Conducting character and fitness investigations on applicants seeking either admission to the bar or a limited license to practice law

Character and Fitness

The National Conference of Bar Examiners conducts character and fitness investigations on applicants seeking either admission to the bar or a limited license to practice law. Not all jurisdictions participate in NCBE's Character and Fitness Investigations service. Please check with the jurisdiction to which you are applying to determine if it participates in this service. Contact information for the jurisdictions can be found in the Bar Admission Offices Directory on the home page.

NCBE Character and Fitness Application

The NCBE Character and Fitness Application can be completed online. Not all jurisdictions use the NCBE Character and Fitness Application. Before starting the application, please check with the jurisdiction to which you are applying to see if it accepts this application. For more complete information, visit the NCBE Character and Fitness Application page.

NCBE Character and Fitness Forms

Authorization and Release Form: Three original, properly executed, single-sided Authorization and Release Forms must accompany the NCBE Character and Fitness Application.

Request for Photocopy of Prior Application: Use the Request for Photocopy of Prior Application form to obtain a copy of an application that was previously filed and processed by NCBE.

Revisions Form: If your application HAS NOT YET BEEN PRINTED AND MAILED to a jurisdiction or to NCBE, use the Revisions Form to report any errors or omissions on your finalized online application.

Amendment Forms: If your application HAS ALREADY BEEN PRINTED AND MAILED to a jurisdiction or to NCBE, use the pertinent amendment forms to report any changes to your application. Use the General Amendment Form to report any changes not covered in the specific Amendment Forms.