Maryland Bar Exam News & Format Changes

Bar Exam Project wiki article. Part of the Maryland Bar Exam cluster.

A living timeline of SBLE rule changes and announcements that affect Maryland bar applicants. Bookmark this page if you are sitting in 2026, 2027, or 2028 — the NextGen transition is a significant format change.

One-line summary

Maryland administers the NextGen UBE beginning with the July 2026 administration. The February 2026 administration is the final legacy UBE in Maryland. Score portability is recalibrated to the 500-750 NextGen scale. The MPRE 85 minimum is unchanged.

NextGen UBE status in Maryland

Maryland administers the NextGen UBE beginning with the July 2026 administration. The February 2026 administration is the final legacy UBE in Maryland. Score portability is recalibrated to the 500-750 NextGen scale.

Score acceptance: accepts transferred NextGen UBE scores from other adopting jurisdictions at 616.

Cut score and MPRE stability

Maryland cut score: 266 (legacy UBE Feb 2026) / 616 (NextGen UBE Jul 2026 onward) (on the 400 (legacy) / 500-750 (NextGen) scale). MPRE minimum: 85. Both have been stable in recent years.

Fee schedule changes

SBLE fees for 2026: $750 first-time, $400 retake. February 2026 deadlines: December 1, 2025 (early), December 20, 2025 (final). July 2026 deadlines: May 1, 2026.

What this means for your study plan

• Verify which exam format applies to your administration (Maryland status: Maryland administers the NextGen UBE beginning with the July 2026 administration. The February 2026 administration is th...).
• For legacy UBE prep: traditional MEE/MPT/MBE materials. Free MBE practice: MBEmax Free MBE Quiz; subject drills: MBEmax browse subjects.
• For NextGen prep: NCBE-released NextGen sample items plus a NextGen-aligned commercial bar prep course. Skip Conflict of Laws, Family Law, Secured Transactions, and Trusts & Estates as doctrinal study (not tested on NextGen).

Companion pages

• Maryland Admission on Motion
• Return to the Maryland Bar Exam Hub

Sources

• State Board of Law Examiners of Maryland (SBLE) — https://www.mdcourts.gov/ble.
• NCBE jurisdiction page — ncbex.org/jurisdictions/MD.