Date: Tuesday and Wednesday, July 25–26, 2023
Please note that the July 2023 California Bar Examination will be held as an in-person examination. Applicants will be required to select a testing location when applying in the Applicant Portal.
Time: All applicants must be seated no later than 8:20 a.m. on both days. The examination will begin immediately following the reading of instructions. Applicants should plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early to locate their assigned sections or rooms. Applicants must be seated no later than 1:30 p.m. for the afternoon sessions; instructions will begin promptly at 1:45 p.m.
The examination is scheduled to conclude on Tuesday at approximately 5:30 p.m. and on Wednesday at approximately 5:00 p.m. End times may differ based on the length of time taken for the reading of instructions.
Please check your Applicant Portal, as those granted extended time will have different schedules, which are communicated individually in advance of the examination. Review the full schedule here.
Additional information concerning the timing and other administrative rules and policies are contained in the admittance ticket bulletin that will be available on the State Bar website four weeks prior to the exam date.
Applicants are expected to know the California Rules of Professional Conduct in effect at the time the exam is administered (current law). The rules were substantially revised effective November 1, 2018. Minor amendments were made subsequent to that date. The latest amendments, amending Rule 1.1 [Competence] and Rule 5.4 [Financial and Similar Arrangements with Nonlawyers] were amended by the Supreme Court effective March 22, 2021. These rules are within the scope of the upcoming July 2023 California Bar Examination.
Application filings
Final filing/reinstatement deadline (Set by CA Bus. & Prof. Code, §6060.3)
Testing accommodations petition final filing deadline*
Test center change request deadline
Final deadline to submit proof of eligibility to sit for the exam
Final deadline for general applicants to submit proof of law study
Final deadline for attorney applicants to submit Certificate of Good Standing from another jurisdiction
*Applicants must submit their requests through the Applicant Portal. Requests must be complete, which means that any supporting medical documentation needs to be included.
Withdrawals
Exam preparation and exam day
July 27, 12:00 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Strategies and Stories
Applicants whose physical or email address changes after filing their applications are encouraged to notify the Office of Admissions of a change of address as soon as possible. Applicants should update their admissions file with the new address by accessing their account through the Applicant Portal. Failure to update could result in missing important communication from the State Bar.
Results from the July 2023 bar exam are scheduled to be released through the Applicant Portal to applicants at 6:00 p.m. on November 9, 2023. Applicants can also access the pass list on the State Bar website.