The State Bar of Nevada was started in 1982. It includes more than 100,000 legal professionals.
Nevada is not a Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) state. Nevada has its own bar exam that normally uses the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), the national multiple-choice test, although Nevada has been testing out administering their bar exam without the MBE recently. Nevada also requires the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE).
July 2023 (280 takers)
February 2023 (199 takers)
February 2022
July 2021 (286 takers)
What’s the format of the Nevada Bar?
The Nevada Bar Exam is administered twice each year in Nevada (in February and July). The examination is administered over two and a half days in five, three-hour sessions. The Nevada Bar normally has three parts: the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), seven essay questions, and two Nevada Performance Test (NPT) questions.
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 33% of your overall score.
Crushendo offers affordable, comprehensive written and audio outlines for MBE subjects.
Essay Questions
The essay questions consist of seven legal essays. One question is required to be on ethics. The question will cover Nevada Law topics as well as general topics.
Nevada bar exam essay topics may include the following:
- Agency and Partnership
- Community Property
- Conflict of Laws
- Constitutional Law
- Contracts
- Corporations
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Evidence
- Persons and Domestic Relations
- Real Property
- Remedies
- Torts
- Uniform Commercial Code (Articles 2 and 9)
- Wills
- Estates and Trusts
- Nevada Rules of Civil Procedure
- Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Helpful official resources: Here are practice questions and model answers provided by the State Bar of Nevada. And here is an exam subjects and test format page, and a Nevada essay subject matter outline that are also provided by the State Bar of Nevada.
The Nevada essay questions are similar to the MEE questions used in the UBE. This video provides general essay tips that will be useful on this essay portion.
Nevada Performance Test (NPT)
The NPT consists of two 120-minute “questions requiring the application of fundamental lawyering skills in a realistic situation. Skills tested are factual analysis, legal analysis and reasoning, problem solving, identification and resolution of ethical dilemmas, written communication, and organization and management of legal tasks.”
You can learn more about the NPT by going here.
The NPT is similar to the MPT in the UBE. This video can provide similar tips on how to answer these questions.
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
Are you interested in taking the Nevada State bar exam? Here’s some basic information on applying to take the Nevada bar exam.
The Nevada Bar application fee for most takers is $755. There is a $550 late fee.
*Visit the Nevada State Bar’s website for more information.
If you desire to take the bar exam in February, you should submit your application by October 1 to avoid late fees. If you file between October 2 and December 1, there is a $555 late fee. December 1 is the final deadline.
If you desire to take the bar exam in July, you should submit your application by March 1 to avoid late fees. If you file between March 2 and May 1, there is a $555 late fee. May 1 is the final deadline.
There is an additional $150 laptop fee.
In addition to passing the Nevada bar exam with a score of at least 75, there are several requirements that must be met in order to be admitted as an attorney in Nevada, including:
- Score 75 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) within the accepted time frame.
- Certificate from Committee of Character and Fitness
- Be a graduate of an ABA approved law school
Nevada State Bar Admissions Office
Physical address:
State Bar of Nevada
3100 W. Charleston Blvd. Suite 100
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone number: (702) 382-2200
Allowed Items
- Wallet and keys
- Odorless food that does not crunch
- Prescription medication in original bottle
- Pre-inspected mouse and/or keyboard
Bring all of these items in separate plastic bags.
Provided Items
- Pens, pencils, highlighters
- Scratch Paper
- Ear plugs
- Tissues
- Water
These items are provided by the Bar, and you are not allowed to bring them from home.
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
- Purses
- Radios
- Rulers
- Scratch papers
- Study materials
Find more information on allowed items here.
A passing score for the bar in Nevada is (usually) 75, or 138/200. Scores of the three tests comprising the bar are weighted as follows:
- MBE = 33% of your total score
- Nevada Bar Essays = 56.5% of your total score
- MPT = 10.5% of your total score
*A passing score for the MPRE in Nevada is 85/150.
View recent bar pass lists:
Frequently Asked Questions
When are my Nevada bar exam results released?
Nevada bar exam results are usually posted six to nine weeks after the exam date.
Can I see my Nevada bar exam score?
If you passed the exam, you can see your MBE score but not your essay score. Those who failed the exam will have their scores and the formula sent to them.
Can I appeal to have my Nevada bar exam re-graded?
No. You can have your multiple choice hand-graded if you pay $10.
How many times can I take the bar exam in Nevada?
You can take the Nevada bar without limit.
Here’s a list of law schools in Nevada.
William S. Boyd School of Law (UNLV)
- Founded: 1998
- Located: Las Vegas, NV
- Enrollment: about 450
- Tuition Cost: $37,800 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 76%
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: law.unlv.edu
Here are some Facebook groups you may find helpful before, and after, passing the bar exam:
William S. Boyd School of Law (UNLV)
- UNLV Boyd School of Law Alumni (347 members)
- Boyd Law Alumni Northern Nevada (55 members)
- ACS @ Boyd School of Law (42 members)
- William S. Boyd – Black Law Students Association (77 members)
- Immigration Clinic Alumni & Supporters – UNLV, Boyd School of Law (73 members)
- Boyd School of Law, Gaming Law Journal (12 members)
- UNLV Law Entering Class of 2020 (96 members)
- UNLV Law Entering Class of 2019 (197 members)
- Boyd Law Entering Class 2018: Best Class Ever! (198 members)
- Boyd Law Class of 2018 (85 members)
- William S. Boyd School of Law Graduating Class of 2017 (88 members)
More helpful resources and study materials to help you pass the Nevada State bar exam: