Arizona Supreme Court to Adopt NextGen Bar Examination in 2027

Sep 21, 2026

Arizona will adopt the NextGen bar examination beginning with the July 2027 exam administration. The state has used the NCBE’s Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) since February 2012, and UBE scores are transferable under reciprocity agreements. The July 2027 start provides time for NCBE and participating jurisdictions to administer the new exam nationwide before Arizona begins. After February 2028, the NCBE will no longer offer the UBE.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Arizona’s Adoption Timeline

Transition from the UBE

Exam Structure and Design

Development, Administration, and Eligibility

NEWS RELEASE Arizona Supreme Court Administrative Office of the Courts Contact: Alberto Rodriguez Phone: 602-452-3656 Email: [arodriguez@courts.az.gov](arodriguez@courts.az.gov)[ ](arodriguez@courts.az.gov)[Dec. 5](Dec. 5), 2023 Arizona Supreme Court to Adopt NextGen Bar Examination in 2027 PHOENIX – Beginning with the bar examination administered in July 2027, Arizona will adopt the NextGen bar examination, created by the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) . Arizona has administered the NCBE’s Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) since February of 2012. Applicants’ scores on the UBE are transferrable to other jurisdictions around the nation based on reciprocity agreements. The July 2027 start date allows NCBE and participating jurisdictions a full year of administering the NextGen bar exam before the exam is administered in Arizona. Arizona law schools can begin preparing their programs for incoming law students who will be taking the NextGen exam in July of 2027. The NCBE will no longer offer the UBE in any jurisdiction after February 2028. The current UBE is a three-part bar exam consisting of the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE), a 200-question multiple choice exam; the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), consisting of six essay questions; and the Multistate Performance Test (MPT), consisting oftwo long-form, scenario-based questions. The NextGen bar exam is designed to take less time while testing a wider variety of knowledge through additional testing methods. The new exam will contain multiple-choice questions, similar to the current MBE; integrated question sets, featuring a combination of short-answer and multiple-choice questions in response to a common fact scenario; and performance tasks, similar to those in the current MPT portion of the exam, where relevant facts and law will be included within the materials. As part of creating a bar exam, the NCBE gathers teams of law professors, law school deans, practicing attorneys, and judges from jurisdictions throughout the United States to draft the questions and scenarios. Examination parameters for standard and accommodated testers are carried out by the Arizona Supreme Court’s Committee on Examinations. The examination is coordinated and proctored by the Court’s Certification and Licensing Division and the examinations are administered on the same days nationally in February and July of each year. Applicants for admission to the practice of law in Arizona must also successfully complete a separate course on Arizona law and complete a character and fitness review. \#\#\#

FAQs

When will Arizona begin administering the NextGen bar examination?

Arizona will begin with the bar examination administered in July 2027.

What happens to the current UBE after the NextGen adoption?

NCBE will no longer offer the UBE in any jurisdiction after February 2028.

How does the NextGen bar exam differ from the current UBE format?

The NextGen exam is designed to take less time while testing broader knowledge using multiple-choice questions, integrated question sets with short-answer and multiple-choice items tied to a common scenario, and performance tasks that include relevant facts and law in the materials.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Caleb Sterling