Date: Monday and Tuesday, October 5–6, 2020 October 2020 Bar Exam FAQs
Time: Applicants will be ready to begin the exam no later than 8:20 a.m. All applicants must be online no later than 8:30 a.m. The exam will begin immediately following the instructions. Applicants should plan to log in at least 20 minutes early. Applicants must be online no later than 1:30 p.m. for the afternoon sessions; instructions will begin promptly at 1:45 p.m.
The exam is scheduled to conclude on Monday at approximately 5:30 p.m. and on Tuesday at approximately 5:00 p.m. The exam for those applicants who have applied for and are eligible to take the Attorneys' Exam will be administered on both Monday and Tuesday. Applicants granted extended time may have different schedules, which are communicated to them individually in advance of the exam.
Additional information concerning the timing and other administrative rules and policies are contained in the admittance ticket bulletin that will be available for printing with your admittance ticket for the exam.
Notice Regarding Scope of the California Bar Exam
Applicants are expected to know the California Rules of Professional Conduct in effect at the time the exam is administered (current law). The new Rules were in effect as of November 1, 2018 and therefore will be current law.
Application Filing
Final Filing Deadline: July 24, 2020
Withdrawals
Withdrawal Deadline (full refund of testing fees): September 8, 2020
Immediate Repeaters
Exam Opens for Repeaters: May 8, 2020 After 6:00 p.m.
Timely Filing Deadline: July 8, 2020
$50.00 Late Filing Fee: July 9, 2020–July 24, 2020
$250.00 Late Filing Fee: NA
Final filing deadline: July 24, 2020
Other Important Deadlines
Exam Type Change Request Deadline (Attorney Applicants only): July 16, 2020
Testing Accommodations Petition Final Filing Deadline: July 24, 2020 (Petitions must be complete and received in the San Francisco Office of Admissions.)
Appeal of Testing Accommodations Petition Final Filing Deadline: August 21, 2020 (Appeals must be complete and received in the San Francisco Office of Admissions.)
Final Eligibility Deadline: September 21, 2020
Proof of Admission (Attorney Applicant): September 21, 2020
Proof of Law Study (Applicant for the General Bar Exam): September 21, 2020
Emergency Testing Accommodations Petition Final Filing Deadline: September 25, 2020 (Petitions must be complete and received in the San Francisco Office of Admissions.)
Laptop Certification Deadline: September 28, 2020
Laptop Exam Answer File Upload Deadline: October 7, 2020–12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Extended Time Testing Accommodations Exam Answer File Upload Deadline: October 8, 2020 or October 9, 2020–12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time), depending on number of testing days, which will be specified on the Testing Accommodations Notice
First date admit tickets available and ExamSoft download ready: August 31, 2020
Final filing/Reinstatement deadline: July 24, 2020
Change of Address: July 24, 2020
Applicants whose addresses change after filing their applications are encouraged to notify the Office of Admissions of a change of address as soon as possible. Applicants are able to update their admissions file with the new address by accessing their account through the Applicant Portal.