The following information relates to the upcoming July 2025 California bar exam. For the most up-to-date information on the February 2025 California bar exam, please refer to this notice page.
The July 2025 bar exam will take place over two days, Tuesday, July 29, and Wednesday, July 30. Applicants with certain testing accommodations may have extended days. The July 2025 bar exam will be administered entirely in person at designated testing sites in California. For the July 2025 bar exam, the State Bar will be using the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), created by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, for the 200 multiple-choice questions.
Essays and Performance Test (PT): Applicants will receive hardcopy exam materials and physical scratch paper for the written sessions (essays and performance test); responses will be entered into ExamSoft's Examplify software.
Applicants must bring their own laptop for the written session only; however, internet connection will not be required during the exam. In advance of the exam, applicants will be given information about downloading the Examplify software and conducting a mock exam.
Handwriting is an option for those who prefer it. Handwriters do not need to bring a laptop.
Multiple-Choice Questions: For the July 2025 bar exam, the State Bar will be using the MBE. Applicants will receive a hardcopy multiple-choice booklet and will be required to respond on a Scantron sheet using #2 pencils; responses will not be entered into ExamSoft’s Examplify software.
The bar exam includes two full days of testing sessions. Applicants must be seated by 8:20 a.m. each morning. The start time will be the same for all testing sites and the exam will begin immediately after instructions are read. After the lunch break, applicants must be seated by 1:30 p.m. Day 1 is anticipated to end at approximately 5:30 p.m., and Day 2 will end at approximately 5:00 p.m. End times may vary due to circumstances at each test site.
Below is a summary of the standard exam schedule:
Day 1 (written sessions): Five one-hour essay questions and one 90-minute Performance Test (PT). The essays and PT will be administered in two sessions: the morning session will consist of a three-hour session for essays 1, 2, and 3. The afternoon session will consist of a three-and-a-half-hour session for essays 4 and 5 and the PT. Applicants can answer the questions in each session in any order they prefer. Although each essay is designed to be completed in one hour, and the performance test is designed to be completed in 90 minutes, applicants may allocate their time within each session as they see fit.
Day 2 (multiple-choice sessions): 200 multiple-choice questions administered in two three-hour sessions covering 100 questions each. Applicants cannot return to the first set of 100 questions during the second MBE session.
Questions 1–100 (3 hours)
Attorney applicants approved to take the Attorney’s Exam are only required to sit for the written sessions of the exam.
Applicants approved for extended time accommodations will receive a modified testing schedule.
The State Bar is finalizing contracts with venues; until contracts are fully executed there still remains the possibility that a location could change. Please note that only applicants with a San Diego address on file with the Office of Admissions will be able to view and select the Chula Vista test site in the bar exam application.
Pasadena Convention Center 300 E Green Street Pasadena, CA 91101
Ontario Convention Center 2000 E Convention Center Way Ontario, CA 91764
Anaheim Convention Center 800 W Katella Avenue Anaheim, CA 92802 (Location added April 10)
Hotel Fera Anaheim, Orange 100 The City Drive South Orange, CA 92868
Ontario Convention Center 2000 E Convention Center Way Ontario, CA 91764 (Location added April 10)
State Bar of CA Los Angeles845 S Figueroa StreetLos Angeles, CA(Location added April 25)
Oakland Convention Center 550 10th Street Oakland, CA 94607
Golden Gate University 536 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94105
The exam will be held entirely in-person and be conducted similar to in person administrations prior to February 2025. However, some details are under review to improve the testing experience. Below are some areas still pending finalization.
Exam delivery vendor for written session only: The State Bar is contracting with ExamSoft to be the exam delivery vendor for the July 2025 bar exam. Once a contract is finalized, additional details about the ExamSoft software, laptop requirements, and additional instructions will be published online.
Exam day policies: Updated exam policies are in development. Once finalized, they will be published online including the policies related to the return to the MBE for July. All applicants will be permitted to use the restroom, stand, and stretch during both the written and multiple-choice sessions of the July 2025 bar exam.
Permitted and prohibited items list: An updated list of permitted and prohibited items is in development. Once finalized, the complete list for both the written session and the MBE will be published online.
The following is a partial list of permitted items that will be allowed for all applicants during both the written and the multiple-choice sessions of the July 2025 bar exam:
The complete list will be published as soon as it becomes available.
The following is a complete list of prohibited items for the MBE session of the July 2025 bar exam. These items will not be permitted for any applicant:
Details regarding score adjustments for participants of the November 2024 special session who did not sit for the February 2025 bar exam will be sent by email on May 9, 2025.