The NextGen bar exam is currently under development. It will first be administered in a limited number of jurisdictions in July 2026. NCBE will update this page as jurisdictions announce their NextGen administration plans.
Important Information
About the NextGen Bar Exam
Set to debut in a limited number of US jurisdictions in July 2026, the NextGen bar exam will test a broad range of foundational lawyering skills, utilizing a focused set of clearly identified fundamental legal concepts and principles needed in today’s practice of law. Designed to balance the skills and knowledge needed in litigation and transactional legal practice, the exam will reflect many of the key changes that law schools are making today, building on the successes of clinical legal education programs, alternative dispute resolution programs, and legal writing and analysis programs.
- Foundational concepts and principles: civil procedure, contract law, evidence, torts, business associations, constitutional law, criminal law, real property
- Note: Starting in July 2028, family law will be included in the foundational concepts and principles tested on the NextGen bar exam.
- Foundational lawyering skills: legal research, legal writing, issue spotting and analysis, investigation and evaluation, client counseling and advising, negotiation and dispute resolution, client relationship and management
The NextGen bar exam will be administered over one and a half days, with two three-hour sessions on day one and one three-hour session on day two. Jurisdictions that administer their own local law components may elect to extend day two for that purpose.
The exam will be taken on examinees’ own laptops at in-person, proctored testing locations. As with the current Uniform Bar Exam (UBE), examinees may transfer their NextGen bar exam scores between jurisdictions that participate in the UBE portability program.
Content Scope Outlines
The content scope outlines document the breadth of material to be covered in the areas of legal knowledge and categories of practical skills and abilities that will be tested on the NextGen bar exam.
These outlines designate not only the exam topics, but also the depth at which each topic will be tested.
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Jurisdictions
Please check back frequently for new information on jurisdictions’ plans to administer the NextGen bar exam. The following jurisdictions have announced their adoption of the NextGen exam starting with the dates listed below.
July 2026:
Connecticut, Guam, Maryland, Missouri, Oregon, Washington
July 2027:
Arizona, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Tennessee, Vermont, Wyoming
July 2028:
Colorado, Kansas, Utah
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Sample Questions
The NextGen bar exam will feature three broad categories of question types:
Multiple-Choice Questions: Approximately 40% of the exam time will be devoted to stand-alone multiple-choice questions with between four and six answer options and one or more correct answers.
Integrated Question Sets: Approximately a quarter of the exam time will be devoted to integrated question sets.
Longer Performance Tasks: Approximately a third of the exam time will be devoted to longer performance tasks.