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 bar

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.

New Jersey Bar Exam Pass Rates

July 2023 (935 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 61%
First-Time Pass Rate: 70%
Repeat Pass Rate: 31%

February 2023 (460 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 33%
First-Time Pass Rate: 43%
Repeat Pass Rate: 29%

February 2022 (501 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 50%
First-Time Pass Rate: 68%
Repeat Pass Rate: 37%

July 2021 (1,139 takers)

Overall Pass Rate: 58.3%
First-Time Pass Rate: 71%
Repeat Pass Rate: 17%

New Jersey Bar Review Courses

Compare top New Jersey bar exam prep courses from Crushendo, Barbri, Themis, Kaplan, AmeriBar, and BarMax.

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

Last updated: 1/7/23

*Cost ignores promotions and live tutoring.

New Jersey State Bar Exam Format

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.

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

Schedule

Morning Afternoon
Day 1 MPT (3 hours) MEE (3 hours)
Day 2 MBE (3 hours) MBE (3 hours)

Dates

  • July 30–31, 2024
  • February 25–26, 2025

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.

New Jersey Bar Exam Application

Are you interested in taking the New Jersey bar exam? Here’s some basic information on applying to take the New Jersey bar exam.

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

New Jersey Bar Exam: What to Bring

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

New Jersey Bar Exam Scores and Grading

A passing score for the UBE in New Jersey is 266/400. Scores of the three tests comprising the UBE are weighted as follows:

  • MBE = 50% of your total UBE score
  • MEE = 30%
  • MPT = 20%

*A passing score for the MPRE in New Jersey is 75/150.

New Jersey Bar Review Course

Crushendo’s comprehensive UBE Suite comes with everything you need to crush the New Jersey bar exam.

  • MBE, MEE, and MPT Prep
  • 250+ Proprietary Mnemonics
  • 1,750+ Licensed NCBE Questions
  • Audio Attack Outlines
  • Audio Flashcards
  • Lifetime Access

New Jersey Bar Exam Results

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.

New Jersey Bar Exam Reciprocity

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.

Law Schools in New Jersey

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