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United States · Licensing exam

How much does the bar exam cost?

It depends on the state. As of October 2026, NCBE’s guide lists first-time exam fees in UBE states from $250 to $1,875. California charges $878, plus $153 if you type on a laptop. You’ll also pay a character and fitness fee in most places, and $185 for the MPRE ethics exam. A prep course is usually the biggest cost of all.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Exam fees in some large states

JurisdictionFirst-time exam feeLaptop fee
California$878$153
New York$250 ($750 if you qualify through a foreign law school)$100
Texas$450 to $1,290, depending on how and when you file$140
Illinois$1,200 to $1,875, depending on when you file$135
Florida$1,000Check with the board
Pennsylvania$750$115

California’s fees come from the State Bar’s own fee schedule. The others come from NCBE’s Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements, which collects them from each state. Always check your own bar admission agency before you pay, because fees change.

California, fee by fee

Card payments carry a 2.5% processing fee. Paying by ACH (eCheck) is free, but it can take up to seven days to go through.

  • Bar exam application, general applicant: $878
  • Bar exam application, attorney applicant: $1,650
  • Laptop fee: $153
  • Registration as a general applicant: $155
  • Moral character application, general applicant: $900
  • Late filing: an extra $50 or $250, depending on how late

The MPRE

The ethics exam costs $185 for every 2026 and 2027 date. Moving your appointment costs $25. If you cancel at least 48 hours before the first test day, you get part of your money back, but your registration can’t move to another date.

Prep costs

A full bar review course costs roughly $1,900 to $3,200 as of October 2026. Question banks run a few hundred dollars. NCBE’s own practice material starts at $15 for one set of MEE questions, and its sample questions are free. See our where to learn page for the details.

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Everything else, in one place

OverviewThe US bar examFormat and pass ratesHow many questions are on the bar exam, and what’s the pass rate?ScoringHow the bar exam is scoredExam datesBar exam dates and how to registerOnline examCan you take the bar exam online?If you failWhat happens if you fail the bar exam?Study guideBar exam study guide: the official materialsPractice testFree bar exam practice questionsWhere to learnWhere to study for the bar exam
Sources: State Bar of California, NCBE Comprehensive Guide, Chart 7, NCBE Comprehensive Guide, Chart 11 and 2 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.