Ultimate Guide to New Jersey State Bar Exam
Your complete guide to New Jersey 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 · Other Jurisdictions
*Updated January 2024
New Jersey State Bar Exam | Basic Information
The New Jersey State Bar Association was founded in 1899. This voluntary organization has about 18,000 members.
New Jersey is one of 40+ jurisdictions that have adopted the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) for their state bar review. New Jersey first administered the UBE in February 2017.
July 2023 (935 takers)
February 2023 (460 takers)
February 2022 (501 takers)
July 2021 (1,139 takers)
| Crushendo | Barbri | Themis | Kaplan | AmeriBar | BarMax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Cost | $970 | $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 $970 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 New Jersey (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, Conflict of Laws, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law and Procedure, Evidence, Family Law, Property, Secured Transactions, Torts, Trusts, Unincorporated Business Entities, Wills and Estates, etc.
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
Atlantic City
Atlantic City Convention Center
1 Convention Blvd.
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Somerset
Hotel Somerset – Bridgewater
110 Davidson Ave
Somerset, NJ 08873
Garden State Convention Center
50 Atrium Dr.
Somerset, NJ 08873
*Exam sites may change. Verify testing locations on the New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners website.
Are you interested in taking the New Jersey bar exam? Here’s some basic information on applying to take the New Jersey bar exam.
The New Jersey State Bar application fee for most takers is $675. The application cost for UBE score transfer applicants and out-of-state lawyers applying for admission into the New Jersey State Bar is $675.
*Visit the New Jersey State Bar Admission Office’s website for more information.
If you desire to take the bar exam in February, you should submit your bar exam application between October 1 and October 31 to avoid late fees. You can register as late as November 30 if you pay the $1,200 late fee. If you want to take the July bar exam, you should submit your application between March 1 and March 31 to avoid late fees. You can register as late as April 30 if you pay the $1,200 late fee.
*There’s no limit on how many times you can apply to be admitted to the New Jersey State Bar.
In addition to passing the New Jersey 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 New Jersey, including:
- Score 75 or higher on the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) within the accepted time frame. The New Jersey Bar will also accept a completion of a law school ethics class in lieu of this requirement.
- Committee on Character & Fitness certification.
New Jersey State Bar Admissions Office
Current Applicants Contact Information
Organized by first letter of last name
A-D contact: Marian Green- marian.green@njcourts.gov
E-K contact: Jennifer Miranda- jennifer.miranda@njcourts.gov
L-Q contact: Maureen Notaroberto- maureen.notaroberto@njcourts.gov
R-Z contact: Giselle Simeon- giselle.simeon@njcourts.gov
Mailing address:
New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners
P.O. Box 973
Trenton, NJ 08625-0973
Main number: 609-815-2911
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 New Jersey State Bar Exam, posted on the New Jersey State Bar Association’s website:
Frequently Asked Questions
When are my New Jersey bar exam results released?
The New Jersey bar tries to release bar exam results by May 15th. July bar exam results are to be released by November 15th.
Can I appeal to have my New Jersey bar exam re-graded?
If the combined MRE and essay score is between 260 to 271.9, it will be regraded by graders who did not see the result of the first grading.
How many times can I take the bar exam in New Jersey?
There’s no limit to how many times you can retake the UBE in New Jersey.
Applicants seeking admission to the New Jersey State Bar without taking the bar exam, must comply with Rule 1:24-1, 1:24-4 and 1:27-1 to qualify,
Reciprocity Requirements Overview
In order to be eligible for admittance to the New Jersey State Bar, without taking the bar examination, you must:
- Be admitted to practice law in another U.S. state or territory.
- Hold a legal degree from an approved list of law schools.
- Have practiced law for five of the seven years prior to your application.
- Ensure that the primary state you practiced law in would allow lawyers in New Jersey a similar accommodation.
- Have certification from the Committee on Character and Fitness.
- Must have a passing score on the MPRE.
- Must complete a course on New Jersey professionalism and ethics.
Reciprocal Jurisdictions: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, US Virgin Islands, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
Here’s a list of law schools in New Jersey.
Rutgers School of Law
- Founded: 1908
- Located: Camden, NJ and Newark, NJ
- Enrollment: about 1,220
- Tuition Cost: about $43,400
- Bar Passage Rate: 68.8% July 2018
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: law.rutgers.edu
Seton Hall Law School
- Founded: 1951
- Located: Newark, NJ
- Enrollment: about 1,050
- Tuition Cost: $55,788 View tuition breakdown
- Bar Passage Rate: 82.28% July 2018 first time takers
- ABA Accredited: Yes
- Website: law.shu.edu
Here are some Facebook groups you may find helpful before, and after passing the bar exam:
Rutgers School of Law
- Rutgers Law School (Newark NJ) Class of 2022 (237 members)
- Rutgers Law School 2021 – Newark (344 members)
- Rutgers Law School 2020 – Newark (285 members)
- Rutgers Law- Camden Class of 2022 (219 members)
- Rutgers Law- Camden Class of 2021 (209 members)
- Rutgers Law- Camden Class of 2020 (191 members)
- Rutgers Law- Camden Class of 2019 (174 members)
Seton Hall Law School
- Seton Hall Law School Student Bar Association (777 members)
- Seton Hall Law ACS Student Chapter (45 members)
- First Generation Law Students Association at Seton Hall (79 members)
- Seton Hall Law Lambda Law Alliance (93 members)
- Seton Hall Law School GOLD (516 members)
- Seton Hall Law School Student Veterans Association (3 members)
- Seton Hall Law Class of 2022 (143 members)
- Seton Hall Law School Weekend Class of 2022 (22 members)
- Seton Hall Law – Weekend Program Class of 2021 (53 members)
- Seton Hall Law, Class of 2021 (182 members)
- Seton Hall Law 2020 (205 members)
- Seton Hall Law Class of 2019 (178 members)
- Seton Hall Law Class of 2018 (160 members)
- Seton Hall Law Class of 2016 (79 members)
More helpful resources and study materials to help you pass the New Jersey State Bar Exam: