The First-Year Law Students’ Examination (FYLSX) is administered in June and October. The exam is comprised of 100 multiple-choice questions. Two exam sessions are available each day, allowing applicants to choose between a morning or afternoon session. There is one set break in each session.
Not all law students have to take the FYLSX. Law students completing their first year of law study in a juris doctor degree program at a State Bar–unaccredited registered law school, or through the Law Office Study Program, and those without two years of college work attending a California-accredited or an American Bar Association (ABA)–accredited law school must take the FYLSX after completing their first year of law study.
Law students who have advanced to their second year of law study at an ABA- or California-accredited law school and who have completed a minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter units of undergraduate work are generally exempt from the exam.
Credit for law study completed after passing the FYLSX is governed by the Business and Professions Code and by Rule 4.31 of the Admissions Rules.
From the menu options, click “Applications” and “View Application Forms.”
Under the Examinations menu, select the “First-Year Law Students’ Exam Examination Application.”
To begin the application process, click “Launch Application.”
Complete all sections of the application before proceeding to the verification screen.
Click “Submit” to sign the required declaration form and pay the applicable exam fees.
A confirmation email will be sent upon successful submission.
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 to avoid missing any communications from the State Bar. Applicants should update their admissions file with the new address by accessing their account through the Applicant Portal.
As a reminder, registering as an applicant is the initial step required for law students and attorney applicants. Additional applications in the Applicant Portal will be accessible only once your applicant registration is approved, including applying to sit for the FYLSX, submitting an Application for Determination of Moral Character, and requesting testing accommodations. Registering as an applicant is NOT the same as applying to sit for the FYLSX or the bar exam. You must do that separately.
Testing accommodations are provided to ensure that an applicant who has a disability can access the exam and is afforded an equal opportunity to obtain the same result, gain the same benefit, or reach the same level of achievement as that provided to others.
A request for testing accommodations is separate from the application you file to take the FYLSX or the bar exam. To apply for testing accommodations, you must submit a request in the Applicant Portal by the filing deadline. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to file their request for testing accommodations well in advance of an examination they intend to take. Applicants who wait to file their requests near the final filing deadline are generally not able to exhaust all administrative remedies before the exam, such as requesting a review of a denial of some or all of the requested testing accommodations.
Credit and debit card payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are accepted. A 2.5% processing fee applies to all transactions. If a card payment is declined, the application will remain incomplete until a valid payment is submitted. Late fees and application deadlines will be enforced if the payment is not received by the published deadlines.
ACH (e-check) Payment: No processing fee applies. Applicants must provide a bank routing number and bank account number. ACH payments take up to seven days to process. If an ACH payment fails within that period, the application will be considered incomplete until a successful replacement payment, including any applicable service charges, is received. Late fees and application deadlines will be enforced if the successful payment is not received by the published deadlines.
Failed or rejected payments: An application is incomplete if payment is unsuccessful. An unsuccessful payment is, but not limited to, a returned check, a declined ACH transaction, or a credit card chargeback initiated by the cardholder. All failed or rejected payments will be assessed an administrative fee equal to the fee charged by the State Bar’s banking institution or $20, whichever is greater. If full payment is not received within 14 days of the State Bar’s notification to the applicant of the failed or rejected payment, the application will be considered abandoned. If the final filing deadline has not passed, the applicant may submit a new application with the required payment, including any applicable late fees.
Refund policy: An applicant who withdraws their application for the exam may be eligible for a refund of fees as set forth in the Refund of Fees policy. While every effort will be made to accommodate your preferred testing site, it is not guaranteed, and not receiving your preferred option does not qualify you for a refund.
The results of the First-Year Law Students’ Exam for the June and October administrations are generally released in August and December, respectively. First-Year Law Students’ exam results
