File an application online to take the exam
Date: November 17, 2020
Applicants must log into the exam a least 15 minutes prior to the posted start time of 7:45 a.m. for the exam to verify their identification. In the morning, the exam will be administered in four, one-hour sessions (one-hour per essay question). There will be a 15-minute break between each one-hour question session. Other than scheduled breaks, applicants are not permitted to leave the view of their web camera unless they finish the session early and upload their answer. In the afternoon, multiple-choice questions will be split into two 90-minute sessions, each containing 50 questions. There will be a 15 minute break between the sessions. Other than the scheduled break, applicants are not permitted to leave the view of their web camera unless they finish early and upload their answer.
Application filing
Exam Application Open: August 10, 2020
Timely Filing Deadline: September 10, 2020
$25 Late Filing Fee: September 11, 2020–October 13, 2020
Withdrawal refund policy Requests to withdraw from the November 2020 First-Year Law Students’ Exam must be received by the State Bar’s Office of Admissions on or before the dates listed below in order to qualify for a refund. See the Withdrawal Refund Policy.
Withdrawal deadline (60 percent refund): August 10, 2020–October 13, 2020
Withdrawal deadline (30 percent refund): October 14, 2020–October 26, 2020
Withdraw deadline (0 percent refund): October 27, 2020–November 3, 2020 Final deadline to withdraw from exam: November 3, 2020
Other important deadlines
Testing Accommodations Petition Final Filing Deadline: October 13, 2020 (Petitions must be complete and received in the San Francisco Office of Admissions)
Final filing/Reinstatement deadline: October 13, 2020
Appeal of Testing Accommodations Petition Decision: October 22, 2020 Final Deadline (must be complete and received in the San Francisco Office of Admissions)
Deadline to Return Acknowledgement and Acceptance of Testing Conditions: November 2, 2020, 11:59 pm
Final Eligibility Deadline: November 3, 2020
Proof of Law Study (first-time applicants for the exam): November 3, 2020
Final deadline to withdraw from exam: November 3, 2020
First date that admittance tickets printed and ExamSoftt download ready: November 3, 2020
Emergency Testing Accommodations Petition Final Filing Deadline: November 6, 2020 (must be complete and received in the San Francisco Office of Admissions)
Deadline to complete laptop registration: November 13, 2020
Laptop Upload Date: November 18, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. (PST)
Testing Accommodation Upload Date: November 19, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. (PST)
Release of Results for November 2020 First-Year Law Students' Exam: February 19, 2021
All applicants must pay the required fees:
First-Year Law Students' Exam $624
Laptop Computer Fee $153
Late Laptop Computer Fee $15 (Request received subsequent to filing application)
The transfer of fees from one exam to another is prohibited.
Refunds requested due to hospitalization, death or call to active duty will be considered in accordance with the Committee of Bar Examiners’ refund policy. The refund form and copies of the policy are available on the State Bar website. Withdrawal requests can be submitted by logging into the Applicant Portal.
Results from the November 2020 First-Year Law Students’ Exam are scheduled to be released electronically through the Applicant Portal to applicants on February 19, 2021.